Ballymaloe Cookery School, Organic Farm and Gardens

Ballymaloe Cookery School: A Feast for All the Senses! Visiting Ballymaloe Cookery School is so much more than just a culinary experience; it's an immersion into a philosophy of incredible food and sustainable living. From the moment you arrive, the passion for produce is evident, starting with their **incredible gardens, truly bursting with edible food.** Wandering through the grounds feels like stepping into a living pantry. Every plant, herb, and vegetable is meticulously cared for, and you can see, smell, and almost taste the freshness. It's inspiring to see where the food comes from, especially knowing that so much of what's used in their kitchens is grown right there. The dedication to freshness extends to their **own dairy, providing truly fresh milk** – a simple pleasure that speaks volumes about their commitment to quality. Before you leave, make sure to visit the **great gift shop**. It's a treasure trove of culinary delights, from their famous cookbooks to a fantastic selection of **homemade cooking** items and local produce. It's the perfect place to pick up a souvenir or a delicious treat to take a piece of the Ballymaloe magic home with you. Ballymaloe Cookery School is a truly special place that champions the journey of food from garden to plate. Highly recommended for anyone passionate about food, sustainability, and authentic Irish hospitality!

Delighted with my gift of a half day cookery class at Ballymaloe, didn’t know what to expect but it’s been on my bucket list for years. Fantastic class, learned so much in a lovely environment. The course starts with a live presentation of a section from that evening f menu, it was a lot of fun and the presenter Pam was so engaging and made for a knowledgeable afternoon. Then you’re assigned into smaller groups to cook in the live kitchen, each team takes a number of items from the menu, not all of which have been covered in the demo. The chefs teaching in the school are happy to help everyone at their own pace and made the course really enjoyable. We made bread, desserts, biscuits and smoked fish, vegetarian and meat courses. Looking forward to getting back down again.

Beautiful gardens. The herb garden, maze and grounds were well cared for. Healthy free roaming chicken running around the hen house. Great to see where their food comes from! The "Shell house", decorated with 20,000 shells was exquisite. At €6 a ticket bought in the shop at the parking, it is worth a visit on a Saturday when they open to the public.

The farm and gardens are very nice, but the visitor experience can be a bit weird. You never really know where you should or shouldn't be. The farm staff were nice and happy to answer questions. The outdoor food trailer is also a bit weird. Staff seem generally confused and service is slow. In their defense, they were understaffed for a lunch rush. The sandwiches were excellent and featured ingredients from the farm.

It’s hard to describe how much I enjoyed the cookery course I’ve just done at Ballymaloe. It goes without saying that I learned loads and came away not only with renewed enthusiasm to cook different things but also determined to try my hand at foraging and growing my own herbs etc. What set this course apart was the humour and joy radiating from the staff. From Pam at registration, Rachel demonstrating with Nic, Gary and Theo, Rory at lunchtime discussing the delicious green salad, to Maggie and Nic in Kitchen 1 and all the other staff in the background, there was a bonhomie and family vibe throughout. This filtered to all on the course. By the end total strangers were swapping tips and helping with each others washing up. I left a better cook but also uplifted from the atmosphere. I can’t wait to go back again.

The school will train you well to be able to deal with any situation that may face you in the kitchen – be it a challenging technique in cooking, an unfamiliar recipe, or simply making it through a day’s work. Amazing kitchen and facilities. Very creative and outstanding reputation. Owned by renowned celebrity chefs and cookery book author.

The process to sign up for this school is a complete disaster and a total waste of time. Pre- registration does nothing. Was directed to pre-register for the school months ago and did. Received an email months later that registration was now open. Logged in to pay the now listed deposit only to get notice that it was already sold out. Zero consideration is given to those who pre-registered, no advantage at all. The just open the flood gates and it’s a free for all, “first come, first served” is what I was just told.

Beautiful colour and lovely walks