TV chef Dom Taylor who won Channel 4 cooking show dies ‘suddenly’

TV chef and restaurant founder, Dom Taylor, has died ‘suddenly’ according to a message put out by his team.

His cause of death has not been specified, with the statement kindly asking ‘everyone respects the privacy of Dom’s loved ones at this time’.

Taylor won Channel 4’s Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef in 2023 and landed the opportunity to start a restaurant in London’s five-star Langham hotel.

He then opened The Good Front Room at a new permanent site in Dalston earlier this year, offering ‘reimagined and elevated Caribbean cuisine’.

The statement from his restaurant read: ‘We are deeply saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of our founder, Chef Dom Taylor.

‘Dom was a visionary whose bold, joyful approach to celebrating the Caribbean cuisine of his childhood brought a fresh and exciting voice to London’s restaurant scene.

‘His passion, talent and generosity touched so many people, and his legacy will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing him and experiencing his food.

‘He will be deeply missed, and our thoughts are with his family, friends and everyone whose lives he touched during this incredibly difficult time.’

It concluded by announcing the restaurant will remain open as they ‘honour Dom’s legacy and continue the work he was so passionate about’.

Condolences flooded the comments. Chef and food writer Melissa Thompson wrote: ‘Sending love and strength to the team. Dom was a very special person.’

While Shahanaz said: ‘Dom gave me my first ever job in the cheffing world and taught me so much. So sad to hear this news and sending lots of love to family, friends, and staff during this heartbreaking time.’

Chef brothers Craig and Shaun McAnuff commented: ‘Heartbreaking news. A true pioneer, truly lost for words. Prayers to his family.’

Last year, Taylor told The Staff Canteen: ‘My mum’s Jamaican and my dad’s St Lucian, and food was everything in our family. It was how we expressed love, how we connected.’

In summer 2023, Taylor celebrated his 42nd birthday. On Instagram he wrote: ‘What a birthday! The biggest present. The love. The words. The last few weeks. The support. The community. You guys! Thank you. You are the best gift.’

During Taylor’s time on the Channel 4 show, which also aired on Netflix as Five Star Chef, he impressed judges and culinary experts Michel Roux Jr, Ravneet Gill and Mike Reid.

In an interview with Delicious magazine, Taylor cited Roux as one of his culinary inspirations. He said about being on the show: ‘I didn’t expect my creativity to catch fire in the way it did. I was sitting in a creative space and my mind just went berserk. It was insane. I loved who I became. It was my new favourite version of myself.’

Gill posted a selection of pictures with Taylor on her social media, she said: ‘I’m incredibly saddened to hear the news about dear Chef Dom Taylor. […]

‘Dom was warm, intelligent and full of depth. Even when he wasn’t talking about happy things, he somehow always seemed to be smiling. He was someone you could get completely distracted talking to. Our most recent phone call involved both of us wondering what on earth we were doing with ourselves in the restaurant world, alongside encouraging conversations about where his career might go next.’

Relationships expert Paul Brunson also posted a tribute to the late Taylor. He shared: ‘Dom, thank you for every meal, every welcome, every smile and every act of kindness. Thank you for making my family feel like yours. Thank you for carrying our culture with such pride, elegance and love.’