Was Jock Zonfrillo sick? The chef secret cancer battle

Renowned chef Jock Zonfrillo was found dead in his Melbourne hotel room in late April 2023. “With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possibly move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away,” Jock’s family said. A police spokesperson said authorities weren’t treating Jock’s death as suspicious. 

Jock Zonfrillo reportedly battled bowel cancer in secret

A report by The Daily Mail claims Jock was first treated for bowel cancer in 2016. The disease allegedly went into remission before returning aggressively in 2021. Jock omitted suffering from cancer in his brilliant 2021 memoir Last Shot. 

The report claims that Jock started treatment for cancer in June 2021. “No one in his circle is aware of what he is going through. Neither colleagues or friends,” a source told the outlet. 

The source claimed that Jock didn’t want people to pity him, as he was having a hard time with the side effects of chemo treatment. The Daily Mail reported that Jock underwent treatment in Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland. 

“He has not wanted anyone to know as he deals with this tough journey. He is coping poorly with chemo treatment, and the effects it is having,” the source stated. The insider added that Jock had hidden the diagnosis from close friends and colleagues. They added:

“I was told the reason why he hasn’t disclosed his medical condition was because he didn’t want people feeling sorry for him, or treating him any different. He has dropped in weight since his diagnosis because the chemo is causing nausea, excessive vomiting and he can’t keep food down for too long.”

The Daily Mail’s source said he avoided the hospital and had a doctor fly in to treat him. “He claimed that each time he was getting any medical treatment there was a barrage of nurses that keep coming into his room, and he didn’t want to be impolite by asking to be left alone,” the insider stated. 

Jock’s family hasn’t confirmed the reports about Jock’s alleged illness. The outlet reports that cancer had nothing to do with Jock’s death; that Jock died of natural causes. The coroner’s report will reveal Jock’s cause of death.