Chef Gyngell bows out after Michelin star

DECORATED AUSTRALIAN CHEF Skye Gyngell has quit her Michelin star-winning London restaurant after claiming the honour proved to be a curse.

Gyngell, 47, the sister of Channel Nine chief executive David Gyngell, has this week left the Petersham Nurseries Cafe in southwest London, after opening the popular business in 2004.

“We can confirm that after eight years of success in leading the team, Skye Gyngell is off to pursue other interests,” a cafe spokesman told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.

In an interview carried out in 2011 and published by Fairfax Media last Saturday, Gyngell said that since the cafe’s award last year, increased patronage as a result of the honour had not always proven to be a benefit.

“It’s been a curse,” she told Fairfax.

“Since we got the star we’ve been crammed every single day, which is really hard for such a tiny restaurant. And we’ve had lots more complaints.

“People have certain expectations of a Michelin restaurant, but we don’t have cloths on the tables, our service isn’t very formal.”

Gyngell, the author of three award-winning books who was named Australian Woman Of The Year In The UK for 2011, will be replaced at the Cafe by fellow Australian chef Greg Malouf, until a permanent replacement is found. - AAP