Celebrated Australian chef Sky Gyngell has passed away following a battle with a rare skin cancer, Merkel-cell carcinoma. She was 62 years old.
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According to The Standard, Gyngell’s family released a statement confirming that she died on Saturday in London. Her family and loved ones were with her at the time of her passing.
“Skye was a culinary visionary who influenced generations of chefs and growers globally to think about food and its connection to the land,” the statement reads. “She leaves behind a remarkable legacy and is an inspiration to us all. The family requests privacy at this time.”
Born in 1963, Gyngell was best known as a food editor for Vogue. After being trained in France, she moved to the UK to continue her work. She was a Michelin-starred chef at the Petersham Nurseries Café in London, where she was head chef at its opening in 2004.
However, she made headlines after claiming that the Michelin star was a “curse,” declaring, “If I ever have another restaurant, I pray we don’t get a star.”
Gyngell later walked back her comment, stating that the restaurant didn’t have the setup to meet customers’ expectations. She then described the establishment’s facilities as “cooking out of a garage.”
Following her time at Petersham, Gyngell opened her restaurant, Spring, at Somerset House. She also became culinary director at Hampshire Hotel Heckfield Place.
She published four cookbooks as well.
Famed Chefs Pay Tribute to Skye Gyngell
Following the news of Skye Gyngell’s passing, numerous famous chefs took to social media to pay tribute to her.
Quo Vadis chef Jeremy Lee praised Gyngell for her extraordinary life and career.
“How this lovely lass lit up the world,” Lee stated.
Fellow chef, Jamie Oliver, also posted, “Terrible sad news. She was an amazing woman and incredible cook and kind hearted. She will be very very very missed. Thank you for all you did to inspire young cooks.”
Meanwhile, Ravneet Gill added, “What sad news, what a woman and inspiration.”