‘The food reflects the grandeur’: A look at the opulence of the luxury Ballyfin hotel

Jillian Bolger goes behind the scenes at Ballyfin, Ireland’s most luxurious hotel, to meet the new executive chef at the exclusive property

The dining room in Ballyfin. Photo: Supplied by Ballyfin PR

It’s no coincidence that the newly appointed Executive Chef of Ballyfin Demesne first visited this historic property as a hotel guest. Just as visitors of the Coote family were entranced by the family’s noteworthy country pile in the 1800s, Richard Picard-Edwards was spellbound by Ballyfin, which had been magicked into a sublime country house hotel after a long stint as a boarding school.

After a two-night stay in 2016, Richard had no idea that he had fallen under the same irresistible spell that would bewitch the General Manager, Peter White.

Another recent arrival lured back to the property in 2021, he too had first set eyes upon magical Ballyfin as a visiting guest.

General manager Peter White at Ballyfin Demesne, Laois. Picture: Jeff Harvey

Peter, an Australian, had been managing a resort in Thailand when covid hit. In need of a new job, he spoke to a recruiter who’d hired many of his top staff at the celebrated Lucknam Park in the UK. Though keen to stay in Asia, she told him of an opportunity at a prestigious Scottish property, but the recruitment process dragged on for months, and with hospitality in limbo, she proposed a plan B.

“She told me there was a job in Ireland,” Peter recalls with a smile, “And, honest to god, I said to her, ‘Well, there’s only one property I’d consider in Ireland. It’s a place that you’ve probably never heard of — a little hotel called Ballyfin…’”

Little it may be, in hotel terms, sleeping just 41 guests, but as private dwellings go, the Coote’s home was both grand and enviable. Built in the 1820s by the great Irish architects, Sir Richard Morrison and his son, William, the Coote family motto was ‘Coute que Coute’ or ‘cost what it may.’ This maxim saw Ballyfin become one of Ireland’s finest private houses, the family’s home for over 100 years.

Ballyfin, viewed from the lake Photo: Supplied by Ballyfin PR

The turbulent years of Irish independence saw them sell up in the 1920s and return to England, the house and its 614-acre estate sold to the Patrician Brothers, who would run it as a boarding school for the next 74 years.

“Despite a lack of funds the brothers proved remarkable custodians,” Peter recounts, pointing out the original fireplaces and marquetry in the Grand Saloon.

“Together with their housekeeper, Mrs Barry, they showed enormous foresight, saving anything original that was damaged. When the roof leaked, the brothers lifted the parquet floor, carefully storing away all the pieces.”

With Ballyfin falling into disrepair, Chicagoan Fred Krehbiel and his Irish wife, Kay, arrived like knights in shining armour to the Co Laois estate. A billionaire businessman with a love of Irish art and architecture, Fred bought Ballyfin Demesne, joining forces with Irish landscape designer, Jim Reynolds, to create a luxury hotel unlike any other in Ireland.

Lavishly restored over nine years, significantly longer than it took to build the original house, it took the keen eye and deep pockets of this patient benefactor to give Ballyfin the renaissance it deserved. Impressive in its scale, decadent in its comforts and peerless in its use of the materials, this life-size jewel box weaves a spell over all who set foot inside it.

True to its heritage and design, sublime stucco seduces with garlands and wreaths, rosettes and flowers. Plump putti, gargoyles and eagles — even ducks, from the Coote coat of arms — adorn the ceilings and cabinetry, furniture and friezes. A dramatic cantilevered staircase sits amidst Corinthian columns, exotic wood, a stained glass cupola and second-century Roman mosaic from Sir John’s travels.

The Gold Room at Ballyfin features a chandelier that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte's sister Photo: Supplied by Ballyfin PR

THE PEOPLE

Once the house had been meticulously restored, Fred set about filling it with a collection of Irish art and antiques from around the world, including many original portraits of the Coote family. But there’s more to Ballyfin than its exquisite appearance and lavishly appointed rooms.

Intrinsically Irish, Peter believes it’s people that make Ballyfin so special.

“That’s the thing that I remember after living and working in England for 11 years, and then coming here for a couple of days as a guest. It was the difference in the vernacular of local people and how you then feel in what is obviously a very grand, opulent house. You feel very much at home, and comfortable here.”

He believes that if you picked up Ballyfin and moved it to England, it simply wouldn’t feel the same.

“Because there’d be too much sir and ma’am and that sort of vibe, whereas here, we encourage the staff to take a moment to talk to guests, to call you by your first name and make you feel comfortable. It’s a fabulous house that has a warmth and a lovely energy about it. And then you get that overlaid with local people and it’s just special. If somebody’s sitting in a sofa and they doze off, then our job’s done.”

Executive chef Richard Picard-Edwards in the dining room at Ballyfin Demesne, Laois. Picture: Jeff Harvey

Just as Peter had previously worked with Ballyfin’s outgoing manager, Richard too had worked with a former chef, Mike Tweedie, who moved on in 2017. Having worked together at Lucknam Park, Peter is delighted to be reunited with Richard, who began his career washing pots at 14. Working his way up through respected hotel kitchens and with Michelin-starred chefs, Richard won his own star in 2014 in the Cotswolds.

“Jobs at Ballyfin don’t come up often,” the soft-spoken Yorkshireman admits. “I wasn’t looking for a move but me and my wife took the opportunity seriously. We’d both loved it here before. I came over for a chat and it was an easy decision to make.”

Head gardener Kayleigh Keenan at Ballyfin Demesne, Laois. Picture: Jeff Harvey

IN BLOOM

Aside from the charm of this unique property, Richard was excited by Ballyfin’s kitchen garden, two four-acre walled gardens which are tended by a team of four gardeners.

“It’s so big!” he exclaims. “When I came over for my interview, I went up with Peter to view the gardens. The weather was terrible and, although it was massive, there weren’t much growing that you could see.”

Fast forward to March.

“The day before I started I had a walk around the gardens again and it was like, yeah, this is amazing. And, then I went up last week and it’s like, wow! It’s like a shop. There’s so much variety. Even little things like the kale with its sprouting flowers, which you wouldn’t normally see. You couldn’t go to your veg supplier and ask for kale flowers. And even chive flowers. They’re hard to buy, but there’s a whole gardenful here. I just snip them before service. Everything is so fresh.”

This magical resource, originally planted by Jim Reynolds, is tended by Head Gardener Kayleigh Keenan and her team. Borders burst with cornflowers and calendula, snapdragons and sweetpea, larkspur and lupins.

“We’ve two florists here,” Kayleigh says. “I might know how to grow these things but I’d be useless at arranging them in vases.”

Salad beds flourish with neat rows of lettuce, beetroot, scallions, chard and spinach.

“Every time a bed is finished we’ll turn it over and add in more salads.”

The planting is planned a year ahead in October or November.

“We’ll see what grew well, if we’d too much of something or not enough, or [if there’s] anything new Richard wants to try. At the moment, he’s using what’s in the ground, as he finds his feet and, to be fair, he’s using everything we’re throwing at him.”

Executive chef Richard Picard-Edwards in the kitchen garden with head gardener Kayleigh Keenan at Ballyfin Demesne, Laois. Picture: Jeff Harvey

There are multiple varieties of beans: French, runner, broad, even yin yang. There are tomatoes, microgreens and melons in poly tunnels. There are gages along the walls, yellow, green and transparent, and figs, damsons and apples. Bushes groan with currants and berries. There will be squashes and pumpkins and gourds, beets and leeks and winter radishes. There will be herbs and root veg and eight varieties of potatoes.

“Richard says he loves Maris Pipers. If we can get him to love the blight-resistant ones that would be great,” Kayleigh laughs.

Keen to stamp his own style on the food, Richard is energised by the challenges that lie ahead, admitting a Michelin star is the ultimate goal, an ambition supported by Fred’s sons, Liam and Jay, now custodians of Ballyfin since their beloved father’s death in 2021.

“That is what I’m hoping to achieve. These things don’t come overnight. I want the food to reflect the grandeur of the building.”

His priorities include building a team, finding the best ingredients and getting to grips with new suppliers.

“The food scene in Ireland is so exciting. There’s more of a buzz here than there is in the UK. Every month I want to eat out when I’ve got the days off.”

In The Gold Room, overlooking the lake, there’s an 1825 painting of the Coote children. Almost 200 years old, it is remarkable for the period, eschewing the solemn style of the day in favour of a lively depiction of four playful siblings cavorting with their pet whippet. Joyful, vibrant, exquisite, it’s the perfect allegory for Ballyfin today, a glorious house with beauty, optimism and happiness at its heart.

• ballyfin.com