Five Star Chef winner Dom Taylor dies 'suddenly' aged 44

British chef Dom Taylor, winner of Netflix's Five Star Chef and founder of The Good Front Room restaurant, has died aged 44.

The devastating news was shared in a statement on The Good Front Room's website, reading: "We are deeply saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of our founder, Chef Dom Taylor."

The team at The Good Front Room described Taylor as '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.'

They continued: "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."

No details surrounding the cause of the chef's death have been shared at this time.

Taylor, who grew up in South London, had risen to celebrity chef status after after appearing on the UK cooking competition, which saw professional chefs go head-to-head to create the ultimate fine dining experience to serve up at London's Langham Hotel.

Winning the series in 2023, Taylor landed the opportunity to open The Good Front Room at The Langham Hotel, before going on to bring the concept to a permanent location in Dalston, East London.

Taylor's death has prompted tributes from those who worked alongside him on Five Star Chef, as well as friends who experienced his cooking and hospitality first-hand.

Posting an emotional tribute to Instagram, judge Mike Reid, who met Taylor during the competition, wrote: "Dom Taylor was one of the good ones."

Reid went on: "What he built with The Good Front Room wasn’t just a restaurant. It was his heritage on a plate — his Jamaican and St Lucian roots, his family, his story — served with a pride and generosity you could taste in every dish. He took Caribbean cuisine somewhere it had never been in this country, and he did it his way.

"He was warm. He was funny. He was completely unpretentious about his talent, which is rarer than it should be in this industry."

Fellow Five Star Chef judge Ravneet Gill Taiano also paid tribute to Taylor, describing him as 'warm, kind and incredibly talented'.

She continued: "Off camera, and in the years since the show, he was a real joy to know.

"We had gone back and forth with bread dough recipes, and he would send me honest, thoughtful and often very funny voice notes about life and what he was up to.

"I still can’t quite believe the news. He was on the brink of so many exciting things."

Meanwhile, podcast host Paul Brunson also paid tribute to Taylor, sharing a photo of himself with the chef, he wrote: "My entire family is devastated by the passing of Chef Dom Taylor...

"He never treated us like customers, only family. We brought relatives and friends to experience his food. Once, he even opened early so family visiting from the United States could eat before flying home, preparing an extraordinary private buffet just for us."

Brunson went on to describe Taylor as 'Generous. Gracious. Exceptionally talented. However demanding the kitchen became, he always came out smiling, ready to welcome us and make us feel special.'

The broadcaster added: "Thank you for every meal, every welcome, every smile and every act of kindness. Thank you for carrying our culture with such pride, elegance and love."