Chef Dom Taylor, who memorably brought Caribbean cuisine to London’s West End with a 10-month residency at the five-star Langham hotel, has died suddenly.
Dom, who was in his mid-40s, grew up in South London with a Jamaican mother and St Lucian father, and spent 26 years as a chef after training at Lewisham College.
He made his name after switching focus to the cooking of his heritage, and victory in Michel Roux’s TV series Five Star Kitchen in 2023 earned him the Langham residency, which he ran as The Good Front Room to much acclaim.
Last year’s follow-up, Marvee’s Food Shop in Ladbroke Grove, closed down after only three months, but Dom revived The Good Front Room in a permanent site next to Dalston Junction station in February this year. The restaurant was inspired by his great-aunt Myrtle, one of the senior women who first taught him to cook – and by the “sacred” front rooms found in many Caribbean homes to entertain special guests.
He said: “As a grandchild of the Windrush generation, I feel a responsibility to carry the torch and keep our stories, recipes, and traditions alive. Doing this now feels like the right moment to build something entirely my own, rooted in where I come from and led with intention.”
Dom’s passing was made public by his team at The Good Front Room in a notice on its website reading:
“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. We kindly ask that everyone respects the privacy of Dom’s loved ones at this time.“
The team said The Good Front Room would remain open in honour of Dom’s legacy and to continue the work he was so passionate about.
