An Evening with Darina Allen and Prof Ted Dinan

Prof Dinan’s “Brain-Gut-Microbe Axis” research addresses the communication between the brain and gut and how it can be influenced by the gastrointestinal microbiota. This is an area of significance in infancy, where important links between diet, microbes and cognition are established. The influence of the microbiota on obesity and metabolic syndrome are also increasingly recognised. A better understanding of the role of this axis in the stress response, and its links with other debilitating psychiatric conditions, will help provide new treatment and management strategies – these will represent opportunities for both the food ingredients business and the pharmaceutical industry.

Darina Allen owns and runs the internationally renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School at Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management, Dublin Institute of Technology College at Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin. Honorary Doctorate from University of Ulster at Coleraine, 2003

Established Ballymaloe Cookery School in 1983

Publications: Simply Delicious 1989, A Simply Delicious Christmas 1989, Simply Delicious 2 1990, Simply Delicious Fish 1991, Simply Delicious France and Italy, 1992, Simply Delicious Food for Family and Friends, 1993, Simply Delicious Versatile Vegetables, 1994. Simply Delicious Meals in Minutes 1996. Festive Food of Ireland 1992, Kyle Cathie, American and Irish editions also published. Irish Traditional Cooking 1995, Kyle Cathie, Irish edition Gill and Macmillan in association with Kyle Cathie, American Edition, Penguin Studio.
Irish Traditional Cooking awarded the Langhe Ceretto Prize in Italy in 1996. Re-launched 2004 and again in 2012. A Year at Ballymaloe Cookery School, Kyle Cathie 1997.

Ballymaloe Seasons Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery Course, Kyle Cathie, published December 2001, Shortlisted for André Simon Awards. Revised edition – October 2007 Healthy Gluten Free Eating, co-authored with Rosemary Kearney, Kyle Cathie, 2003 Easy Entertaining – published by Kyle Cathie, London, November 2005. Winner in IACP Cookbook Awards 2006. Forgotten Skills published by Kyle Cathie, November, 2009 Winner of the André Simon Food Book of the Year, 2010 30 Years at Ballymaloe published by Kale Cathie, September 2013 A Simply Delicious Christmas – published by G&M (revised edition November 2014) Grow, Cook, Nourish – published by Kyle Books (September 2017)

Newspapers and Periodicals Weekly food column in The Irish Examiner. Occasional pieces for Irish Times, Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Wine and Food Magazine, Image Magazine, BBC Good Food, Sainsbury's Magazine, Soil Association Magazine, Slow Food Magazine.

Television 8 series of ‘Simply Delicious’ on RTE, 1989-1996 (accompanied by cookbooks) – widely sold overseas including TVFN in US. ‘A Year at Ballymaloe Cookery School’ 26 part series for Carlton Food Network, 1998. (accompanied by cookbook) ‘Ballymaloe Cookery Course’ - RTE 2002 based on cookbook. ‘A Simply Delicious Christmas’ – RTE 2014 and 2015

• Appearances on ‘Good Food Live’, Saturday Kitchen, BBC ‘Hot Chefs’, Judge on BBC ‘Masterchef’ and ‘Junior Masterchef’ ‘Food and Drink Show, ‘Through the Keyhole’ ‘Songs of Praise’ ‘The Holiday Programme’ ‘Wish you were here’ ‘The Veg Programme.’ and ‘The Late Late Show’ Several appearances on ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘TVFN Cooking Live’ ‘QVC Shopping Channel’, ‘NBC Weekend Today Show’, CBS Early Show, ‘The Martha Stewart Show’

Awards for Darina Allen

May 2018 - Grow, Cook, Nourish won the 2018 Gourmand World Cookbook Award

May 2018 - Darina received an Honorary Fellowship of the Dublin Gastronomy Symposium (DIT) in recognition of a lifetime’s dedication and work promoting Irish gastronomy, food history and culture.

Ballymaloe Cookery School received the TripExpert's 2018 Experts' Choice Award

Guaranteed Irish Food Hero Award 2018

September 2016, Ballymaloe Cookery School received Special Award of the Schloss Dyck Foundation as part of the European Garden Awards by EGHN (European Garden Heritage Network) and the Schloss Dyck Foundation

October 2015, recipient of the inaugural iBAM! 2015 Culinary Arts Award

April 2015, ‘Local Food Hero’ in Munster by The Irish Restaurant Association

November 2014, ‘Outstanding Achievement in Business Award’ by the Cork Chamber of Commerce

June 2014, The Ballymaloe Cookery School won the Restaurant Association of Ireland award for ‘Best Cookery School in Ireland’.

February 2014, Darina won the ‘Best Professional Author & Chef’ category of the WORLD GOURMANDS for the UK for ’30 Years at Ballymaloe’

November 2013, ’30 Years at Ballymaloe’ won the Bord Gáis Avonmore Cookbook of the Year 2013

November 2013, Darina won the inaugural Tia Maria Woman of the Year Award 2013 in association with Hi Magazine.

May 2013, Darina won The Guild of Food Writers (UK) top accolade, the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, for her incalculable contribution to culinary education.

The Ballymaloe Cookery School was awarded a José Navarro Foundation Award at the Premios Verdes Awards 2011 (The Green Awards) in Valencia on 17th November 2011 in the modality of BUSINESS IN THE FIELD OF RESTORATION.

The main objective of these awards is to recognize the excellent performance that certain people and entities have brought out in investigation, development, and promotion of responsible nutrition and its repercussion in sustainable development, therefore encouraging ¨Intelligent Eating¨ in our society.

“Forgotten Skills” was Nominated for the finalist in the General category of the 25th Anniversary of the IACP Cookbook Awards 2011

“Forgotten Skills” won the André Simon Food Book of the Year, 2010 “Forgotten Skills” won the Listowel Food Fair Book of the Year Award 2010

In April 2010, Darina received the Mike Butt Ward (honoured by the Restaurant Association of Ireland for her contribution to the Irish restaurant industry and food movement). Good Food Ireland - Top Overall Member Award in 2008: Ballymaloe Cookery School & Ballymaloe House Cooking for Solutions Conservation Leadership Award – Chefs of the Year 2008 from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California Euro-Toques Award for outstanding contribution to the Irish culinary sector in 2007 IACP Cookbook Award for Easy Entertaining published by Kyle Cathie – April 2006 Cork Business Person of the Month – January 2006 International Cooking Teacher of the Year awarded by IACP in USA, 2005 Honorary Doctorate from University of Ulster at Coleraine, 2003 Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year 2001 Waterford Wedgwood Hospitality Award 2000 Laois Person of the Year 1993 Langhe Ceretto Prize 1996 Gilbeys Gold Medal for Catering Excellence jointly with Myrtle Allen 1992

Memberships and Appointments Member of the Board of the Irish Market Trading Federation (2018) Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Dublin, Ireland (2017) Mentor of The Future is Food Transition Year Programme in association with Taste Council and Bord Bia Member of Eurotoques (European Association of Chefs) Guild of Foodwriters in UK and Ireland International SLOW Movement Leader of East Cork Slow Food Convivia and Educational Project
Member of Cork Stakeholder Group, Cork Airport Bread Bakers Guild of America IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals – Darina Allen is a Certified Culinary Professional and Teacher and the school is accredited by IACP) Honorary Fellow of Irish Hotel and Catering Institute
Trustee of Irish Organic Centre Member of the Irish Food Board (Bord Bia) Taste Council Member of Food Safety Consultative Council of Ireland and Artisan Food Forum of FSAI. (Food Safety Authority of Ireland.) Patron of Irish Seedsavers Founder Member of Midleton Farmers Market

Other events have included: Planning and supervising menu for New York St. Patrick’s Day Ball Irish Food presentations in London, New York, Boston, Greece, Denmark, Italy.
Spirit of Christmas at Olympia in London.
Food and Drink Show Birmingham. Cookery Demonstrations at Macys in New York and many other venue.
Book tours in US.

Photo Credit to Kristin Perers