Remembering Mynie Steffens: the culinary icon who ignited joy in kitchens and hearts

​South Africa’s culinary world is in mourning following the sudden death of pilot, author and television personality Mynie Steffens.

She died on Monday morning in a helicopter crash while performing crop spraying on a farm near Patensie in the Eastern Cape. She was 43.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division (AIID) confirmed that Steffens’ Robinson R22 helicopter, registration ZS-DLF, went down during a pest control flight over the farmland. 

Preliminary findings indicate that the helicopter struck power lines before crashing into the ground. The impact left the aircraft severely damaged and killed Steffens on the spot. Investigators are continuing their work to determine the exact cause of the crash.

The news of her death has led to an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, fans and the culinary and aviation communities.

On social media, @gr8ce4race wrote: “Rest in peace, Mynie Steffens. You were adventurous until the very end. With #SpeelMetVuur, you showed us all how to embrace life with curiosity and courage. Sleep well. RIP.”

Andrea Von Holdt added, “We are lost for words, Mynie. You were one of a kind.”

Debbie Crosse-Hustler expressed her condolences: “Condolences to Mynie's family and the local aviation fraternity. So very sad.”

Steffens' influence extended far beyond the cockpit. She was a passionate cook, particularly known for her love of the braai.

Her cookbook, “Mynie Plays with Fire”, published in 2021, reflected her lifelong devotion to cooking over the fire. 

Steffens had been braaiing since the age of 10 and often said, “Everything tastes so much better when it’s cooked over fire…I find any reason possible to organise an epic, all-day braai.”

Her cookbook evolved from her experience on the travel and braai cooking television show “Speel met Vuur” (“Play with Fire”).

On the show, she combined her love of fire cooking with the excitement of travel and the joy of sharing meals. Steffens often catered for private braai events, creating themed braai-tasting menus for her guests. 

The cookbook reflects this approach, offering menus, accompanying music playlists and fun facts to guide readers as they recreate the experience at home.

Each recipe was designed to invite experimentation and enjoyment, encouraging people to play with their braais and the flavours they could create.

Steffens’ television work on “Speel met Vuur” brought her energy and creativity into living rooms across South Africa. 

She was known for making braai cooking accessible and entertaining, showing viewers that cooking over fire was not only about food but about the experience it created.

She combined practical cooking tips with storytelling, sharing insights from her travels and personal adventures while engaging with guests and audiences in a way that made the show as much about connection as it was about cooking.

Her legacy is both in print and on the screen.

Through her cookbook and her television show, she inspired many South Africans to approach cooking with curiosity and courage, showing that food could bring people together and create moments of joy.

Outside of her culinary life, Steffens’ adventurous spirit also extended into aviation and beyond.

Her death is a loss felt deeply by both communities she touched, and she is remembered not just for her skill and passion but for the energy and the joy she brought to everything she did.