Gemma Ogston

Chef, Author, and Wellness Advocate

Gemma Ogston is a chef, author, wellness advocate, and founder of Mama Shrooms—a functional mushroom brand designed to support women’s health, particularly through hormonal shifts and recovery. With over a decade of experience, she’s built a career rooted in nourishing both body and mind, combining her background as an addiction counsellor with her passion for food and community.

She first made her mark in the plant-based world with Gem’s Wholesome Kitchen, a much-loved Brighton-based business offering healthy, creative dishes. Her journey began in Barcelona, preparing plant-based bento boxes for travelling DJs and recovery-focused meals, before returning to Brighton to expand her mission. Gemma’s dedication to accessible wellness led her to found Gem’s Community Kitchen, collaborating closely with Public Health, schools, and local councils to provide workshops and affordable recipe booklets aimed at helping families eat well for less.

Her media presence spans BBC Saturday Kitchen, This Morning, and BBC Radio, and her cookbooks The Self-Care Cookbook and The Healing Cookbook have both been Amazon bestsellers. In addition to regular brand collaborations with names like Soho House, Cornish Sea Salt, Witch, and Farmacy, she has worked as head chef at COP28 Dubai and hosted wellness retreats at iconic venues like Pikes Ibiza.

An ambassador for Young Minds UK and FareShare, Gemma is also a content creator with a dedicated following on Instagram and TikTok. Whether through her writing, TV appearances, or community work, her focus remains on empowering people to nourish themselves—mind, body, and soul. When not in the kitchen, she’s likely tending to her Costa Brava apartment, newly acquired allotment, or spending time with her teenage children.