By Cindy MacDonald
Australian-born chef Skye Gyngell has quit her high-profile post at a London Michelin-starred restaurant.
Gyngell, 47, revealed in a Good Weekend interview published on Saturday that, while it was a "huge honour" for Petersham Nurseries Café to receive the world's most coveted food gong, it had also been a curse.
Pressure … chef Skye Gyngell.Credit: Neale Haynes
"Since we got the star we've been rammed every single day, which is really hard for such a tiny restaurant," she said.
"And we've had lots more complaints."
New gig ... Greg Malouf is to replace Skye Gyngell at Petersham Nurseries Cafe in London.Credit: Eddie Jim
The daughter of Australian television pioneer Bruce Gyngell and sister of Channel Nine chief executive David Gyngell will be replaced at the restaurant by fellow Australian chef Greg Malouf.
A spokeswoman for Petersham Nurseries Café said: "We can confirm that, after eight years of success in leading the team, Skye Gyngell is off to pursue other interests."
Malouf's move puts an end to the 12-year history of Melbourne's modern Middle Eastern restaurant MoMo, the past two in the basement of the Grand Hyatt Hotel. MoMo will close on March 31.
"MoMo can never be MoMo without Greg Malouf; they go hand in hand," co-owner Dean Lucas says in a statement on the restaurant's website.
Keep it simple … casual, rustic charm sets the scene at the Petersham Nurseries Cafe.Credit: Courtesy of Petersham Nurseries
"Greg now has some incredible opportunities internationally in a number of areas, which means the hands-on and carefully nurturing manner in which he oversees and actively participates in the MoMo kitchen will not be able to continue."
Like Malouf, who has previously been a guest chef at Petersham, Gyngell is the author of several popular cookbook titles.
Cindy MacDonald is the Deputy editor of Good Weekend magazine
- with Larissa Dubecki
MoMo can never be MoMo without Greg Malouf; they go hand in hand.