Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and The Farm Eatery have reopened, along with a new cooking school in Barossa Valley
Maggie Beer’s daughter Elli has taken over the Barossa Valley Farm Shop and reopened The Farm Eatery, while also launching a new cooking school.
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Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and The Farm Eatery have reopened, with daughter Elli Beer and head chef Tim Bourke back at the helm.
The Nuriootpa store and restaurant closed at the start of COVID-19.
Bourke had left the restaurant in March 2019, but “always kept in touch”. He will work across the venues and also in a new cooking school, which opens on August 8.
“Tim being back is fantastic,” Elli says.
“We started the Eatery together and it’s just nice having that vision back for the direction of our food, which he leads – with Mum interfering a bit as well.”
Elli says the shutdown and isolation has given her family time to grieve after the unexpected death of her sister and Maggie’s older daughter, Saskia, in February.
“Sasi would have loved COVID – she hated being out,” Elli laughs.
“For a family that lives a hectic pace, it gave us time to stop and spend some time with each other and our thoughts. In that respect, COVID was almost a blessing.”
Nearly three years after launching The Farm Eatery in Nuriootpa, the team is finally launching its long talked-about cooking school, with classes starting August 8.
The onsite gin making school, led by Elli’s husband, Brett Durand, is in the process of signing a new site.
With Maggie and Colin Beer retired, “as much as they ever will”, Elli and Tim are now in charge of the Farm Shop and are working “to refresh their offering”.
“The only reason we’re still here 42 years later is because we keep evolving – part of that is because we have short attention spans and get bored, but we keep moving and are always interested in what’s next,” Elli says.
“The Farm Shop direction is starting to appeal to a broader demographic, not only in areas of interest but also age groups, which is important.”
While The Farm Eatery is open Thurs-Sun for lunch, The Farm Shop is still offering tasting experiences, as well as platters, coffee and wine for those who want to sit and relax. “You can always get something to eat and drink at our place,” Elli says.
50 Pheasant Farm Rd, Nuriootpa, thefarmeatery.com.au