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Ballymaloe Cookery School
Darina Allenn - founder
of the School
Darina Allen is Ireland's most famous cook and a best-selling
author who has presented eight series of her cookery programme
"Simply Delicious" on television in Ireland. Her first
book, also entitled "Simply Delicious", outsold every
other cookbook in Ireland when it was first published and was
followed by seven more books in the series. Her highly acclaimed
"Irish Traditional Cooking" was published in l995 and
won the Langhe Ceretto prize in l996. "A Year At Ballymaloe
Cookery School" celebrates her gardens and the changing
scenery around the School from spring to winter with over 120
recipes reflecting the bounty of the surrounding countryside.
A tireless ambassador for Irish food both at home and abroad,
Darina Allen is also a passionate and committed teacher. Students
come away from Ballymaloe inspired by her energy and ideas and
the enthusiasm she bringS to Her work.
Darina promotes the unique style of cooking pioneered by Myrtle
Allen at Ballymaloe House, the country house hotel whose
outstanding cuisine has helped to put Ireland firmly on the international
culinary map. Most of the vegetables and herbs used are grown
organically in the adjoining gardens and greenhouses. Darina
Allen has a delightful formal parterre herb garden and potager-style
kitchen garden with a huge variety of vegetables, as well as
an ornamental fruit garden. Fresh free-range eggs come from the
hens who feed happily on the school's scraps, whilst meat and
farmhouse cheeses are provided by the best local producers. The
fishing boats at nearby Ballycotton Harbour supply a wide variety
of fresh fish.
Facilities at the school are
first class and Ballymaloe has a reputation for a warm welcome
from staff, tutors and the many guest chefs. The courses are
intensive, but the atmosphere is always friendly and helpful
with a high degree of individual attention given to every student.
A special time every day is lunch when teachers and students
sit down in the spacious dining room overlooking the gardens
to enjoy a three-course meal which the students have prepared
using recipes from the demonstrations.
Our 12-week Certificate Course is highly regarded and graduates
from the school are in demand all over the world. We also have
a wide range of shorter courses - some suitable for complete
beginners, others aimed at more experienced cooks. All our courses
reflect the unique Ballymaloe style of cooking, as taught to
Darina Allen by her mother-in-law, Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe
House - the first of the Irish country house hotels and the most
consistently praised for fine food. The courses are intensive
but the atmosphere is always friendly and helpful with a high
degree of individual attention given to every student.
The Ballymaloe Cookery School
combines excellent facilities with the welcoming hospitality
of Darina Allen. Their warmth imbues everyone who comes to Ballymaloe
with good humour and enthusiasm.
Darina Allen is a member of
the International Association of Cooking Professionals, Euro-Toques,
the Irish Food Writers Guild of Foodwriters in Britain, she won
the Gilbeys of Ireland Gold Medal of Excellence in 1991 with
Myrtle Allen for the contribution to the Irish catering and hospitality
industry. She is a member of the Consumer Foods and Ingredients
Board of An Bord Bia and is on the Board of the Organic Centre.
Darina has been appointed to the recently formed Food Safety
Board of Ireland.
Darina continues to develop the extensive herb, vegetable and
fruit gardens around the school, which although started as a
hobby, are now open to the public and attract visitors from all
over the world.
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