Ballymaloe Cookery School profits soar after Kate Winslet enrolls for course
Boosted by Hollywood star
Kate Winslet
enrolling for a course at the Ballymaloe Cookery School last year, post-tax profits at the school increased by 53 per cent to €135,952 in 2024, according to its accounts.
It recorded post-tax profits of €88,864 in 2023.
The post-tax profits at the cookery school last year resulted in accumulated profits rising to €3.05 million.
The total remuneration of its three directors – Darina Allen, Toby Allen and Rory O'Connell – in 2024 (including salaries and other benefits) was €329,847; the previous year they shared €336,478.
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The east Cork cookery school business sits on a 100 acre organic farm, where Darina Allen is the majority shareholder.
In April of last year, t came under the spotlight after Winslet enrolled in a two-and-a-half-day course there with TV chef and bestselling cookbook author Rachel Allen.
The cookery school usually has more than 60 courses on offer each year and the flagship programme remains the 12-week long certificate course which runs three times every year.
Already, the course for this September and January of next year is booked out, with participants paying €16,295 for September's course and €16,795 for the January option.
The school increased its headcount last year, from 68 to 73 people, with staff costs rising from €2.52 million to €2.6 million.
Staff numbers are made up of three directors , 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 €4.7 million to €4.78 million.
Under the heading of 'post balance-sheet event', the accounts said that '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 added that '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.
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