Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson lead tributes for Australian chef and restaurateur Bill Granger

Celebrity chefs are remembering Australian “brunch” pioneer and restaurateur Bill Granger as a “wonderful human”, after his death at 54.

The Australian chef died on Christmas Day, surrounded by his family, in London.

Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson are among the first to pay tribute to Granger, who is credited with making “us all fall in love with” the concept of brunch.

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Granger’s restaurant bills, which he first opened in 1993 in Sydney’s Darlinghurst, brought him to prominence as a chef, and he also wrote 12 cookbooks, which sold more than one million copies.

This is devastating news, I’m so sad to hear this, what a guy he was,” Oliver said, in a heartfelt comment on the post made to Granger’s Instagram account by his family.

“A wonderful human, kind calm soul. I admired everything he represented in food.

“I remember the first time I met him many moons ago he couldn’t have been nicer and his food so good.

“Sending so much love to all his family 🙏🏼 rest in peace, Bill, he will be sorely missed.”

British cooking star Nigella Lawson wrote: “I’m heartbroken to hear this. So cruel. Deepest love to N, E, I and B.”

TV host Deborah Hutton said: “OMG …this is such terrible news. Heartbreaking 💔.

“What a sweetheart (he) was…creating the first communal table at Darlo and perfecting humble scrambled eggs 🥚.

“My love and condolences to Nat and the kids…unbearable for them 😢 🖤🖤🖤.”

Fans of Granger also left comments on his Instagram, expressing their shock and sadness.

“This can’t be possible. My favourite chef. What shockingly sad news 😢,” one said.

“Very sad to hear this. Taken way too soon. I have all my grandchildren with me this morning — all they want is Bill’s ricotta hotcakes. Rest in peace, dear boy. Sending love to his family,” another said.

“Bill changed the game, made us all fall in love with brunch, with his famous fluffy ricotta pancakes, not to mention his creamy eggs! He made it all look so easy. He was a ray of sunshine,” added a third.

The 54-year-old died “peacefully” in hospital on Christmas Day, according to his family’s post on his Instagram account.

He was surrounded by his wife Natalie Elliott and three daughters – Edie, Inès and Bunny.

“He will be deeply missed by all, with his loss most profoundly felt by his adored family, who are grateful for all the love and support that has been given,” the Instagram post read.

It has not been confirmed how Granger died.

Born in Melbourne, the self-taught cook dropped out of art school in 1993 and opened his first restaurant, bills, in Darlinghurst.

The success of the restaurant led to several more being opened throughout Sydney, and in 2008 Granger launched the business globally, opening his first international bills in Japan.

He later opened locations in the UK and Korea.

The most recent of Granger’s cookbooks was Australian Food, released in 2020.

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