Skye Gyngell Dies at 62 – Michelin-Starred Chef & Slow Food Pioneer

geekskepler.com

2 weeks ago

Table of Contents

Skye Gyngell (1963–2025): Michelin-Starred Chef & Champion of Slow Food Dies at 62

“Skye was far more than a chef — she was a mentor, an anchor and a force who helped so many of us find our place.”

— Spring Restaurant

On 24 November 2025, the culinary world lost one of its brightest, kindest stars. Australian-born chef Skye Gyngell – the first Australian woman to earn a Michelin star, pioneer of the slow food movement, and creator of some of London’s most beautiful plates – passed away at the age of 62 after a brave battle with aggressive skin cancer.

From Sydney to London’s Greenhouses

Born in Sydney in 1963, Skye trained in Australia and Paris before landing in London, where she quickly made her mark. She cooked for celebrities (including Madonna), worked at the legendary French House in Soho, and then did something magical.

In 2004 she turned a dusty greenhouse at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond into one of the most romantic restaurants in Britain. Cooking from the garden around her, using ingredients picked minutes before service, she created delicate, seasonal dishes that felt like poetry on a plate.

In 2011, Petersham Nurseries Café became the most charming, ramshackle restaurant ever to win a Michelin star. Skye famously hated the pressure that came with it and later removed the star from the website – because great food, she believed, should never be about ego.

“I believe so much of the planet’s health and future happiness depends on us growing and eating more wisely.”

A Life Dedicated to Beauty & Sustainability

In 2014 she opened Spring at Somerset House – a light-filled, zero-waste dream that became London’s first single-use-plastic-free restaurant. Her famous “Scratch” menu turned peels, stalks and leftovers into dishes so delicious they changed how chefs think about waste.

Later she became culinary director at the breathtaking Heckfield Place, where every plate celebrated British seasons and small producers.

Skye didn’t just cook – she lived her values. Slow food, local traditions, kindness to the planet and to people – these weren’t trends for her, they were a way of life.

A Brave Final Chapter

Diagnosed with rare Merkel cell carcinoma in 2024, Skye faced brutal surgery that temporarily took away her sense of taste and smell – the very tools of her trade.

Yet even then she found joy. When she tasted white truffle pasta again, she wept with happiness. “For now I just feel happy to have my palate back as it is,” she said.

She spent her last summer surrounded by family, friends, and picnics on the grass at Heckfield Place – tasting every ripe peach like it was the first.

Tributes Pour In

The food world is heartbroken:

Nigella Lawson: “It’s just awful that Skye is no longer in the world. A tremendous loss.”
Jamie Oliver: “Her culinary style and good taste was second to none. She was a kind influence in a noisy industry.”

A Lasting Legacy

Skye is survived by her daughters Holly and Evie, and grandson Cyprian.

She leaves behind restaurants that feel like gardens, cooks who learned to waste nothing, and diners who will never forget the quiet magic of a perfectly ripe tomato served with love.

Thank you, Skye, for showing us that food can be gentle, sustainable, and breathtakingly beautiful – and that the best meals are the ones made with care, not show.

Rest in peace among the herbs and flowers you loved so much.

🌿🍑🕊️

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s ODI Future: BCCI VP Rajiv Shukla Slams Farewell Rumors