Bill Granger, chef who brought avocado toast to the masses, dies aged 54

Bill Granger, the renowned Australian chef, died aged 54 in London on Christmas Day.

He passed away peacefully in hospital surrounded by his wife, Natalie Elliott and three daughters, Edie, Inès and Bunny, an Instagram post from his family read.

“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 post read.

“He will be remembered as the ‘King of Breakfast’, for making unpretentious food into something special filled with sunshine and for spurring the growth of Australian informal and communal eating around the world.”

The chef is credited with bringing breakfast staple avocado toast to the masses, after the dish was listed on the menu of his café, Bills, in 1993.

Chefs including Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson paid tribute to Granger and his legacy.

Lawson, 63, wrote on social media: “I’m heartbroken to hear this. So cruel. Deepest love to N, E, I and B.”

Oliver, 47, said he was “devastated” by the news of Granger’s death and described the chef as a “wonderful human” who made good food.

“This is devastating news, I’m so sad to hear this, what a guy he was... a wonderful human, kind calm soul.”

Granger, a self-taught cook and author of 14 cookbooks, had 19 restaurants across Sydney, London, Greater Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Seoul in his 30-year-long career.

After dropping out of art school, Granger opened his first restaurant, bills, in Sydney in 1993 at the age of 22. In January this year he was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia.

In London he established the chain Granger & Co, which included branches in Chelsea, Clerkenwell and Notting Hill.