Ballymaloe guru changed face of Irish cuisine

One of the world’s leading food writers has revealed Myrtle Allen is revered by the top chefs in France in a new RTÉ documentary celebrating how she changed the face of Irish cuisine.

The programme charts the empire built by the Cork mother-of-six, who admitted she could not scramble an egg when she first married.

A string of top chefs and food writers credit the Ballymaloe matriarch with single-handedly revolutionising Irish cuisine in Myrtle Allen: A Life in Food.

Leading food writer Claudia Roden said the cook, who has always championed local, fresh produce, is held in the highest regard in France. “Top chefs in France, which is the home of grand cooking, revere her,” said Ms Roden.

The famous cooks who married into the food dynasty — Darina Allen and Rachel Allen — both credit the family’s matriarch with starting their love affair with food.

Food writer John McKenna describes the opening of Ballymaloe as the ‘big bang’ that put Irish cuisine on the map.

“In restaurant terms, it is the moment from which everything else that happened began,” said Mr McKenna.

“One of my all-time favourite food writers, Richard Olney, when he came to Ireland in the 1960s, famously described the food as absolutely abominable.”

The documentary tells of how, before Myrtle’s arrival on the food scene, the few restaurants in the country served up second-rate French food.

However, Myrtle’s flair for using fresh produce from local producers helped Ireland to earn a reputation worldwide for its quality ingredients.

In the documentary, the Cork culinary guru reveals her husband Ivan gave her cooking lessons when they returned from honeymoon.

“We wanted some supper and Ivan showed me how to scramble an egg,” she said. “I hadn’t a clue how to scramble an egg. My mother wouldn’t let me cook in case I would spoil the food.

“He cooked for me the first night but it didn’t go on. I had to learn to cook myself.”

She said she decided to open a restaurant in her family home when all of her children had gone off to boarding school.

She would only write the menu late in the evening when fresh local produce and fish had arrived in her kitchen.

The delicious, fresh food earned a worldwide reputation after it was given the stamp of approval from the Egon Ronay food bible.

“[The restaurant] took off when the Egon Ronay inspector travelled around and we got a letter in The Irish Times saying it was very good and we could become famous.

“Straight away the number of people for dinner multiplied by two or three times.”

Her daughter-in-law, Darina, said top chefs were amazed a farmer’s wife in Ireland was earning plaudits from the top cuisine guides.

Darina’s daughter-in- law, Rachel, who is the celebrity face of the food dynasty today, said she is amazed at the lengths Myrtle goes to find the best produce.

“Mrs Allen is always, always finding the best produce absolutely tirelessly,” said Rachel. “She has absolutely dedicated her life to food.”

* Myrtle Allen — A Life in Food is on RTÉ One at 9.35pm tonight.