Residence County Cork, Ireland Role Writer Nationality Irish Spouse Isaac Allen | Website www.rachelallen.com Name Rachel Allen | |
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Occupation Television chef, writer Television Rachel's Favourite FoodRachel's Favourite Food for FriendsRachel's Favourite Food at HomeRachel Allen: Bake! Children Joshua Allen, Lucca Allen, Scarlett Lily Allen Parents Brian O'Neill, Hallfriður Reichenfeld Similar People Darina Allen, Myrtle Allen, Nigella Lawson, Neven Maguire, Donal Skehan Profiles | ||
Rachel Helen Allen (born 21 March 1972; née O'Neil) is an Irish celebrity chef, known for her work on television and as a writer. She has often appeared on Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).
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Career as chef and writer
Allen went to the Ballymaloe Cookery School at the age of 18. After graduating from the school she cooked at the Ballymaloe House Hotel, eventually returning first to test recipes and then to teach at the school. She worked for a while as a caterer in Vancouver before returning to teach at Ballymaloe Cookery School.
In September 2004, RTÉ broadcast Allen’s first series in Ireland Rachel's Favourite Food, which has also been broadcast in Australia, Canada and Europe, and elsewhere. A book, Rachel’s Favourite Food, accompanied the series, published by Gill & Macmillan. Two further TV series and books followed, Rachel’s Favourite Food for Friends and Rachel's Favourite Food at Home; reruns of the latter became part of Create's television schedule in the United States starting in September 2010.
Allen is a frequent guest on BBC's Saturday Kitchen, and is one of the presenters on the Good Food Channel Market Kitchen show. In 2008, she was in a series called Rachel Allen: Bake! for RTÉ.
Allen has written for many Irish publications, including three years with Irish lifestyle magazine Image and a weekly column in The Sunday Tribune Magazine. She has also contributed to BBC Good Food magazine and AWT At Home magazine.
In 2010, Allen launched a line of products for Tipperary Crystal, including crystal stemware, porcelain dinner sets, and kitchen/dining essentials.
In 2012, she was involved in a controversy over hunting pictures of her posted on Facebook. She soon appeared as a guest on The Saturday Night Show to discuss her behaviour.
Books
Personal life
Her Icelandic mother, Hallfríður Reichenfeld, was in the fashion business and had clothes shops. Her father, Brian O'Neill, had inherited the Winstanley shoe manufacturing business.
Allen lives at a seaside home in County Cork with her husband Isaac, the son of television chef Darina Allen, and their three children, Joshua, Scarlett and racing driver Lucca Allen.
In July 2012, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Science from the University of Ulster at Belfast's Waterfront Hall for her contribution to the culinary arts. Her mother-in-law, Darina Allen, received an honorary doctorate from the same university in 2003.