Asylum seeker in the system of Direct Provision secures internship with Darina Allen

Marjorie Brennan meets Ellie Kisyombe from pop up cafe, Our Table, as she embarks on a three-month internship with Darina Allen – and begins a new column in Weekend.

It has been a whirlwind of a week for Ellie Kisyombe; she is tired and emotionally drained, not that you would ever guess from listening to her.

She radiates positive energy, raucous bursts of laughter regularly punctuating our chat. Kisyombe is at the start of a three-month internship at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co Cork – she will write a column about her experiences, beginning next week in Weekend – and still can’t quite believe she is actually there.