Latest news with #MaggieBeer
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Would you be happy for your gran to eat this? Disturbing 'slop' photo from Aussie aged care home sparks uproar - with a celebrity coming under fire
A nauseating photo of a processed meal served at a major Australian aged care facility has sparked uproar. The meal, described as 'abhorrent' with an 'off-putting odour', featured a white blob of what appeared to be reconstituted potato alongside pureed green and brown mounds. LinkedIn user Denise Abrahams shared the image to social media, claiming the quality of the food left a visitor to an unnamed residential facility run by a major commercial aged care provider 'shocked'. Given the scene, Ms Abrahams questioned the effectiveness of taxpayer-funded nutrition programs such as those offered by the Maggie Beer Foundation - the charity started by the celebrity chef to improve food in aged care. 'I was annoyed that this still exists in light of the many millions paid to Maggie Beer to solve the problem of getting fresh, nutritious food served in facilities and other claimed initiatives by government for this purpose,' she posted. Hundreds weighed in on the controversy, with many calling the quality of the food a national disgrace. Some labelled the meal 'inhumane', while others accused aged care providers of putting profit before people. 'This is absolutely unacceptable,' said one. 'We are talking about feeding the most vulnerable members of our communities, our elders, and this is what's being served. 'A chemically processed, nutritionally empty plate that wouldn't pass in a school cafeteria, let alone a residential care facility. 'If we wouldn't serve this to our kids or our pets, why are we giving it to our elders under the guise of care?' Be Fit Food owner Kate Save said the problem with most aged care facilities was the budget allocated to meals rarely met the needs of residents. However, another person argued that while he wasn't excusing the poor quality of the food pictured, some people in aged care had dysphagia and other eating disorders that required food to be a mushy consistency. 'Anglicare has a food factory where they actually spend a lot of effort crafting and trialling to produce 'interesting' food to meet this need,' he said. A government aged care sector performance report released this month identified food and nutrition as a top three risk area for the industry. Between January and March 2025 staff from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission visited 88 dining rooms across Australia to monitor the dining experience of people receiving care at those services. The most common issue was staff incorrectly preparing or providing texture-modified food and thickened fluids. It found the poor quality of meals was considered a result of 'cost-cutting' measures in place within the service and the need to source cheaper ingredients. There were also concerns that resident nutritional plans were not followed and contributed to weight loss amongst residents due to insufficient food quantities and inadequate nutrition. The Commission has established a Food, Nutrition and Dining Advisory Support Unit and hotline to help aged care staff and providers to deliver higher quality and more nutritious meals to people in aged care. In 2025, an impact report from Maggie Beer's foundation claimed the program had improved food standards for 9000 aged care residents, employed 13 chef trainers nationwide, and conducted 157 menu appraisals over the past decade. But with more than 200,000 Australians living in aged care, critics say the reach is still limited. A survey commissioned by the foundation and conducted by Flinders University's Aged Care Food and Nutrition Research Team found just 67 per cent of aged care residents were satisfied with the food they received.
Daily Mail
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef Australia tears apart this season's romance as Back To Win lovebirds are separated in brutal elimination
MasterChef Australia broke hearts on Sunday night after one half of this year's most talked about kitchen love story was sent home. Declan Cleary, who made headlines in June after announcing his relationship with fellow contestant Sarah Todd, hung up his apron for the last time after his inside out skewers were deemed 'incomplete' by the judges. The challenge, a 'decreasing time versus increasing ingredients' task, was set by culinary icon and national treasure Maggie Beer. The fan favourite chef narrowly missed the Back To Win season's top ten and a shot at the top prize alongside his newly-revealed beau thanks to a sauceless 'slaw, which left the celebrity chefs wanting more. Now, the MasterChef judges have whittled down the competition to 10 ambitious cooks, fighting it out behind the stove as temperatures soar. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The final few include social media star Sarah, season three's Alana Lowes, the debut season's Andre Ursini, MasterChef Asia judge Audra Morrice. Likewise moving forward are Kiwi chef Ben Macdonald and third-time MasterChef participant Callum Hann. Also in the mix are MasterChef India guest judge Depinder Chhibber, food educator Jamie Fleming, Fugazzi owner Laura Sharrad and Balkan-inspired chef Snezana Calic. Earlier this month, Sarah and Declan came clean about their secret romance, revealing that they have already moved in together following the high-pressure show. Speaking to this week's Stellar Magazine, Declan, 27, revealed that the pair 'instantly got along', which saw them spend lots of time together behind the scenes. However, it wasn't until 38-year-old Sarah landed in an elimination challenge that Declan's feelings became apparent, and he knew he needed to tell her how he felt. 'As she's walking into the elimination [challenge], I said, "Sarah, can I ask you something? Would you like to go on a date with me?" 'And she just looked at me and said, "You're a bloody idiot",' he said. While the poorly-timed invitation didn't land the way he thought it would, Sarah eventually came around to the idea of them together. 'After I got through the stress of the elimination and had a couple of days to recover, I realised it made sense,' she said. For their first date, the pair visited Grampians National Park for a romantic weekend away. They enjoyed exploring markets, eating at picturesque restaurants and going for walks in the central Victoria highlands. Now, after wrapping filming on the show, Declan has made the move from Sydney's Northern Beaches to Melbourne. They are joined by his dog Sol and her 14-year-old son Phoenix. MasterChef Australia airs five nights a week from Sunday to Thursday on Channel 10 and 10 Play.
Time Out
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Sneak peek: Australia's ‘cleanest' airport just got a luxe new business class lounge
Flying out of Adelaide just got a whole lot fancier – well, at least for travellers with a hunk of frequent flyer points (or cash to burn). This month, Qantas unveiled its first domestic business lounge at Adelaide Airport, which was recently named the world's sixth cleanest airport for 2025. It's the airline's first all-new domestic business lounge since Melbourne in 2018, and possibly its most luxurious yet. Let's take a look inside. The signature offering of the new lounge is its sleek Market Kitchen, featuring a live cooking station inspired by Adelaide Central Market and producers across the state. Here, guests can order rotating dishes created by Qantas' Food and Beverage Director Neil Perry – think Skala Bakery pie floaters loaded with gravy and peas; lamb cutlets topped with chutney; or a hearty roast veggie paella. Lighter snacks are also available, designed by South Australian culinary treasure, Maggie Beer, alongside a standard buffet spread featuring local cheeses, charcuterie, bread and condiments from the likes of Barossa Fine Foods, Marino, Balfours and Udder Delights. Naturally, the lounge champions South Australia's world-class regional wines, pouring top drops from the likes of The Lane Vineyard, Penfolds and Torbreck. Open from midday, the bar also serves up a signature Adelaide Hills G&T, plus a non-alcoholic Maggie Beer sparkling ruby cabernet. The spirit of South Australia also shines in the lounge's decor, which takes inspiration from three of the state's most iconic locations: the Adelaide Botanic Garden, Adelaide Central Market and Kangaroo Island 's Flinders Chase National Park. These landscapes are portrayed through earthy green and light brown furniture, clay-red tiles in the buffet area and bathrooms, and a stunning blown-glass light installation by JamFactory. Whether you're in work or business mode, the lounge caters to every kind of traveller with a mix of solo nooks and social spaces. It has capacity for up to 190 guests, with 80 per cent of the seats equipped with power stations, including USB-A/C and wireless charging mats. Talk about high-tech! Access to Qantas' new Adelaide domestic business lounge is complimentary for Business Class passengers and Gold or Platinum Frequent Flyers. But if you're eager to experience the high life, you can also score access with the airline's new low-cost subscription models.
The Australian
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Australian
Australian Fashion Week 2025: Day 2 highlights and key trends
You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback. You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Lee Mathews likes to do her own thing. As a brand that has withstood the challenges of the fashion industry for 25 years, this is advice worth noting. For Australian Fashion Week, Mathews says it was important to acknowledge all of the people who have contributed to growing her label from one that started in her kitchen to having the kind of following that roars with appreciation at the end of a fashion show. Those on the front row included celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, food icon Maggie Beer and actor Isabel Lucas, testament to the brand's appeal among creatives, busy people and those who simply like lovely clothes. A model walks the runway during the Joseph & James show Picture: Getty Images Itwas the Melbourne's label first appearance at Australian Fashion Week Picture: Getty Images 'This season feels like a nod to everyone who's been part of the journey; the artists, the makers, the mills,' says Mathews. The collection included plenty of breezy, gauzy dresses in fabrics such as cotton, linen and checked gingham and that which make one immediately want to frolic in a field or at least have a picnic. Special details abounded, included applique florals, hooped skirts, peter pan collars, lace trimmed sleeves and apron back pinafore dresses. They were pared back with the more utilitarian pieces such as loose trousers with ropes through the belt loops and light jackets. A colour palette of mostly whites and neutrals was occasionally spliced with jolts of red and sheer pink maxi-dresses. 'In many ways, it's a celebration but also a moment of reflection,' says Mathews of what the show meant to her. 'It's been quite a journey.' Meanwhile, Beare Park offered a slinky take on dressing up with dresses and spaghetti strap tops featuring twists and trails of silk, some with alluring bows at the back - pared back with sophisticated suiting in colours such as slate grey and taupe. The effect was a languorous glamour for after hours (and presumably having already crushed the 9-5). A model walks the runway during the highly anticipated Beare Park show at Australian Fashion Week 2025. Picture:The Beare Park runway featured slinky and sophisticated looks. Picture:Designer and director of Beare Park Gabriella Pereira was crowned 'Emerging Designer Of The Year' at the 2024 Australian Fashion Laureate Awards in November last year. Picture:Another highlight was the group Frontier show, which included the likes of Kiwi brands Wynn Hamlyn and Paris Georgia, as well as Amber Keating's Common Hours, newcomer Amy Lawrance, Courtney Zheng, Matin and Esse. For Charlotte Hicks, whose collection included luxurious leather separates, sharp coats and a sequined dress with a slinky cowl back, the decision to show a 'see now, buy now' collection was about seeking an immediate and 'emotional' connection with her woman. 'When something resonates deeply, we want to respond in the moment. This format lets our woman step into the world of Edition No. 13 right away – no delay, no disconnect,' she says, adding this season she was thinking about ideas of quiet strength. The sequined dress at Esse. Good coats at Esse. Certainly it was a mood to be found in her plays on masculine and feminine tropes and wearable and appealing pieces. The group show, adds Amber Keating of Common Hours – who this year pared back her deeply embellished, and extremely personal pieces to be more streamlined with beautifully textured dresses and coats with hot pink lining – created, she says, a feeling of 'comradery and support for each other and the Australian fashion industry'. Byron Bay label Nagnata expanded its offering as part of its debut AFW show with new denim styles that included a pair of jeans, Bermuda shorts and a mini skirt. The muted colour palette, including off-white, rust and bronze, worked just as well across its collection of knitwear, swim and knitted activewear, too. Key trends so far this week have included draped tailoring, scarf coats, sequins, sheer maxi-dresses and soft leather separates. Menswear was on the agenda with the AFW debut of Melbourne label Joseph & James, which showed chunky cable knits, quilted vests and an elegant approach to relaxed separates. Farage closed out the day, in its first runway show at AFW since the brand started 30 years ago. AFW continues until Friday with Gary Bigeni, Mariam Seddiq, Aje and Romance Was Born to show
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
South Australia's iconic aesthetics inform new Qantas business class lounge at Adelaide Airport
From the curve and shape of the Flinders Ranges to the stark beauty of Kangaroo Island, iconic South Australian aesthetics dominate the new Qantas business class lounge at Adelaide Airport. Culinary legend Maggie Beer, speaking with NewsWire at the airport on Thursday, said the new lounge had 'raised the bar' and would present travellers with the best of South Australia. 'I love the vibrancy, the open space, the feeling of how grown up this place is, as Adelaide is,' she said. 'There is nowhere else like Adelaide and South Australia.' Chef Neil Perry crafted the menu at the lounge, with the city's iconic Central Market a key influence. Ms Beer's produce will also feature. Qantas Group chief executive Qantas International Cam Wallace said the lounge would offer business travellers a 'premium in-flight experience.' 'For the millions of customers that visit our lounges, we know just how important it is to have a premium pre-flight experience and we're so pleased to be bringing this to Adelaide today,' he said. 'The new lounge has been designed based off feedback and the features we know our customers' value the most.' The 1016 sqm lounge can accommodate 190 customers. It features locally sourced furniture, lighting and natural materials.
