Renowned Australian‑born chef Skye Gyngell has passed away in London on 22 November 2025 at the age of 62, her family announced. She had been battling a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, for approximately 18 months.
From Sydney to Culinary Pioneer
Born in Sydney on 6 September 1963, Gyngell initially studied law before shifting into the culinary world, training in Paris under distinguished chefs. She built her reputation in London, notably as head chef of Petersham Nurseries Café in Richmond — a venue she transformed into one of London’s most celebrated farm‑to‑table restaurants. In 2011, the café earned a Michelin star under her leadership.
Gyngell later opened and led other influential restaurants such as Spring at Somerset House and served as culinary director at Marle and Hearth at Heckfield Place, continuing her commitment to seasonal, local and sustainable cooking.
A Culinary Vision Rooted in Simplicity and Sustainability
Gyngell was admired for her unpretentious style — letting ingredients, not gadgets or gimmicks, shine. She was an early and influential voice in the “slow food” and farm‑to‑plate movements, championing local produce, minimal waste and a close relationship between cook and land.
Despite her Michelin star success, she once described the accolade as “a curse” due to the changed expectations it brought to her small restaurant setting.
Illness and Final Years
In 2024, Gyngell was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma, which had spread to her salivary glands. Treatment impacted her sense of taste and smell — deeply significant for someone whose life and work revolved around flavour and cooking. She told the Financial Times: “I wasn’t upset because it would affect my work… it was more the sadness that I might never be able to enjoy food again.”
Tributes from Across the Food World
The culinary community responded with heartfelt tributes. Jamie Oliver wrote of her passing: “Terribly sad news. She was an amazing woman and incredible cook and kind‑hearted. She will be very, very, very missed.” Nigella Lawson said she was “heart‑broken … it’s just awful that Skye is no longer in the world.” Meanwhile, Australian chef Kylie Kwong described Gyngell as “one of the greatest cooks of all time.”
Legacy and Impact
Gyngell leaves behind her daughters Holly and Evie. Her influence extended beyond the kitchen — as an author of cookbooks, a former food editor for Vogue magazine and a mentor to many in the industry. Her work helped shift how we think about fine dining: from hierarchical and formal to rooted, transparent and ingredient‑driven.
Final Thought
Skye Gyngell’s passing marks the end of a luminous chapter in the culinary world. She showed that elegant cooking needn’t abandon simplicity, and that legacy is built not only on stars but on sincerity, mentorship and a deep respect for the land. The cooking world has lost one of its quiet pioneers — but her dishes, ideas and the chefs she inspired will undoubtedly carry her vision forward.
