Who was Skye Gyngell and what happened to her? Inside celebrated chef’s health struggles as she dies at 62

Celebrated restaurateur and chef Skye Gyngell, 62, died in London on Saturday, November 22, following a battle with Merkel-cell carcinoma (MCC), her family and friends announced in a statement.

Merkel-cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer.

The statement (via The Guardian) confirmed that Gyngell was “surrounded by her family and loved ones” at the time of her death.

“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.”

Gyngell was the first Australian female chef to win a coveted Michelin star. According to The Guardian, she moved to Paris after working at a delicatessen and studying law in Sydney. 

In France, Gyngell trained under Anne Willan at the École de Cuisine La Varenne. She also worked at the two Michelin-starred restaurant Dodin-Bouffant before moving to London, where she worked under Anton Mosimann at The Dorchester, according to The Guardian. 

Skye Gyngell later worked at The French House before becoming head chef at Petersham Nurseries in 2004. The restaurant became a part of the chef’s legacy, as it was awarded a Michelin star in 2011, a year before she left. 

Over the years, Gyngell, who once served as private chef to clients such as Nigella Lawson, Charles Saatchi, Madonna and Guy Ritchie, opened three restaurants: Spring at Somerset House in London and Marle and Hearth at Heckfield Place in Hampshire. 

During her decades-long career, Skye Gyngell also served as food editor for Vogue and published successful cookbooks. Last year, the chef was diagnosed with rare skin cancer, which she addressed during a conversation with Financial Times’ magazine HTSI in May 2025. 

Skye Gyngell was diagnosed with Merkel-cell carcinoma that spread to her salivary glands

The late chef opened up about her health struggles during an interview with HTSI earlier this year. Speaking to the food columnist Ajesh Patalay, Gyngell mentioned finding a small lump in her neck, which was diagnosed as MCC. She stated that the cancer had already spread to her salivary glands.  

According to HTSI, Gyngell had undergone a nine-hour operation and had her salivary glands removed. The chef stated that the surgeons removed 40 other glands and some of her shoulder. During the conversation, the chef also reflected upon being told about losing the sense of smell and taste, which caused her to break down in tears.  

The chef also recounted her radiotherapy experience, being on a recovery path and regaining her sense of taste, which she lost after starting her treatment.

Skye Gyngell is preceded in death by her parents. Her father, Bruce Gyngell, was an Australian television executive and broadcaster, while her mother, Ann Barr, was an interior designer.

Barr died a few days before Gyngell’s death.

The late restaurateur is survived by her two daughters, Evie Henderson and Holly Gore. 

Skye Gyngell’s daughters pen heartfelt tributes after the celebrated chef dies at 62

The late Aussie chef was remembered by many on social media after her death, following a battle with skin cancer. Sky Gyngell’s daughters, Evie Henderson and Holly Gore, also paid her tribute in emotional Instagram posts. Evie shared a picture of her mother in a red gown and wrote: 

“You, standing in one of your kitchens, in a ball gown, fierce and beautiful, gentle and strong… completely in your element. Mumma, you are a love and a loss too huge for any words to ever hold. I’m looking for you, waiting for your signs, and loving you through every second.” 

Henderson concluded her heartbreaking post: 

“Will you call me the moment you get there? You are my Skye 🕊️ I love you, I love you, I love you.” 

Holly posted her childhood picture with her mother and wrote about her battle with cancer: 

“On 22.11:25, my world stopped turning. You lost the battle of a lifetime. For a year and a half you fought with everything you had — your strength was undeniable, as it always had been.” 

Gore mentioned the struggles Gyngell faced, including the loss of her sense of taste, and added: 

“You cried and you laughed, and Evie and I were right there beside you. For the first time in your life, you truly understood just how deeply loved you were not only by us but by your friends who have been there in ways that are indescribable.” 

Gore also talked about the final days of her mother and further wrote: 

“In your final days, you shaped us into the best versions of ourselves. You made us proud of who we were — and that’s all I ever really wanted, your approval.” 

Holly concluded her heartfelt note: 

“We said everything we needed to say, yet somehow there will always be more. There are no words big enough to fill the space you’ve left, Mumma. You live within me — in my heart, in every choice I make. I will search for you in all things, big and small: in the warmth of the sun, the glow of the moon, the sparkle of the stars. You are my sun, my stars, my moon — forever my Skye.”

After Skye Gyngell’s death, the team at her restaurant, Spring, also remembered her as “a mentor, an anchor, and a force,” and hailed the legacy she left behind. Many notable chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Cyrus Todiwala, Kylie Kwong and more, paid Skye a tribute.