going to ballymaloe cookery school

Conors10262

Going to ballymaloe for three months in sept any advice from past students

duploelabs

Stay off site

The Hill Billy

The forum search function throws up a few threads on this topic. See here.

tHB

The Hill Billy

duploelabs wrote: »

Stay off site

Maybe you could explain why...?

duploelabs

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Maybe you could explain why...?

30% of the students are Gap year kids from the UK, they stay on site and curfews etc are in place. Plus it's cheaper to stay off if you know a few others who are doing the course, there's a small housing estate next to the farm and the horses are available to rent for the course

Alun

duploelabs wrote: »

30% of the students are Gap year kids from the UK, they stay on site and curfews etc are in place. Plus it's cheaper to stay off if you know a few others who are doing the course, there's a small housing estate next to the farm and the horses are available to rent for the course

Not sure I'd want to live in a horse (Isn't auto correct wonderful )

duploelabs

Alun wrote: »

Not sure I'd want to live in a horse (Isn't auto correct wonderful )

Never watched the Hannibal series?? Seriously though, it's great food p0rn and culinarily accurate

bizzyb

Had a look at this course before,looks great & probably is but the price is ridiculous.So instead I'm in for the long haul,starting a 3 year degree in culinary arts in September!

brian67

sounds like fun good luck

The Hill Billy

vicwatson - Posts deleted. Do not post in this thread again.

tHB

nosietoes

I second the staying offsite. I hated living with all the 18 year olds - most adults do stay offsite actually.

It was a good course. Doesn't quite prepare you for the hard work of the kitchen but food knowledge wise I was much better off after it than colleagues who did the 2 and 4 year Cathal Brugha.

Make sure to take up any opportunities like working in the house for Sunday lunch. I didn't (as I escaped home each weekend) and I regret it.

Oh and expect to gain a lot of weight... Everyone did!

duploelabs

nosietoes wrote: »

I second the staying offsite. I hated living with all the 18 year olds - most adults do stay offsite actually.

It was a good course. Doesn't quite prepare you for the hard work of the kitchen but food knowledge wise I was much better off after it than colleagues who did the 2 and 4 year Cathal Brugha.

Make sure to take up any opportunities like working in the house for Sunday lunch. I didn't (as I escaped home each weekend) and I regret it.

Oh and expect to gain a lot of weight... Everyone did!

Speak for yourself, I actually lost weight despite the amount of cream one ate. Seconded to the work experience, sign up to everything. Especially the overnight shift with Arbutius bakery was amazing. On the matter of cost, you basically come out with the same knowledge as the 2 year course and costed over that time it works out similar.
Make a habit of coming in early as people do some extra skills and there are usually tutors wandering around beforehand who will assist you in a section that you may be finding difficulty with.
Do not expect to walk in to a professional kitchen afterwards and be head chef within 12 months.

rustyzip

duploelabs wrote: »

Speak for yourself, I actually lost weight despite the amount of cream one ate. Seconded to the work experience, sign up to everything. Especially the overnight shift with Arbutius bakery was amazing. On the matter of cost, you basically come out with the same knowledge as the 2 year course and costed over that time it works out similar.
Make a habit of coming in early as people do some extra skills and there are usually tutors wandering around beforehand who will assist you in a section that you may be finding difficulty with.
Do not expect to walk in to a professional kitchen afterwards and be head chef within 12 months.

How much is it roughly?!

duploelabs

rustyzip wrote: »

How much is it roughly?!

How much is what?

rustyzip

duploelabs wrote: »

How much is what?

Sorry, the three month course?

The Hill Billy

rustyzip wrote: »

Sorry, the three month course?

12 Week Certificate Course September 2014
Course Fee: €10,695
Start Date: September 15th 2014

12 Week Certificate Course January 2015
Course Fee: €10,695
Start Date: January 5th 2015

rustyzip

The Hill Billy wrote: »

12 Week Certificate Course September 2014
Course Fee: €10,695
Start Date: September 15th 2014

12 Week Certificate Course January 2015
Course Fee: €10,695
Start Date: January 5th 2015

Holy moly.
Was going to look into it for my niece. But too out of price range
Thanks.

duploelabs

rustyzip wrote: »

Holy moly.
Was going to look into it for my niece. But too out of price range
Thanks.

It's also comparable to the other full-time courses from the established private culinary schools, although you're not on a 100-acre organic farm with the latter

bizzyb

Apart from Clodagh McKenna,what other success stories have come out of Ballymaloe? I see Rene Redzepi was in Ballymaloe last week,now he is one hell of a success story!

duploelabs

bizzyb wrote: »

Apart from Clodagh McKenna,what other success stories have come out of Ballymaloe? I see Rene Redzepi was in Ballymaloe last week,now he is one hell of a success story!

There's a whole past pupils section on their website

bizzyb

duploelabs wrote: »

There's a whole past pupils section on their website

Thank's i must have a look.

nosietoes

There are plenty of people working in kitchens around the country/world who did the course. Some are more successful than others. The owners of Hartley's in Dun Laoghaire won't be found on the past pupil page but they both separately completed the 12 week course many years ago.

Green Saffron is run by a classmate of mine, and another is writing about food for the guardian newspaper and has a pop up supper club business in London.

DAZP93

Hi all,

I'm heading to Ballymaloe for 3 month in Jan 15'.

Just wandering if anyone knows anyone thinking along the same lines that would like to share accomodation in Shanagarry or one of the other neighbouring towns? It seems to work out an awful lot cheaper than the cottages provided within the cookery school.

duploelabs

There's a housing estate right beside the grounds that rent out houses

DAZP93 wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm heading to Ballymaloe for 3 month in Jan 15'.

Just wandering if anyone knows anyone thinking along the same lines that would like to share accomodation in Shanagarry or one of the other neighbouring towns? It seems to work out an awful lot cheaper than the cottages provided within the cookery school.

Animord

Or in Ballycotton which is where most of the night time action is.

I did the course a few years ago. I don't know how it broke down into people who wanted to cook for a career and people who were doing it out of interest, but certainly of those that were in it for the career they all seem to have gone on to work in well known kitchens or open their own businesses.

Conors10262

does the course cover alot of recipes can u cook all well know dishes with ease after it

nosietoes

Check out the cookery book - I was at least acquainted with most of the recipes in the original ballymaloe cookery course book.

Conors10262

I did the course best decision of my life without a doubt

twignme

I did the course 2 years ago and had the best time ever. As an 'oldie' I didn't want to stay in accommodation with the young'uns but they have a rental on the estate next door where they put us slightly more mature folk which was perfect. I would think twice about staying too far away, it's good to be close for nipping back for things like changing clothes between cooking in the morning and sitting in the demo kitchen in the afternoon, getting in early for milking and veg/salad picking duties etc. And I found the cost crept up after adding knives, whites and other essentials. Be prepared to study hard for the exams!