George Calombaris, post-op on Instagram

Australia’s MasterChef judge George Calombaris needed eye surgery after his retina tore after being struck by a squash ball during a friendly game.

The chef was taken to Melbourne’s Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) where he had multiple surgeries to repair the torn retina and stabilise the eye, including lens removal and oil tamponade, Calombaris told media at the time.

Thanking the RVEEH team, Calombaris said he was initially worried he was going to lose his sight. “A huge lesson for me today: wear protective glasses when playing squash.”

Inspired by his Greek, Cypriot and Italian heritage, Calombaris’ culinary skills quickly brought him fame and he launched several restaurants in Melbourne. In 2008, his flagship restaurant The Press Club was awarded Best New Restaurant by The Age Good Food Guide, which also named him Chef of the Year. The restaurant closed in June 2019 following a wages scandal. In February 2020, Calombaris’ company Made Establishment Group went into voluntary administration, with the majority of its venues closed immediately.