Maggie Beer honours her late daughter, Saskia, by awarding the inaugural Saskia Beer Churchill Fellowship to chef Sascha Randle

Two years after the unexpected death of her daughter, Saskia, Maggie Beer speaks about life now and reveals new details to honour her.

Life has changed “immeasurably” for South Australian food icon, Maggie Beer, since the unexpected death of her daughter, Saskia, nearly two years ago.

“I don’t think you ever heal,” Mrs Beer, 77, said. “Life changes immeasurably. But you find things to celebrate.”

Among those things, is the awarding of the inaugural Saskia Beer Churchill Fellowship, to Melbourne chef Sascha Randle.

Ms Randle, 46 – the same age Saskia died peacefully in her sleep on February 14, 2020 – will use the Fellowship to obtain specialised training in traditional French charcuterie production.

Maggie Beer’s late daughter, Saskia Beer.

“Sascha stood out just that little bit (from the applicants) because of what she was already doing and what she hopes to do – that fitted so much with what Saskia had been doing herself,” Mrs Beer said.

“It (the Fellowship) allows us to have a memory of Saskia and the things she was passionate about. It is something that will remain in perpetuity, because she did achieve so much in her world.”

Saskia – or, Sassie, as Mrs Beer fondly calls her – was respected as a food producer in her own right. She developed her Black Pig range using Berkshire, to produce bacon and ham.

Randle, whose career spans 25 years, will travel to France in April to train with world-renowned charcutiers Gilles Verot and Sebastien Zozoya.

“I will learn the art of producing exceptional pâtés, saucissons and hams and bring that knowledge back,” Ms Randle said. “Currently, there’s no further charcuterie training for professional butchers at any institution in this country.

Maggie and Colin Beer with Sascha Randle, who has won the inaugural Saskia Beer Churchill Fellowship. Picture: EventPix

“It’s so important that we highlight the applications charcuterie has in reducing waste in the breakdown of animal. It’s an art I never want to die out.”

Colin Beer was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 1978 to study overseas developments in commercial game bird breeding and its tourist potential.

Mrs Beer added: “The Churchill Fellowship that Colin won in 1978 set us on our journey. If we can do that in Saskia’s name going forward, then it is a wonderful thing for the family.”