Ballymaloe Cookery School

Cookery School

Ballymaloe Cookery School needs very little in the way of explanation. The ethos here is simple – to pioneer the style of cookery introduced by Myrtle Allen at Ballymaloe House. That involves simple techniques, great ingredients that are home produced where possible, and using the same philosophy made famous by the first lady of Irish food, all those years ago.

Ballymaloe Cookery School was set up in by Darina Allen (Myrtle’s daughter-in-law), another great champion of Irish produce, who strives to maintain the ethic started at East Cork’s famous country house. Darina believes that the best cooking comes from using the best ingredients and it is no co-incidence that her Cookery School is situated on a 100 acre farm near Shanagarry in East Cork, in the heart of the country, as what what could be better than cooking with one's own organic vegetables, fruit, herbs, milk, butter, cheese, meat, honey and other produce?

Ballymaloe Cookery School is a haven for those who thirst for food knowledge. This is one of Europe’s foremost cookery schools, and those who attend have many objectives. Some simply want to become confident in their own kitchens. Others really want to make their mark in the professional culinary world. The substantial and intensive 12 week cookery course at Ballymaloe is booked out well in advance, and it’s graduates are much in demand in the kitchens of the best establishments.

But for anyone who just wants to drink up the atmosphere of one of Ireland’s primary food education establishments, there are many short courses, ranging from a morning or afternoon demo to anything up to five days, aimed at all abilities, from the complete novice to the more experienced and adventurous cook. Ballymaloe doesn’t just teach you how to make an omelette, a soufflé, a great pate or a three-course dinner. It gives you the grounding for a whole new way of thinking about food. Here you learn how to appreciate ingredients. How to grow and harvest your own herbs and vegetables, from the school gardens. How to seek out the best in organic and home produced artisan foods. How to utilise those ingredients, to their best advantage. And most of all, how to appreciate what nature has provided, and what human hands can create, with no abhorrent food waste, no environmental impact on the surrounding area, and no food miles gained from flying ingredients halfway across the world before they are cooked.

Darina’s potager garden and ornamental fruit garden is an inspiration for students. Fresh free-range eggs come from hens, who feed happily on the school’s scraps. Meat is produced on local farms, and fish comes from nearby fishing boats of Ballycotton Harbour. Courses here are run efficiently, by experts in their fields. And students can expect a high level of individual attention. At lunch both students and teachers sit down together in the dining room looking out over the gardens, and usually, to enjoy a three-course feast cooked from the morning’s efforts. Guest chefs are always a part of the deal and you just never know who will turn up!

If you decide to embark on the full time three-month course, accommodation is in charming converted farm buildings surrounding a pretty courtyard. If you’re just here for the day, you’ll come away feeling invigorated and inspired to go out and cook up a storm. Whatever your aims and ambitions in the kitchen, Ballymaloe Cookery School will fulfil them and then some. You’ll go away full of information, bursting with inspiration and with a real taste of Ireland to remember.

Students really become apart of Ballymaloe during their course by staying in the self-catering student accommodation in the charming converted farm buildings surrounding the courtyard.

And of course you can always just come and relax in the beautiful gardens and sit in on one of the wonderful afternoon cookery demonstrations for just €70.00 - please contact the school directly for bookings and more information.

Cookery Courses:

To view Ballymaloe Cookery School's Cookery Courses please click here>>>

Recipes:

To view our Wild Garlic Soup recipe please click here

To view our Warm Salad of Lamb Kidneys please click here

To view a recipe for our Culohill Apple pie click here


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Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

Shanagarry
Midleton
Co Cork
+353 (0) 21 4646785
Email: info@cookingisfun.ie
Web: www.cookingisfun.ie

 

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