Skye Gyngell, the pioneering chef and restaurateur who championed the slow food movement and local, seasonal ingredients, has died aged 62. She passed away on 22 November in London, surrounded by her family.
Gyngell was best known for creating the Michelin-starred Petersham Nurseries Cafe in Richmond, south-west London, built from scratch in a garden setting. Her career also included running Spring at Somerset House and the restaurants Marle and Hearth at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, with Marle earning a green Michelin star in 2022.
Tributes poured in from culinary figures. Jamie Oliver called her “an amazing woman and incredible cook”, while Nigella Lawson said she was “heartbroken”. Jeremy Lee praised her “extraordinary life and career”, and Cyrus Todiwala described her as “a great culinary leader”.
Born in Sydney on 6 September 1963, Gyngell initially studied law before training at the École de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris and working at Michelin-starred restaurants. She later taught, catered for celebrities, and became food editor of Vogue before returning to restaurants in 2004.
Last year, she was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare skin cancer, which temporarily affected her sense of taste and smell. She is survived by her daughters, Holly and Evie.
