Maggie Beer has been honoured with a top award just days after the renowned TV presenter and cook broke her silence on her recovery after a fall in her South Australian home.

Beating some of the television industry’s biggest names, Beer, 79, won Best Host of a Format at the television market’s C21 International Format Awards in Cannes for her role hosting Maggie Beer’s Big Mission on the ABC.

The leading awards recognise creativity and excellence across the global television industry.

Beer was the only woman in the category where she beat global television heavyweights Stephen Fry in Jeopardy UK, Jimmy Kimmel for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire US, Alan Cumming for The Traitors US and Big Zuu for Big Zuu’s 12 Dishes in 12 Hours.

Maggie’s mission

Spurred by the findings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care in 2021 – which ultimately exposed high rates of malnutrition in older adults living in aged care – Beer led a world-first social experiment to transform the meals and dining experience at an aged-care home in Perth, Western Australia.

Over three episodes broadcast on the ABC earlier this year, Beer and a team of experts reinvigorated the menu, dining rooms, gardens and the “care model” to improve nutrition and wellbeing and give purpose to the residents.

In a statement, Beer said it was a “privilege to actually live the experience in an aged-care home brave enough to show warts and all” what was acceptable to feed residents, and what wasn’t.

“…most of all how to begin the journey of change to show the difference that is made to the happiness and wellbeing not only of the residents but the staff as well,” she said.

Producers Artemis Media for the ABC, described her as a trailblazer and source of inspiration.

“With her extraordinary leadership she has put older Australians first and given them a voice,” managing director Celia Tait said.

‘Brave enough’

On October 11, Beer candidly revealed she was brave enough to post a health update on Instagram after a makeover from her grand-daughter to “cheer her up”.

Her family had earlier revealed the regular MasterChef judge and mentor suffered minor bone fractures and related injuries after the fall in August.

“It’s been such a long time of radio silence,’’ Beer said.

“I’ve come such a long way,” she said, speaking in a softer voice after two months recuperating.

” … but I did underestimate the severity of the injuries and so even though I want to tell you how good I’m feeling now, I still have a way to go.

“I will make a full recovery, and part of it is the care and the love that I’ve been given.”

In a follow-up post five days ago, taste-testing two new batches of ice cream, the 2010 Australian of the Year said she was still at home “convalescing”.

With 350,000 Instagram followers, her fanbase including fellow celebrity chefs, were overjoyed she may be back soon in the world of cooking.

Maggie Beer is on a mission to transform the food and the quality of life inside one WA aged-care facility.

‘Make every mouthful count’

Beer has a deep connection to the world of food, and traces her passion back to her childhood with parents who were caterers in Sydney.

After moving to the Barossa Valley and setting up the Farm Shop in 1979, she later opened a restaurant specialising in pheasant and paté, and has written seven books and co-authored dozens more.

We know and love her alongside Adelaide chef Simon Bryant in The Cook and the Chef and as a judge on the Great Australian Bake Off.

But her legacy may well be when she founded the Maggie Beer Foundation in 2014, with a mission to set new standards to change the food and dining experience in the aged-care sector.

Her mantra is “make every mouthful count”.

According to the website, the foundation runs masterclasses for chefs in aged-care facilities, offers online skills-based training for aged-care cooks, chefs and their managers, along with all the mentoring required to help an older person in aged care.

“[Beer] showed incredible energy and tenacity as host and leader of the transformation,” says Artemis of Beer’s win.

“The win reinforces her status as a universally loved Australian national icon.”