“The following announcement is published as received. The team at H&C News offers our sincere condolences to Skye Gyngell’s family, friends, and colleagues.”
=====================================================================================
We are deeply saddened to share news of Skye Gyngell’s passing on 22nd November in London, surrounded by her family and loved ones. Skye was a culinary visionary who influenced generations of chefs and growers globally to think about food and its connection to the land.
She leaves behind a remarkable legacy and is an inspiration to us all. The family requests privacy at this time.
Summary of Achievements
Born 6 September 1963, in Sydney, Australia.
Training & Early Career
Trained at La Varenne in Paris under Anne Willan; worked at Dodin-Bouffant; later in the UK at The French House and The Dorchester under Anton Mosimann.
Petersham Nurseries Café
Became head chef when it opened in 2004. Awarded a Michelin star in 2011.
Spring (Somerset House, London)
Opened Spring in October 2014.
Established exclusive farm partnership with Fern Verrow in 2015.
Spring began eliminating single-use plastics (one of, if not the first, UK restaurant to do so) and introduced a “Scratch menu” to use surplus/waste produce and raise awareness around the issue of food waste in 2016.
Heckfield Place
Appointed Culinary Director in 2012.
Instrumental in adopting regenerative practices across the estate. Expanded her partnership with Jane Scotter of Fern Verrow to convert the Market Garden to organic and, ultimately, biodynamic.
Marle at Heckfield Place was awarded a Green Michelin Star in 2022 for its sustainable dining credentials. It has retained this Green Michelin Star every year since.
Writing & Publications
- A Year in My Kitchen, 2006
- My Favourite Ingredients, 2008
- How I Cook, 2010
- Spring: The Cookbook, 2015
- Food editor for Vogue, pre 2003
- Contributor / writer for The Independent on Sunday for five years from 2006
Awards & Recognitions
- Winner of Best Cookery Book for A Year in My Kitchen – Guild of Food Writers Award (2007)
- Gourmand World Cookbook Award for How I Cook (2010)
- Michelin star for Petersham Nurseries in 2011
- AYALA SquareMeal Female Chef of the Year (2019)
- Green Michelin Star for Marle (2022; retained in 2023, 2024, 2025)
- Outstanding Biodynamic Practice — Individuals, Biodynamic Association Awards (2024)
- Lifetime Achievement Award, National Restaurant Awards (2025)
Community
- Supported StreetSmart since 2014
- Has supported The Felix Project since 2022
About Skye Gyngell
Originally from Australia, Skye Gyngell is one of Britain’s most respected and acclaimed chefs. After initially training in Sydney and then Paris, Skye moved to London to work at The French House and with a number of high-profile private clients, before taking on the role of head chef at Petersham Nurseries. It was at Petersham that Skye became renowned for her distinctively seasonal, elegant cooking, creating dishes inspired by what she saw growing and blossoming around her.
Spring opened in London in 2014 as Skye Gyngell’s first solo venture. The restaurant brings Skye’s acclaimed ingredient-led cooking to the New Wing of Somerset House, the renowned arts and cultural centre in the heart of the West End. Since opening the doors to Spring at Somerset House, Gyngell has won the respect of critics and diners alike for the simple, seasonal, ingredient-led food that comprises the menu.
Since January 2017, Skye has exercised a philosophy of cooking and eating with economy and grace at Spring Restaurant by incorporating the ‘Scratch Menu’. Designed to deliver a delicious meal utilising ingredients that are often overlooked, menus might feature beetroot tops and potato skins turned into simple soups or yesterday’s loaves transformed into warm bread pudding served with a spoonful of jam made from last year’s gooseberry glut.
At the start of 2018, Skye took this initiative further and announced plans for the restaurant to be single-use plastic free by 2019. Working closely with A Plastic Planet founder, Sian Sutherland, Skye removed plastic straws, cling film and plastic lined ice cream cups from the restaurant.
In the same year, Heckfield Place opened in Hampshire with Skye appointed as culinary director and overseeing the launch of two restaurants – open-fired Hearth and Green Michelin starred, Marle – both hugely connected to and inspired by the growers and produce at Heckfield Home Farm.
Skye was The Independent on Sunday’s food writer for five years and has also published four books: A Year in My Kitchen (2006), My Favourite Ingredients (2008) How I Cook (2010), and Spring (2015) all to great acclaim.
