Fern Allen: ‘Our customers have so many options... I never take it for granted that we are busy’

They say the apple (home grown in this case) doesn’t fall too far from the tree, and in the case of Fern Allen, that’s certainly true.

The youngest daughter of the trailblazing Myrtle Allen, who transformed her Ballymaloe home into a Michelin Star restaurant, Fern was recently named Host of the Year at this year’s prestigious Georgina Campbell awards.

Fern, who is Ballymaloe House Manager, described winning the award as an “enormous surprise”.

“I had no idea that I was even up for it until my name was announced. Ballymaloe House has always been a welcoming house where guests often become friends, and I am proud of the team here to carry on the tradition that my parents started. I certainly now understand the saying - standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Fern.

She began her culinary career in 1983, attending the 12-week certificate cookery course, which was then held in the Ballymaloe House kitchen. The course was taught on alternate days by mum Myrtle and Darina Allen.

After gaining experience in the Ballymaloe House kitchen, Fern spent two years travelling and cooking in South Africa, and following her return, joined Myrtle in representing Irish cuisine at food festivals across Europe and in New York.

Further travels followed and in 1986, she returned to Ireland to open and manage the Crawford Gallery Café in Cork city.

Fern took a step back from full-time work in the early ’90s to raise her three children, all of whom share her enthusiasm for cooking. She remained connected to the Crawford Gallery Café during this time and officially stepped down in 1997.

Today, Fern is the House Manager at Ballymaloe House Hotel, where she has a genuine interest in meeting as many guests as she can and ensuring they feel at home in the world famous property.

“During the month of December, we welcome guests with a slice of homemade cake or a mince pie served with tea by the fire in our Drawing Room.

“Our customers now have so many wonderful restaurants and hotels to choose from across Ireland, so I never take it for granted that we are busy. I’m thankful for every person who chooses to dine or stay with us,” she said.

As well as greeting guests, she also leads tours of the property.

“Every day is different at Ballymaloe House, so it never gets boring! Sometimes I’m in early, supporting the breakfast team, depending on how busy we are. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, I lead guided tours as part of our complimentary guest experiences for residents, where I talk about the history of the house, from the ancient Irish elk antlers in the hallway, dating from the Ice Age, right up to the present day.

“I love telling the story of Ballymaloe, and thankfully, people enjoy listening. I often work evenings too; there’s nothing quite like the buzz of a good, busy service in the restaurant,” she said.

Evidently, Fern relishes her work but what about the challenges facing the hospitality industry?

“All the well-flagged challenges remain. The cost of doing business is extremely high and continues to increase. We are a very hands-on operation, requiring a large team, and as the minimum wage rises, it affects all other levels within the business.

“Unfortunately, hospitality is not given the importance it deserves in this country. We rely on many wonderful college students who, after a short time, move on in different directions, and so we are constantly training.

“The cost of our ingredients also continues to rise, but we are not willing to compromise by using cheaper alternatives.

“For instance, all our meat is free-range and often organic. Rather than using pre-packed, washed vegetables, ours come directly from the garden, glasshouse, and local growers, fresh with the earth still on them. This means employing another person to wash and prepare them. It goes on and on, but the flavour is incomparable.”

More positively, Fern loves the social aspect of her work, the banter and fun she has with the team.

“Many of our team members have been with us for years and are like family, while others are newer and come from all over the world.

“They bring with them different cultures and experiences, which I love learning about.”

The Allen family are often referred to as a ‘dynasty’, but Fern doesn’t see it like that.

“I don’t think any of us see it as a dynasty. Our parents passed on a culture of openness, friendliness, and hard work, and we do our best to carry that on.”