Savour our Flavour

What an incredible day it has been at Ballymaloe Cookery School! We witnessed the amazing talents of our 9 finalists, who cooked some of the most skilled and delicious dishes. I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed judges Rachel Allen, Pamela Black, Dervla O’ Flynn, and Floree Cullinane, who made the difficult task of choosing a winner seem effortless.
It's been more than three years since I approached Darina Allen with the idea of this competition, and I am so grateful for her unwavering support since day one. A big thank you to everyone at Ballymaloe Cookery School, my principal Edward Gash, and colleague Niamh Rossiter for their constant encouragement and support.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to the talented chefs who judged the semi-finals: Nicola Jennings, Annies Roasts, Frank Hedderman, Rachel Hornibrook, Cullen Allen, Rory Graham, and John O’ Connell. And last but not least, thank you to the contestants, their parents, and teachers for making this competition a huge success, helping student prepare and much much more!

Thank you all! - Claire Flood

The Savour Our Flavour Chef of 2023 is Emma Greaney from Desmond College, Limerick. Emma produced a dish of Black Pudding stuffed Fillet of pork, honey roast carrots, fondant potatoes, colcannon mash and sage cream. The judges loved Emma’s combination of flavours and complimented her on her use of colour and texture in the dish.

Emma won a 5 day intensive cookery course in Ballymaloe Cookery School and a large Olive Board.

A massive congratulations to all in Desmond College!

In Second Place was Sophie Hassett from Mercymounthawk Tralee with her dish of Citrus Hake and Fragrant Sea Foam. The judges were incredibly impressed with the level of skill in Sophie’s dish so beautifully executed.

Sophie won a 2 and a half day intensive course in Ballymaloe Cookery School and an olive wood board.

Well Done Sophie and all at Mercy Mounthawk Tralee!

In third place was Tom Ó Neachtain from Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne with his sausage and egg pie. The judges were blown away by the combination of flavours in Tom’s dish.

Tom won a prize of lunch and afternoon demonstration for 3 people in Ballymaloe Cookery School, a cookbook signed by Darina and Rachel Allen and an olive wood board.

Great excitement here today as we prepare for tomorrow's final in Ballymaloe Cookery School
Looking forward to seeing all the contestants, their teachers and their parents as they cook to be crowned 'Savour Our Flavour Chef 2023'.

9 days to go!!! Excitement is building for the final of Savour Our Flavour in Ballymaloe Cookery School next Wednesday morning.

Reminder to all finalists to confirm numbers attending with me by email before Thursday 20th.

Introducing the finalists!!! The countdown is on until the final in Ballymaloe. Best of luck to all!

As the semi-finals come to an end, we want to take a moment to applaud all the incredible talent that has been showcased in the competition so far! Every student has been an absolute credit to their school and themselves, and the level of talent on display has been truly impressive. The judges were blown away by the performances and the knowledge of the food each and every student showed.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Nicola Jennings, Annie Murphy, Frank Hederman, Cullen Allen, Rachel Hornibrook, Rory Graham, and John O' Connell who without their judging expertise these semi-finals couldn't have taken place.

All schools have been contacted in relation to the final and I look forward to meeting the students again in Ballymaloe Cookery School

Congratulations on another successful day of cooking at Midleton College for the semi-finals of Savour our Flavour! The competition was intense and the chefs were so impressed with the standard of cooking displayed all morning! I’m sure the chefs of Ballymaloe Cookery School will be highly impressed with the talent!

Great job to all the students who participated today! The competition was tough and the level of skill was impressive, making it a difficult task for our panel of judges. They were incredibly impressed with the culinary skills displayed by each and every student. We are excited to see what tomorrow's participants bring to the table! Ballymaloe Cookery School

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the first of three semi-finals in Midleton College, where the most talented junior chefs of Munster will showcase their culinary skills over the coming days. The students have been hard at work, utilizing locally-sourced ingredients to create delectable dishes that will be presented to our esteemed panel of judges throughout the week. On Friday evening, the top nine students will be named as finalists and will move on to compete at the renowned Ballymaloe cookery school, where the ultimate title of Savour Our Flavour Chef 2023 will be bestowed upon the winner. We wish all the contestants the best of luck!

We are thrilled to announce the final member of our esteemed judging panel for the upcoming competition. Please join us in welcoming Cullen Allen, the talented creator behind Cully and Sully Foods, to the team.

Cullen is a highly acclaimed chef, having received his training at the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School. He has since gone on to establish his own successful brand, which specializes in a variety of delectable dishes such as soups, broths, risottos, and pies. With an unparalleled understanding of flavour and an unwavering commitment to quality, Cullen has solidified himself as a true expert in the culinary world.

We are also grateful for Cullen's past support of our Home Economics department and his participation as a judge in last year's competition. His invaluable expertise and discerning palate have been crucial in ensuring the success of our events. We couldn't be more excited to have him back for another year.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Cullen Allen, and stay tuned for more updates on our upcoming competition.