Renowned Australian restaurateur and chef Skye Gyngell has died aged 62.
Her family confirmed her death in a statement released overnight.
“We are deeply saddened to share news of Skye Gyngell’s passing on 22nd November in London, surrounded by her family and loved ones,” the statement read.
“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.”
Gyngell was the daughter of legendary broadcaster Bruce Gyngell and his first wife, interior designer Anne Barr, whose death was revealed over the weekend.
Tributes have poured in from across the culinary world.
Chef Jamie Oliver described her passing as “terrible sad news”.
“She was an amazing woman and incredible cook and kind hearted,” Oliver wrote.
“She will be very, very, very missed. Thank you for all you did to inspire young cooks.”
British pastry chef and television presenter Ravneet Gill also paid tribute, calling Gyngell an “inspiration”.
The family has requested privacy as they grieve.
Gyngell had been undergoing treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer, after discovering a lump on the side of her neck in April 2024.
She underwent a nine-hour surgery in London to remove 40 glands, including her saliva glands.
Doctors later warned she would lose her taste and smell, with no certainty they would return.
Gyngell said she burst into tears upon receiving the diagnosis – not because of its impact on her career, but out of fear she may never again enjoy tasting food.
Gyngell remains the only female Australian chef to have been awarded a Michelin Star, one of the world’s most prestigious honours in culinary excellence.
Born in Sydney in 1963, she trained in France and worked in London before becoming head chef at Petersham Nurseries when it opened in 2004.
She earned a Michelin Star for the venue seven years later.
Her career continued to flourish.
She was appointed culinary director of Heckfield Place in 2012 and, two years later, opened her own restaurant, Spring, at Somerset House.
She also authored several acclaimed cookbooks and contributed regularly to hospitality commentary through newspaper columns.
Her death marks the second recent loss for the Gyngell family.
Over the weekend, it was confirmed that her mother, Ann, had also passed away.
The news was shared by Channel 9 presenter Leila McKinnon, who is married to former Nine executive David Gyngell – Bruce and Ann’s son, and Skye’s brother.
“A post seems too small a way to mark the life and death of Ann Gyngell, my mother-in-law, who died this week … Ann saw everything in colour, even the days of the week, each had their own shade,” McKinnon wrote on Instagram.
“As a six-year-old she was evacuated from Singapore during a storm and survived a risky voyage under Japanese attack to make it to Sydney … a place with which she immediately fell in love.
“During a visit to Sydney, Pierre Balmain asked her to come to Paris and model for him …
“She was friends with Marlene Dietrich who during a Sydney visit in the mid 60s bathed my husband, which obviously makes Marlene a close relation of mine.”
McKinnon also honoured Ann’s celebrated career as an interior designer, noting her induction into the Design Institute’s Hall of Fame.
In her later years, Ann volunteered as a teacher at the Wayside Chapel.
“To me, she was a kind, loving, supportive mother-in-law, a dear friend, and a wonderful grandmother to my children … she will be dearly missed by us all, vale beautiful Ann,” she wrote.
Images: Instagram
