Whether you’re in France, Italy, Asia, Spain or Ireland; every country including the US and multiple cruise ships offer fabulous opportunities (and they are growing as we write) to expand your cooking skills and knowledge.
I visited Ballymaloe Cookery School and gardens in east County Cork for the thrill of a lifetime morning tour with multiple award winning Chef Darina Allen and would go back to spend my life there in an instant. Darina and her husband Tim have gone far beyond their famous school, restaurant and Inn started by his mother Myrtle Allen and a tradition to be continued by daughter in law Rachel already a television chef.
In addition to an amazing school facility, the restoration of 19th century gardens and the amazing shell house, their organic farm, store and more. You can take half day observation classes or come for days and weeks of courses learning not only cooking skills and techniques but about real food, organic food and the future of organizations like the Slow Food Movement.
Darina is Founder of first Farmers Markets in Ireland and she and Tim are involved on an ongoing basis in helping set up new markets. She is a strong supporter and Councillor for Ireland in Slow Food Movement and President of East Cork Convivium of Slow Food.
I’ve attended many cooking classes as well as seminars by the Dames de Lescoffier and organizations around the world but Ballymaloe gave me something to save up my personal vacation time for.
Probably one of the next choices on my list would be an intensive language immersion week or two with cooking lesson let’s say in the Italian countryside or Provence?
Whether you’re in France, Italy, Asia, Spain or Ireland; every country including the US and multiple cruise ships offer fabulous opportunities (and they are growing as we write) to expand your cooking skills and knowledge.
I visited Ballymaloe Cookery School and gardens in east County Cork for the thrill of a lifetime morning tour with multiple award winning Chef Darina Allen and would go back to spend my life there in an instant. Darina and her husband Tim have gone far beyond their famous school, restaurant and Inn started by his mother Myrtle Allen and a tradition to be continued by daughter in law Rachel already a television chef.