Australia Day honours: ‘It’s a pinch yourself kind of moment’ for chef Maggie Beer

Maggie Beer’s passion for cooking has propelled her to heights of foodie fame, becoming the nation’s most beloved culinary icon despite having no formal training as a chef.

Maggie Beer has been seen on the small screen on The Great Australian Bake Off, Master Chef and her own series Cooking with Maggie.

Maggie Beer’s passion for cooking has propelled her to heights of foodie fame, becoming the nat­ion’s most beloved culinary icon, despite having no formal training as a chef.

Her restaurant, Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, has been delighting visitors to the region for more than 20 years, and her eponymous food line can be found in supermarkets across the country.

The celebrated cookbook author has become a regular face on television screens from her judging role on The Great Australian Bake Off, appearances on Master Chef and her own series, Cooking with Maggie.

Now she’s made the Australia Day honours list as an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to tourism and hospitality and her advocacy work for older Australians.

She has become a strong voice for seniors, calling on the nation to lift the woeful standard of food served in aged care.

Beer said her food philosophy is simple; that food needs to feed the body and the soul. “It’s produce-driven, so to me it’s Australian first, it’s about food that will give you maximum goodness and pleasure, side by side in its freshness.

“And by goodness I mean the right kind of food that will lead to wellbeing and give you pleasure for your soul, because nutrition in itself is not enough.”

Beer stole headlines when she addressed the royal commission into aged care in 2019, advocating that the average daily food budget had to lift from $7 a day to $14 to provide nourishing food.

Beer was effusive about her latest accolade – which comes a decade after she was crowned Senior Australian of the Year in 2010 – saying the AO nod was a real “pinch yourself kind of moment”.

“It’s where you are just so proud but also a touch embarrassed … because I’m just me doing what I have the chance to do and love to do,” she said. “And so many people are doing brilliant things.”

When she’s outside the limelight, Beer spends most of her time at home in the Barossa where she runs the business with husband Colin and daughter Elli – after her other daughter Saskia unexpectedly died last year. “It has been the two most difficult years I’ve ever known for our family,” she said.

“I see there have been lessons learnt from Covid and I see a positive source of energy in the Barossa. We are a resilient lot and it’s a lovely thing to have this award and to move onwards and upwards.”