"I couldn't have done it without help"- Maggie Beer

The past three years have not been easy ones for Maggie, but family, community, her husband of 53 years, Colin, and of course food – always good food – have seen her through

- SAMANTHA TRENOWETH

Maggie Beer is a good woman. If you cracked her open like a perfect free-range egg, you would find goodness in her soul. The Weekly’s food director, Fran Abdallaoui, says what she admires most about Maggie is that everything she does – from championing local growers and seasonal produce to developing better food for our elders – is grounded in a sense of kindness, conscience, generosity and care.

When I mention this to Maggie, she laughs self-consciously, but when pressed to explain why she is this way, she begins thoughtfully, “I think it comes from life … I think it comes from life and from your parents. Having empathy is really important. Also, I was brought up in an interesting time, when things were … simpler and the ethics were entrenched. The philosophy of the way you treat animals and the seasonality of vegetables – that was part of my growing up. You add that to a passion for food and flavour – beautiful food every day – and people and empathy.

“I inherited from my father this natural ability to cook. I’ve never been taught. I just know. That came from him. From my mother, I inherited the joy in life every day. Even through the hard times. So I was lucky in many ways. And my love of music – what that does for a person. You couldn’t possibly be nasty to anyone if you love music.”

Maggie hails from a family of music lovers and singers, and 18 years ago she founded a community choir which she sings with to this day.