On behalf of the family of Chef Greg Malouf, Hardie Grant regretfully announce his passing, at the age of 65, at his home in Dubai late last week.
Despite life-long health challenges and two heart transplants, Greg Malouf continued to break boundaries in the culinary world with unyielding passion. And he always expressed his deep gratitude for these gifts, which allowed him to pursue a rich and rewarding life and to become one of the world’s most highly regarded chefs, ‘the Master of Middle Eastern Food’.
Greg was renowned globally for his modern interpretations of the foods of Lebanon,Iran, Turkey, Moorish North Africa and the broader Middle East. Awarded aMichelin Star while at Petersham Nurseries in London and winning a coveted James Beard Award for his most recent book, Suqar, are just two of the many accolades he gained throughout his career.
Born in Melbourne, Greg built his reputation at two restaurants, O’Connell’s in South Melbourne andlater at Momo’s in the heart of the city, where he was awarded ‘2 hats’ at the prestigious Good Food Awards. Greg was an inspired and passionate teacher of generations of aspiring cooks, many of whom are leading chefs today.
Not one for false modesty, Greg nonetheless had an ego-less approach to the pursuit of his craft, always honouring the cultural heritage of the food that inspired him. He went out of his way to acknowledge the inspiration he took from the women in his family – definitely for cooking but also for the enduring family values which guided him.
Greg had a strong sense of personal style. He was drawn to beauty, whether through his delicate use of ingredients in cooking, his appreciation of a glass of Riesling at lunch, his love of fashion, or his admiration for art and music.
In each of the eight books written with Lucy Malouf (his ex-wife and co-author) and published by Hardie Grant Books, Greg’s creativity, inventiveness and mastery of his craft shine through. This, together with his whole hearted dedication to the development and production of each book, contributed to their successes; many being award-winners and published in multiple foreign language editions as well as being notable bestsellers in English language markets.
Most recently Greg and Lucy were working on a book focusing on the food of the North African Maghreb. Having conducted several research trips to Tunisia and Morocco over the last twelve months, Greg was enthusiastically preparing to visit Algeria for further inspiration. The book was due for publication in late 2026.
While Greg’s culinary influence touched many thousands of people around the world – through the dishes he cooked at his restaurants, his mentorship of countless aspiring chefs and through the recipes in his books – those who knew him personally will remember his warmth, kindness, generosity and enduring humility, as well as his loyalty and love for family and friends.
The family thank everyone for their support and memories, and request that their privacy is respected while they come to terms with their loss. Funeral plans will be announced in due course.
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For more information, please contact Kasi Collins at Hardie Grant on E: [email protected] or T: (03) 8520 6491