At the TableNotebook No 100April 2026
What we always send foodie friends to do first.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
We always direct our foodie friends to Ballymaloe for a specific reason: the long lunch. Book ahead, lean into the kitchen's suggestions, and allow for an extra glass of wine. A quiet walk through the gardens afterward is how we always conclude the experience.
Dublin (Chapter One
The Ballymaloe dining room is understated, much like the food itself. There is an ease to the place, a considered choice to avoid unnecessary pomp. After only two hours, you will understand why every accomplished Irish chef considers this house their foundational training ground.
If your Cork itinerary spans a full week, build your visit around this midday meal.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.