In conversation with Darina Allen

In this week’s podcast, Patrick talks to Darina Allen, renowned chef, best-selling author, and co-founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School on the South coast of Ireland.

‘Ballymaloe Cookery School was born out of desperation’, explains Darina, as she recounts the heart-warming story of how it all began, and what first brought her to Ballymaloe House – where she met her husband Tim Allen, who she opened the school with in 1983. Today the school maintains a world-class reputation for its cookery courses, attracting people from all walks of life. Based upon the slow food philosophy and ‘farm-to-fork’ cooking, the school aims to teach about cooking within the wider context of the landscape, the seasons, and agricultural sustainability.