Star Chefs · Ireland
Rachel Allen The Ballymaloe teacher whose warm, easy TV cooking and bestselling books reached more than 30 countries.
Fourteen TV series for RTÉ and the BBC shown in some 30 countries, about two million BBC viewers, 14–15 bestselling cookbooks with over a million copies sold, Market Kitchen, Saturday Kitchen and Channel 4's My Kitchen Rules, and decades of teaching at Ballymaloe Cookery School.
Rachel Allen grew up in Dublin and left home at 18 to study at Ballymaloe Cookery School in east Cork, arriving in 1990[1][2][3]. After graduating she cooked at Ballymaloe House, spent a spell in Canada and came back to teach at the school, where she still teaches today[2][3][4].
A producer who attended one of her classes asked her to make a pilot, and in 2004 Rachel's Favourite Food became both her first TV series and her first book[1][3]. Her series for RTÉ and the BBC have since been shown in around 30 countries[1][5].
She has written 14 or more bestselling cookbooks, co-hosted Market Kitchen on the Good Food Channel and appeared often on BBC's Saturday Kitchen[1][5]. In 2017 she opened her first restaurant, Rachel's, in Cork city, and became a co-presenter and judge on Channel 4's My Kitchen Rules[4][5][6][7].
Life Timeline
Tap any moment to read its story.
- Training A Dublin Teenager Arrives At Ballymaloe At 18, Rachel Allen leaves Dublin for Ballymaloe Cookery School in east Cork. She stays to cook, travels to Canada, and comes back to teach. Read The Story
- TV & Media Right Place, Right Time: Rachel's Favourite Food A TV producer in one of her classes asks her to make a pilot. In 2004 Rachel's Favourite Food launches as her first series and her first book. Read The Story
- TV & Media From Cork Kitchens To Screens Around The World By 2010 Rachel Allen presents Market Kitchen on the Good Food Channel, and Rachel's Favourite Food for Friends becomes her first show on American television. Read The Story
- Book Cooking Along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way In 2015 Rachel Allen publishes Coast: Recipes from Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, followed by Recipes from My Mother in 2016. Her books pass a million copies sold. Read The Story
- Opening Rachel's Opens On Washington Street On 20 March 2017 Rachel Allen opens her first restaurant, Rachel's, on Washington Street in Cork city, bringing Ballymaloe produce to the city centre. Read The Story
- TV & Media A Judge On My Kitchen Rules In autumn 2017 Rachel Allen joins Glynn Purnell as co-presenter and judge of Channel 4's My Kitchen Rules, a 40-episode cooking competition. Read The Story
Restaurants
Ranking History
Rank4Six-month average65Assessment of the month65
We update the ranking every month. It follows a six-month weighted average of the fame score, so one quiet month changes little.
| Assessment of the month | Rank | Fame Score | Six-month average |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 4 | 65 | 65 |
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these sources. Each number in the text points to the source it came from.
- Official Rachel Allen: Rachel Allen Chef
- Official Ballymaloe Cookery School: Rachel Allen
- Press BBC Good Food Middle East: Celeb chef by day, mum by night!
- Press Shropshire Star: Rachel Allen on working with Yummy Brummy Glynn Purnell and My Kitchen Rules UK
- Press Kennedy Summer School: Rachel Allen | Kennedy Summer School Wexford Co Ireland
- Press TheTaste: Opening Date Confirmed for Rachel Allen's New Cork Restaurant
- Press Irish Examiner: Rachel Allen to close city restaurant for €1m, eight-week revamp