Early on Monday morning, fans of South African television were rocked by news that beloved chef and author Mynie Steffens has died at the age of 43. The tragic accident occurred on a citrus farm near Patensie in the Eastern Cape province, where Steffens was flying a helicopter as part of a crop‑spraying operation when it struck power lines and crashed. Steffens had become a familiar face in the Afrikaans‑speaking world through her cooking show and her commitment to living life boldly. Her sudden passing has left many remembering not just the chef, but the person behind the apron. Her friend and colleague described her as someone who always found time for others, who blended humour and heart in everything she did. Mynie Steffens – Chef, show‑host and pilotMynie Steffens co‑hosted the lifestyle cooking programme Speel met Vuur alongside her childhood friend Aldi van der Walt, after the pair reconnected years later. She also authored a cookbook of the same name, showcasing her take on South African fire‑and‑flavour cuisine. On the morning of the crash she was operating a Robinson R22 helicopter (registration ZS‑DLF) above Roodegrond Farm, performing pest‑control duties rather than filming for television. At around 07:45‐08:00 local time the aircraft struck power lines and came down with substantial damage, according to the Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division of South Africa’s civil aviation authority. Her death hit home quickly because it intersects multiple facets of who she was: a chef, a media personality and an aviator. It’s not every day someone you recognise from screen is also piloting their own helicopter. That for many made the news feel even more surreal. The fact that the crash happened on her own citrus farm only added another layer of poignancy for those who followed her story.Mynie Steffens's co‑host van der Walt described the loss as “a massive shock” and said Mynie Steffens lived life to the full, always full of ideas which she turned into successful endeavours, and always making time for people from every walk of life. Her passing is not just a loss to the culinary world, but to the many people whose lives she touched with warmth, humour and inspiration. Mynie Steffens will be remembered not only for her recipes or her show, but for the fearless way she embraced passion and life.