<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Highly respected </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="_blank" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span> chef Teage Ezrad has died at the age of 59 after a battle with a neurological </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/disease" rel="" target="_blank" title="disease"><span>disease</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ezard burst onto the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="_blank" title="Australian"><span>Australian</span></a><span> culinary scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and ran well-known Melbourne restaurants Ezard and Gingerboy, with the former winning </span><em><span>The Age's</span></em><span> Best New Restaurant of the Year award when it first opened.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, Ezard began to step away from the restaurant world during the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/covid-19" rel="" target="_blank" title="COVID-19"><span>COVID-19</span></a><span> pandemic as he began to suffer from health issues.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/iranian-footballers-granted-asylum-three-more-decide-to-return-to-iran/3bbdd83b-1fe2-4eed-b545-6b24ef7b8740" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Three more Iranian footballers backflip on decision to stay in Australia</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2024, he was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), an incurable disease that affects movement, balance, speech and other emotional regulation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yesterday, his family announced his death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"With the heaviest of hearts, we share that our beloved Teage Ezard has passed after a brave fight with MSA," the family said in a statement on social media.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/teage-ezard-death-melbourne-chef-msa/6f6d4133-ea11-4854-9b53-8af57c601d58" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He met this cruel disease with courage, humour, wit, and unbreakable spirit, joking and uplifting others until the very end. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A legendary chef who shaped Australian dining, he was our devoted husband, father, son, brother and friend.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Teage wanted his story to raise awareness of MSA and support research to spare other families this pain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're grieving deeply and ask for privacy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/artificial-intelligence-tech-sector-lay-offs/dde93ab8-0c9d-409e-ae1f-3d39c0e1ec40" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Experts say worse to come after 23,000 jobs gone in mere months</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Honour him by spreading MSA awareness &amp; supporting Combat MSA."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nick Reece called Ezrad a "visionary" who helped put Melbourne on the map in culinary terms, and "set new standards for Australian hospitality."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"[His] creativity reshaped the way Melbourne dined," Reece said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Teage was in the vanguard of chefs who revolutionised the Melbourne dining scene in the 1990s and early 2000's."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Reece also praised the work of Ezard in creating awareness for MSA, with Ezard and his family creating the Combat MSA organisation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He met this cruel disease with courage, humour, wit, and unbreakable spirit, joking and uplifting others until the very end," Combat MSA said in a post on social media announcing Ezard's death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-strait-of-hormuz-donald-trump/14ac7b1f-e957-4cec-b4c2-4855aadf111a" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump issues cry for help to other nations to keep oil flowing</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A legendary chef who shaped Australian dining, he was our devoted husband, father, son, brother and friend."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last year, Ezard spoke to </span><a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/he-won-t-be-able-to-talk-soon-facing-a-high-flying-husband-s-incurable-disease-20250901-p5mrih.html" rel="" target="_blank" title="The Good Weekend"><em><span>The Good Weekend</span></em></a><span> about his diagnosis and its impact on his family, especially his wife Tina.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I was scared of dying after the initial shock of the diagnosis, but I've accepted time isn't on my side," he said at the time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's hard to have your independence taken away. Tina reassures me, helps me engage in social interactions, monitors my symptoms. Her strength and patience leave me in awe."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>