This week Nicola and Di chat with the one and only Maggie Beer AO, Australia’s culinary queen. Maggie is a beloved cook, restaurateur, author and food icon. She’s spent a lifetime stirring up joy, creativity and a love of good food across the country. Maggie has inspired generations through her best selling cookbooks, TV shows, and of course her delicious products. To top it all off, in 2010 Maggie was awarded Senior Australian of the year for her impact on Aussie food and local produce. Now at 80, Maggie is gracing the cover of the Australian Women’s Weekly and is truly a role model for so many people.

In this episode we chat to Maggie about her love of food and how she’s cooked her whole life because she came from a family where good food and music were the two things that were incredibly important and the biggest sources of joy. She shares how she learnt by osmosis from her parents the beauty of simple, nutritious food and because she grew up around it, she’s always intuitively known how to put flavours together. 

Maggie also tells us about the fall that changed her life. She shares the story of how it happened, the time she had to spend in hospital, her extensive rehabilitation and what it was like to experience the quietest time in her life, being forced to rest and rely on the support of her husband Colin, her family, friends and community. Maggie describes how despite the physical pain, it was the least stressful time in her life and really transformed the way she sees the world.

We ask Maggie about her secrets for a long, happy marriage and she shares what she loves about her husband Colin, who she’s been married to for 55 years and counting. 

We also talk to Maggie about becoming Senior Australian of The Year and the incredible foundation that she’s created where she is helping to transform the kitchens and food across aged care centres in Australia.

It was absolutely inspiring to chat to Maggie - a woman who is so vibrant at 80 and pursues life with so much passion and purpose that you can’t help but feel uplifted and energised talking to her. We hope you love this episode as much as we did. 

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected]

Follow Maggie on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/maggie_beer/

Buy Maggie’s products and hampers here - https://www.maggiebeer.com.au/

Follow Maggie Beer Foundation on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/maggie_beer_foundation/

Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/

Find out more about Coast New Zealand’s Products and enjoy $50 off here - coastnewzealand.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.