Profits at Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cookery School climb to €2.82m

Gordon Deegan

Post tax profits at Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery School last year decreased by 7 per cent to €86,876 as costs increased.

The renowned east county Cork cookery school business last year continued its recovery from Covid-19 shutdowns as accumulated profits increased to €2.82 million.

The business continued to record profits last year on the back of the school’s flagship in-demand 12 week cookery course.

There is a waiting list for the school’s next three scheduled 12-week courses in September and January and April of next year.

The cost this year for the course is €13,795 rising to €14,495 for 2024.

The school - majority owned by Darina Allen - stages three 12-week cookery certificate courses each year.

The profits of €86,876 for 2022 and €93,670 for 2021 follow post tax losses of €193,097 during the Covid-19 hit 2020.

Director at the school and shareholder in the business, Toby Allen said on Monday: “Ballymaloe Cookery School is very happy to have made a profit for the year 2022.

He said: “It was a busy year and while the school was not quite up to full capacity after the pandemic, we were very busy and welcomed 180 12-week students and over 1,200 other students from all over the world to the school to learn how to cook.”

Mr Allen said: “2023 is thankfully looking like another busy year and our 12-week course for the year is fully subscribed.”

The 12-week course attracts a sizeable international contingent and Mr Allen said: “On our most recent 12-week course which ran from April to July, we welcomed students from 14 different countries to the cookery school.”

On the challenges facing the business, Mr Allen said: “The increase in cost of electricity and gas have been challenging for us to keep under control, but we got a good fixed deal from our supplier allowing us to have certainty in these costs.”

As the school returned to full capacity last year its staff costs, net of Covid-19 wage supports, doubled from €1.07 million to €2.2 million as staff number increased by three to 66.

The profits last year take account of non-cash depreciation costs of €148,184 while directors’ pay rose from €243,989 to €288,665.

The firm’s cash funds reduced from €1.73 million to €1.27 million.