Skye Gyngell was no stranger to firsts. While cooking at west London’s Petersham Nurseries, she became the first Australian woman to attract a Michelin star. She was almost certainly also the first cook to get one in a restaurant without a proper floor - both the kitchen and dining room operated out of what was essentially a glorified potting shed. When she launched Spring at Somerset House a few years later, she became the first chef in the capital to run a top-flight restaurant with a primarily female brigade. Spring was also London’s first plastic-free kitchen and a pioneer of menus that made creative use of “waste” ingredients.
I interviewed Gyngell in 2014, a few days before Spring opened. I hadn’t met her before and was instantly struck by her effortless glamour; she practically floated into the room in her perfectly cut chef’s whites. What followed was one of the quickest cover shoots in Restaurant magazine history. She would have given us all the time in the world, but after only a few clicks in front of an installation made of 3,000 individual porcelain petals, it was clear capturing a memorable shot wasn’t going to be difficult.
She was a joy to talk to - eloquent, down-to-earth and honest to a fault. I remember her telling me how the Michelin star had caused headaches at Petersham Nurseries because it pulled in guests, many inadvisably wearing heels, expecting a luxury experience that a greenhouse could never provide. She also expressed concern that Somerset House might be a little off the beaten track. She needn’t have worried. Spring has been a major success, with its distinctive cooking, which, if pushed, one would describe as produce-led with Italian leanings.
Yet it was food that resisted pigeonholing, and there aren’t many chefs in London you can say that about. Spring impressed with its respectfully handled produce, striking but unfussy plating, and a connection to nature that belied its central London setting. It is also a stunningly beautiful space - remarkable, considering it once housed Inland Revenue offices - thanks in no small part to Gyngell’s creative vision that extended well beyond the kitchen.
At this year’s National Restaurant Awards, Gyngell received our Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her pioneering work in the sector. The accolade followed 12 months of highs and lows for the chef. The previous year, she had celebrated 10 years of her flagship restaurant - a major milestone for one of London’s seminal female-led kitchens. At the same time, however, Gyngell was battling a rare and aggressive skin cancer, a period that saw her lose her sense of taste and smell for several months and ultimately led her to decide she would never again work full-time in a kitchen. It was, doubtless, a heartbreaking moment for Gyngell and her team.
We caught up with her around this time to discuss a decade of Spring. “I hope Spring survives for another 10 years, and that relies on us cooking beautiful food and delivering great service,” she said. “I just hope that can continue, and we can have wonderful talented people work for us and go further. I want it to be a happy place that thrives.” It was a beautiful sentiment. Hopefully Spring can continue — as can her Marle and Hearth restaurants at Hampshire’s Heckfield — which launched in 2018 and were also a huge success.
Tributes have come from across the food world, from writers such as Nigella Lawson to some of the UK’s greatest chefs, including Phil Howard and Adam Byatt. The latter hit the nail on the head by saying: “She had a way with food that was kind, inspirational, natural and pure.” Gyngell was a chef who trod lightly — not only environmentally, but also in terms of profile. She didn’t seek the spotlight so much but was cherished and respected within restaurant and food-media circles. Gone too soon, she leaves a lasting legacy.