For nearly half a year, chef Jon Bonnell has not been able to taste the food he eats.
The fourth-generation Fort Worthian and owner of Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine, Waters Restaurant, Jon’s Grille and Buffalo Bros has been a name in the local cuisine industry since the late 1990s. Bonnell has authored several cookbooks, starred in national food network television and competed in cook-off events.
Thinking about, preparing and eating good food has been central to much of his life.
“I really enjoy food in every single way: cooking for my family and friends, going out to restaurants and seeing what they’re doing, trying new things. I’m in wine tasting groups and teach wine classes,” Bonnell said. “All of this stuff has been a massive part of my life, and all that got stripped away.”
That all changed when Bonnell was diagnosed in December with Stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma of the throat and tongue.
The cause? A strain of HPV, a virus Bonnell hadn’t heard of since his freshman year of college. Now Bonnell is using his platform in Cowtown and the cuisine industry to encourage people to get vaccinated for the virus.
“The stigma around HPV is so hard to get around. It’s still hard to talk about,” Bonnell said. “And I really hope that everybody gets the message and understands that this virus is a lot more than just an STD, and it’s literally everywhere.”
Chef Jon Bonnell poses for a photo, showing a visible scar on his neck from surgeries and drainage on April 16, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
The early days after his cancer diagnosis is when Bonnell started to learn about the virus. The most common sexually transmitted disease, HPV has several strains that can be spread through contact with saliva or skin. Furthermore, most people will contract the virus at some point in their lives, with the majority having little to no effect, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The strain of HPV Bonnell contracted is one of the most common causes of tongue and throat cancers, with some estimates pointing to 70% of the cancers in the United States being caused by the virus.
A lasting impact
Bonnell also found out that a vaccine could have prevented the cancer.
“I know two other guys that have the exact same thing that are going through this at the same time as me,” Bonnell said. “I had no idea how common it was and that we all could have gotten this vaccine.”
Bonnell instead had to go through several surgeries, intense radiation and chemotherapy. In late March, he announced that he was cancer-free.
The cancer’s effect on Bonnell over the past couple of months wasn’t limited to the chef’s taste buds.
Bonnell lost over 40 pounds during his treatment.
He hasn’t been able to move around often and has been bed- and couch-ridden since the start of the year. “I am so sick of this damn couch,” Bonnell said.
Swallowing most food and drink still burns the right side of his throat because of radiation treatment in the area.
“Even a sip of water when you’re thirsty was excruciating just to try to swallow,” Bonnell recounted.
The chef also needs to spit into a cup constantly, day and night, because of damage done to his throat.
A container of protein powder sits in chef Jon Bonnell’s kitchen on April 16, 2026, at his home in Fort Worth. Bonnell consumes most of his protein and carbs from various protein powders and shakes. The radiation treatment he received left him with burn wounds in his throat making it painful to swallow. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
“It’s been a long road and it’s quite the struggle, but I’m glad to be on this side of it where I feel like I’m getting a little better every day,” Bonnell said.
Turning struggle into advocacy
At 55 years old, Bonnell is outside of the recommended age range to receive the HPV vaccine.
Still, he notes that if he’d had any information about the virus, he would have gotten himself vaccinated.
Other countries agree with the chef. Australia is on track to eliminate cervical cancer through a nationwide HPV vaccination program. Scotland hasn’t seen a case of cervical cancer since 2008, according to the American Association of Immunologists.
Although stipulating that he isn’t a medical professional, Bonnell is encouraging everyone to get vaccinated if they can.
The American Association of Pediatrics recommends starting the HPV vaccination schedule when children are between ages 9-12. For patients ages 14 and younger, the vaccine should be administered in a two-dose series. For patients ages 15-45, or for the immunocompromised, a three-dose series is recommended.
The majority of private insurers cover the vaccine, as does Medicare and Medicaid.
“If one generation gets vaccinated almost completely, you could get rid of 70% of head and neck cancers in men and almost 100% of cervical cancer,” Bonnell said. “That’d be amazing.”
Dr. Diane Arnaout, a Fort Worth-based pediatrician, said about 40% of American adults have the virus at any given time.
And given HPV can cause cancers in the anus, cervix and throat, most physicians in the United States recommend the vaccine. “We love this vaccine because it’s highly effective at preventing catching HPV and spreading it to others,” she said.
Despite being diagnosed at Stage 3 of the cancer, Bonnell’s survival chances were high — 96%. So his advocacy is less focused on preventing deaths from HPV-related cancer and more on the pain he endured during treatment.
Chef Jon Bonnell sits in his home in Fort Worth on April 16, 2026. Due to the amount of radiation he received in a small area in his throat, Bonnell produces an excess of mucus and always has a cup nearby. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
“If I could stop anyone from going through what I had to go through to get rid of this cancer would (have been) worth it,” he added.
Bonnell has started leaving the house more often and increasingly eating solid food.
Most meals that he consumes still taste awful, he said, but he is looking forward to the summer when he believes his taste buds will be fully healed.
Ismael M. Belkoura is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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