Weekend food with Darina Allen

THIS weekend I was invited to the Artisan Food School at Welbeck in North Nottinghamshire to talk to their students about the inspirational Irish artisan food scene.

Welbeck is home to the descendants of the Dukes of Portland and is still a private home in the midst of a 16,000 acre estate.

Present owner, Will Parente, a direct descendant of the 7th Duke of Portland, remembers his grandfather telling him that as a mischievous little boy he and his friends loved to switch the tracks so the food for the servants hall ended up in the dining room of the abbey and vice versa.