Maggie Beer - Love, Laughter & Loss

She’s known for her passion for food and joy for life, but 2020 has been heartbreaking for Maggie Beer. The beloved cook talks to Juliet Rieden about losing daughter Saskia, how the legacy of the pioneering farmer will live on, and the outpouring of kindness that has taken Maggie’s breath away.

- Juliet Rieden

The year started perfectly for Maggie Beer with three generations of her family gathered for a double-whammy party. It was Maggie and husband Colin’s 50th wedding anniversary and Maggie’s landmark 75th birthday. “They’re just two days apart, a very special celebration,” says Maggie. “So we took the whole family to Noosa. We had the most beautiful time with fantastic food. Usually it’s [daughter Saskia and I who do the cooking together, but we took our chef, Tim Bourke [from Maggie’s Barossa Valley restaurant The Farm Eatery], who’s like part of the family. I didn’t want to go out to restaurants, I just wanted to be with the family.”

Local farmers and growers who knew Maggie delivered an endless supply of fresh produce for the occasion and the spread, she says, was “amazing”. “They chose every food in season that I love so much. We had five grandchildren – one couldn’t come – and both daughters, Sassy [Saskia] and Elli, and their husbands. It was days of celebration.”

Today Maggie says she feels so lucky to have had those cherished, carefree days when laughter filled the air. For just weeks later, her world imploded. During the night of February 14, Saskia died. She was 46.

Maggie was in “total shock”, a state that remains today. She still doesn’t know exactly what happened. “All we know is that it was peaceful,” she tells me, choking back tears.

In a social media post a couple of days later, Maggie poured out her grief. “It is with broken hearts we need to let you all know that Saskia, our beautiful, extraordinary daughter, sister, wife and mother died unexpectedly yet peacefully in her sleep on Friday night.”