Bill Granger, the Godfather of avocado on toast, dies aged 54
Bill Granger, the Aussie chef widely credited with popularising avocado on toast, has died aged just 54.
The self-taught chef died on Christmas day with his family by his side; the cause of death has not been released.
“It is with great sadness that the family of Bill Granger announce he has passed away on 25th December at the age of 54,” his family said on Instagram. “A dedicated husband and father, Bill died peacefully in hospital with his wife Natalie Elliott and three daughters, Edie, Inès and Bunny, at his bedside in their adopted home of London.
“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. 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.”
Bill Granger, who was born in Melbourne, was one of the first restaurateurs to serve avocado on toast, a dish that became a morning staple, then a battlefront in the culture war between millennials and boomers, and then an international meme.
His first venture was Bills cafe in Sydney, which acted as a springboard for more than a dozen cookbooks and a culinary empire that stretched as far as Japan, Korea and Hawaii. Londoners will recognise Granger & Co in King’s Cross, a light, airy affair, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Pancras Square.
”He was the loveliest man, and the joy he gave us – whether through his food, his books, the spaces he made for us or in person – came from the kindness and generosity and sheer, shining exuberance of his very self,” said Nigella Lawson on Instagram.
Bill Granger’s death comes just weeks after the passing of another giant of the London food scene, Russell Norman, who died of cardiac arrest aged just 57.
Norman was known for his popular Polpo chain, sister restaurants Spuntino and Polpetto, as well as his TV appearances on Saturday Kitchen.
Norman was a pioneering force in the British restaurant industry, helping usher in the small plate trend that’s now ubiquitous in London restaurants and normalising the concept of “no reservation” dining. He took a no-nonsense approach to cooking, with his restaurants praised for their top-draw ingredients and simple execution.