At 79, Maggie Beer is still stealing the show.
Whether she’s offering encouragement in the MasterChef Australia kitchen or sharing her wisdom with home cooks, Maggie’s mix of warmth, wit and no-fuss food philosophy continues to inspire others.
Reflecting on her most recent stint on MasterChef, Maggie says it’s the contestants, not the cameras, that make the experience special.
“My favourite moment of all is walking in and seeing the faces of these amazing young people…. and yes, everyone is young to me.”
“They are so excited by their whole experience, and it shows in everything they do… Plus, they treat this old girl like a rockstar for a minute or two… can’t knock that!”
With decades of experience, Maggie’s tips are gold for home cooks looking to elevate everyday meals.
Her biggest home-cooking pet peeve
According to Maggie, one of the most common kitchen mistakes is all about the pan.
“The most common mistake I see in home cooks is when pan frying, not allowing the pan to heat before they place the food in and crowding the pan,” says Maggie.
Maggie swears by this ‘impressive’ weeknight dinner
So, what does Maggie whip up when she’s short on time but still wants something delicious?
Her go-to dish is comforting and full of flavour: chicken thighs marinated in rosemary and vino cotto, paired with green lentils cooked in stock, and finished with a winter salad of radicchio.
“It’s quick, full of flavour, and satisfying, which is what I call impressive.”
Here’s her step-by-step instructions for cooking this delicious dish.
- Cook green lentils by the absorption method in chicken stock.
- Make a quick marinade for chicken thighs (MUST HAVE SKIN ON!) with some rosemary, vino cotto and extra virgin olive oil; place skin side down to maximise the contact with the marinade.
- In a shallow but wide pan, sauté onions, garlic and chopped sweet potato.
- Push aside in extra virgin olive oil, add a knob of butter, and let it sizzle. Then, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, to the pan.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat, then turn the meat over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the desired doneness is achieved.
- Then, deglaze the pan with a bit of verjuice and allow to rest.
- Add lots of chopped flat leaf parsley and chopped veg to the lentils with the chicken on top.
- Serve with a winter salad of radicchio.
A mission with heart
Named Senior Australian of the Year in 2010, Maggie was invited to speak at a major aged care conference. What she saw in the lead-up changed everything.
“I found some wonderful places where simple food full of flavour was immediately evident.Aand then I saw others where the food was nothing more than fuel and the teams were working so hard without support, training or inspiration,” says Maggie.
In 2014, she launched the Maggie Beer Foundation to raise the standard of food in aged care.
Today, the Foundation offers training, mentorship, and practical programs that are changing lives, not only for residents, but also for the chefs and cooks who feed them.
“Just yesterday, a letter was forwarded to me from a couple who had been in a Home for three years. They wrote to me saying the meals had been ‘dastardly’, and complaints had been falling on deaf ears until the Home was accepted into the Chef Trainer Mentor programme.”
She adds: “They wanted to thank me personally and the Foundation for the huge change that had occurred, which is always fabulous to hear.”
But it was the cook’s transformation that moved Maggie most.
“She was an early career cook who lacked confidence and had difficulties with the kitchen team (never underestimating that they all worked hard),” says Maggie. “The chef has since transformed into a quiet achiever with a passion for her job, an evident love for the residents and is now working towards her chef qualifications. This is music to my ears!”
What’s next for the Maggie Beer Foundation
With Federal Government support extending through 2026, the Foundation is expanding its reach. However, Maggie says there’s still work to be done, and not just within aged care homes.
“We want to explore and develop practical, culturally inclusive, and community-driven approaches to enjoying good food, ensuring that older Australians not only eat well, but experience the joy and dignity that food can bring.”
“So the vision is to find ongoing funding and resources to enable the continued success of this really important program that we know works.”
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