My Breakfast Date with Maggie Beer for Good Food and Wine Show 2013

So, I went on a breakfast date with Maggie Beer recently. It was an awesome date. Ok, so maybe 10 other people were also on this mass group date, but that ruins my story. So in my reality, it was just Maggie and I. So let me tell you how this date came to be. I first met Maggie ten years ago.....haha. Ok I'm kidding. I was invited by the Good Food and Wine Show organisers to meet Maggie for breakfast at the The Olsen Hotel, as Maggie is one of the stars of this year's Good Food and Wine Show in Melbourne.

There are a few food celebrities that I truly love, Heston (scientific food genius), Sue Perkins (a thinking man's crush), Poh (my darling), Shannon (awesome chef who's food I've got to taste) and Maggie (the nicest food celebrity ever). I really feel in love with Maggie on her show called The Cook and the Chef with Simon Bryant. She seemed like such an enthusiastic, kind, funny and loveable person. As it turns out, she is all those things and more. Maggie was so nice to everyone and had such interesting stories to share. Her candid honesty really endeared me to her and her passion for good produce really came through. Her passion for verjuice and fresh Barossa produce is famous, but her dis-passion (made up word) for Sauvignon Blanc, cigarette smoke and perfume was something I didn't know previously. She told us some hilarious stories about supposedly being caught eating at a Hungry Jacks (not true) and how utterly upset she was. She also told us about how she tries to stop everyone drinking Sauvignon Blanc as there are so many better wines. It's amazing how she was able to talk to everyone and make everyone feel included and special. That comes from being genuine I think. While Maggie won't remember me, I will remember my meeting with her as that's how we should all aim to act and be, passionate, kind and willing to have a laugh.

Of course I had to get a photo with Maggie and thanks to Sabrina for helping to take the photo. I think my laugh is not as big as Maggie's or when I met Poh, but I was just as happy.

If you want to see Maggie, you can find her at this year's Good Food and Wine show. She will be holding some hands on cooking demos for the public. A million other things will also be happening at the show but try to catch Maggie if you can. Below are the details of the show.

What: Good Food and Wine Show
When: Melbourne June 7-10
How Much: Tickets $33 for Adults
Where: Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre
2 Clarendon St, South Melbourne

As part of my date with Maggie, I also got to stay at the Olsen Hotel. The hotel is really beautiful and the views are great. The amenities are fantastic and I loved the high water pressure in the shower (a much often neglected item). I got room service for dinner and ate at Spoonbill for breakfast. Some items were very good (chicken taco, burger, corn fritters) while some lacked in flavour a bit (fish taco, paella). There was an amazing pool with a glass bottom that I didn't get the change to swim in. I'm definitely swimming in it next time I stay there. Overall, it was a great event and I loved it. I hope my path crosses with Maggie again in the future.

I stayed and dined courtesy of The Olsen Hotel.