Maggie Beer’s favourite restaurants in the Barossa Valley, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney

In Maggie Beer’s ABC TV series Maggie Beer’s The Great CommissionSouth Australian chef, author and restaurateur, Food Guide Legend Beer first conducted a social experiment in a Western Australian nursing home, changing the diet there. It was a huge task, but Beer took it on with enthusiasm, boosted morale, and brought hotel-style buffet breakfasts to the people with her infectious smile.

“Seeing the joy on the residents’ faces is definitely a highlight for me,” said Beale. “The quality of the food really makes a difference, from the plum compote to the creamy porridge and all the beautiful garnishes. One gentleman apparently ate seven helpings of porridge himself, he loved it so much,” she smiled.

A self-proclaimed optimist, Beale knew that aged care catering was a complex field and entering it with a TV crew was no easy feat, but her dazzling charisma certainly made all the difference.

“We know the food industry is short on skilled people and understaffed,” she said. “We need government and society to recognise that we need great food to improve the lives of nursing home residents. I know these residents and many of them are still full of life, you just need to give them a chance and a great meal.”

When it comes to his enjoyment of life, Bill splits his time between his home in the Barossa Valley of South Australia and an apartment in the heart of Adelaide.

Eat at home

Homemade signature dish
My favorite chicken is the chicken from Saskia Beer Farm Produce. My son-in-law still runs the business (Saskia passed away in 2020) and the chickens are gorgeous. I cook them with lots of roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and crème brûlée. Two kilograms of chicken is our favorite comfort food in our house. I drizzle the crème brûlée over the chicken and MasterChef Once, and people down the street have been complaining to them ever since, telling me that once they added the crema they would never make their roast chicken any other way again. The crema adds another layer of their incredible flavor and accentuates the taste.

My guilty pleasure
Fresh peanut butter from the health food store is thick and rich in natural oils. We occasionally eat it in our house because I just can’t resist it.

My kitchen wisdom
Produce is key, and so is simplicity. Use the right cooking techniques to make the produce shine, and have the confidence to keep it simple.

Eating out

My favorite hometown restaurants and dishes:

I am very proud of our dining options in the Barossa Valley. Huntley Farm arrive Louise Dining room, Fermented Asia In Tanunda, with my daughter Elli’s Restaurant on the FarmMy favorite dish was the fresh stracciatella cheese served with rye sourdough bread, extra virgin olive oil, and grated caviar.

Otherness Bar and Cellar Angaston’s is also a great place I like to go. It’s a casual new place on the block. I always order the grilled octopus and the food is casual but delicious. They have a great wine list.

Go Finno Sepultsfield There is seasonal produce there. I had the most delicious roasted eggplant with goat cheese there.

My favorite hometown cafes and bars and what I order:

Although I live in the Barossa Valley, we also spend a lot of time in Adelaide. Our first stop was East End Wine CellarWe walked from the Botanical Gardens to the East End Wine Cellar to the New Palace Hotel. That was our city haunt. We always ordered the sausage platter; they cut it fresh to order and served it with a glass of delicious
liquor.

When it comes to coffee, I like to go Peter Rabbit Cafe Close to the University of South Australia. Also a good place for breakfast.

I also love pubs and often go to Leigh Street in Adelaide. Lee Street Wine House A great place with a great selection of wines. Spanish Bar spring Serves pinchos and I love the ambience.

One of my new favorite spots is Leigh Street LuggageThere’s a cocktail bar hidden behind the front bar. I always order a margarita; it’s well made, with the perfect balance of salty and sour.

In the summer, I am a Campari girl through and through. Fugitive Making gnocchi and pasta, Zhuangfangzhuang This street is also worth a look. Leigh Street is the epitome of lovely restaurants and bars. I also like Alke – It’s all about
Cooking is done over fire here and the offal dishes are outstanding.

Most popular restaurants in Sydney

There is no doubt that Peter Gilmore’s Benilang Sydney is the best place for me. My love for music is as strong as my love for food. Eating a simple three-course meal there before going to the opera house – sitting there, looking at the sea, the opera house and the sea of ​​people walking by – is
A great experience in life, it brings me great joy. The combination of dishes is always amazing and the sashimi is also very delicious.

I went to aria If we don’t have enough time in Bennelong, we can come here for a post-show dessert.

Melbourne’s most popular restaurants

In Melbourne, you’ll find Beer sitting at a table on Bourke Street, enjoying Guy Grossi’s signature tripe.

“I like to Grossi Florentino“Every winter, if the weather was nice, I would sit outside by myself and devour tripe. Guy Grossi would make tripe with raisins and pine nuts, and I felt like I was in heaven.”

But it was also a recent trip to the Heathcote region of Victoria that left the biggest impression on me.

“Chauncey “It is one of the best restaurants in Australia right now,” Bill said. “Everything here is greater than the sum of its parts. From the architecture to the design, the gardens, the flowers, the beautifully simple food and the wine knowledge, everything is unforgettable.”

Maggie Beale’s Great Commission Can view ABC iview