Lauren Zonfrillo speaks on husband Jock’s sudden death

In a moment that has resonated with grief across Australia and beyond, Lauren Zonfrillo has spoken publicly for the first time about the devastating loss of her husband, celebrated chef and MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo.

Zonfrillo, just 46 years old, was found dead in a Melbourne hotel room in May 2023. The suddenness of his passing left his family shattered – his wife Lauren and their two young children were on the other side of the world in Italy when they received the unimaginable news.

Since then, many questions have lingered, especially around the cause of his death. But Lauren has now made it clear: those details will remain private.

Speaking in an emotional interview with Liz Hayes for 7NEWS Spotlight, Lauren shared how she and the coroner agreed not to make Jock’s cause of death public – a decision made out of respect, protection and love.

“We spoke to the coroner multiple times because the inquest took a while,” she said. “It was just sort of agreed that for the privacy and safety of our family... that it wouldn’t be in the public’s best interest or our best interest, and that was determined well before the report was finalised.”

In Victoria, coronial findings are not always made public, and discretion can be used if deemed to be in the public interest. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the investigation into Zonfrillo’s death was concluded in August 2024, with no report to be released.

While some sources close to the family have said the beloved chef died of natural causes, Lauren said it was her desire to shield her family from further public scrutiny – and to preserve some part of the man who, to them, was far more than a television personality.

“Up until Jock’s death, yes, he was a public figure,” she said. “But, since we lost Jock, I’d been trying to reclaim some of his privacy… to give him some peace as much as I can. To us, he’s Dad, Papa, husband – and he’s not a public figure to us anymore.”

As tributes to Jock continue to pour in, the grief of his family remains raw – and the privacy they seek a small comfort in the shadow of profound loss.

Images: 7NEWS Spotlight