Kate Winslet helps boost profits at Cork's Ballymaloe Cookery School

Boosted by Hollywood star Kate Winslet enrolling for a cookery course at the famed Ballymaloe Cookery School last year, post-tax profits at the school increased by 53% to €135,952 in 2024.

New accounts for Ballymaloe Cookery School Ltd show that the post-tax profits of €135,952 in 2024 follow post-tax profits of €88,864 in 2023.

The post-tax profits at the cookery school last year resulted in accumulated profits rising to €3.05m.

The east Cork cookery school business sits on a 100-acre organic firm where Darina Allen is the majority shareholder in the cookery school business.

In April of last year, the cookery school came into the spotlight after Oscar-winning actor Kate Winslet enrolled in a two-and-a-half day course there with TV chef and bestselling cookbook author Rachel Allen.

The cookery school usually offers over 60 courses each year with the flagship course being the 12-week long certificate course running three times every year.

Already, the courses for this September and January of next year are booked out with participants paying out €16,295 for September’s course with the cost rising to €16,795 for January.

A waiting list is in place for each of the two upcoming 12-week certificate courses.

The school is a significant employer and last year numbers employed increased from 68 to 73 as staff costs rose from €2.52m to €2.6m. Staff numbers are made up of three directors and 70 teachers and administration staff.

The profits last year take account of non-cash depreciation costs of €183,123 while directors’ pay dipped slightly from €336,478 to €329,847.

The firm’s cash funds increased from €944,642 to €988,639.

The book value of the firm’s fixed assets increased marginally from €4.7m to €4.78m.

Under the heading of ‘post balance sheet event’, the accounts state: “There is a significant risk to the global economy arising from the current geopolitical situation and the impact on energy costs and inflation.”

The note adds: “This development will have implications for the activities of the company in future months. The directors are unable to quantify or determine what the extent of the implications of these matters are for the company as at the date of approval of the financial statements.”

The cookery school is one of a number of businesses operated by members of the Allen family at Ballymaloe.