The company that operates Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co Cork returned to the black last year with a profit of €62,134 for the 12 months to the end of August 2018. This followed a €45,548 loss in 2017.

Accumulated profits at the cookery school increased to €2.7 million by year end. The company employed 60 staff and costs last year totalled €1.97 million.

One of Darina Allen’s sons, Toby, is the school’s general manager and was appointed to the company board in February 2018.

Commenting on the financial performance, he said: “After a number of difficult years , where we had some one-off expenses that we needed to absorb, last year was more upbeat and we once again showed a small profit.”

Certificate course

The mainstay of the operation is the 12-week certificate course which costs €12,595 per person and runs three times a year

Mr Allen said: “This year has again been challenging with Brexit causing uncertainty that has had an effect on our Irish and British students.

“Our current 12-week course is a little under subscribed – about 5 per cent down – but still shows the international character of our students with 14 nationalities present.”

Mr Allen said it had tackled the uncertainty caused by Brexit by increasing its “advertising and social media exposure”.

Pay to directors increased from €247,864 to €262,221.