Myrtle Allen

Myrtle Hill was the daughter of Henry Houghton Hill, granddaughter of Arthur Hill, and great-granddaughter of Henry Hill, all respected architects in Cork.{{cite web|title=Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720–1940|url=https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/2578/HILL-HENRYHOUGHTON|website=dia.ie|publisher=Irish Architecture Archive|access-date=17 June 2018}} She was a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).{{Cite web|url=http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2009/dec/20/this-year-the-penny-has-dropped-bling-is-over/|title=This year the penny has dropped... bling is over.}}

In 1943, Myrtle Hill married Ivan Allen, a vegetable grower, who was working at the farm Kinoith in Shanagarry. In 1947, the couple bought Ballymaloe House and the surrounding farm. Ivan managed the fruit and vegetable farm and worked on Kinoith, while his wife took care of the children and the manor.[http://arrow.dit.ie/tourdoc/12/ The emergence, development and influence of French Haute Cuisine on public dining in Dublin restaurants 1900–2000: an oral history. Thesis DIT by Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire, 2009. 3 downloadable volumes.]. Part 2, pp. 459–462 Later, in 1958, Ivan Allen inherited Kinoith from Wilson Strangman, the deceased owner.

As her husband was a successful grower of fruit and vegetables, she had an abundance of fresh products in her kitchen. Under the guidance of her husband, an avid gourmet, she learned to cook by taking cooking courses at the School of Commerce and self-study. By 1962, she was cookery correspondent of the Irish Farmers Journal. Originally the Irish Farmers Journal was a publication of Macra na Feirme. Myrtle Allen was very active in this young farmers' organisation, eventually becoming vice president for the Munster Region of the National Council of Macra na Feirme in 1959. A bid for the presidency in 1963 was unsuccessful.A voice for the country – 50 years of Macra na Feirme; by Jim Miley; pp. 191–2 (1994)

She was married to her husband Ivan until his death in 1998.{{Cite news|title=Ivan Allen's vision|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ivan-allen-s-vision-1.207269|access-date=2021-11-03|newspaper=The Irish Times}} Allen, aged 94, died of pneumonia on 13 June 2018 at Cork University Hospital.{{cite news|last=Gittens|first=Geraldine|date=13 June 2018|title='What a legacy' – Darina Allen pays tribute to her mother-in law, award-winning chef Myrtle Allen, who has died aged 94|newspaper=Irish Independent|url=https://www.independent.ie/life/food-drink/food-news/what-a-legacy-darina-allen-pays-tribute-to-her-motherin-law-awardwinning-chef-myrtle-allen-who-has-died-aged-94-37005449.html|access-date=13 June 2018}}

In 1964, she decided to start a restaurant in her own dining room dubbed The Yeats Room., as the Allens had several paintings by Jack Yeats.{{cite web |author1=Donal Musgrave |title=Myrtle Allen (94), the 'matriarch' of modern Irish cuisine |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/myrtle-allen-94-the-matriarch-of-modern-irish-cuisine-1.3529038 |website=The Irish Times |access-date=17 June 2018}} Her philosophy of using local artisanal ingredients and changing her menu daily to reflect the best offerings of the season was "revolutionary at the time." She summed up her philosophy of food in the following nine words "local, seasonal, organic, flavoursome, sustainable and superbly cooked food". Later she changed a few unused rooms into rooms for a guesthouse, which grew into the hotel Ballymaloe is today. By the 1960s she and her sous-chef, Darina O'Connell, started giving courses in cooking. Later Darina, by then married to Myrtle's son Tim Allen, moved the cookery classes to Kinoith under the name of Ballymaloe Cookery School.

In 1986, Myrtle Allen was part of founding Euro-toques International and founder of Euro-toques Ireland. Euro-toques is an organisation of professional cooks promoting and protecting Europe's culinary heritage, and defending the quality of local and carefully cooked food.{{Cite web|url=http://www.euro-toques.ie/about_people.php|title=About Euro-Toques|access-date=28 June 2011|archive-date=25 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325134703/http://www.euro-toques.ie/about_people.php|url-status=dead}} She served as president of the international body from 1994 to 1997.{{cite web|title=History|url=http://euro-toques.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=94&Itemid=240|publisher=Euro-Toques|access-date=7 April 2014}}

In 2013, Myrtle Allen was the subject of a documentary,{{cite web|last=Hare|first=David|title=Myrtle Allen: A Life in Food|url=http://vimeo.com/73151483|publisher=RTÉ Television |access-date=7 April 2014}} Myrtle Allen: A Life in Food, which aired on RTÉ Television.{{cite web|title=Myrtle Allen: A Life in Food|url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/alifeinfood.html|publisher=RTÉ Television |access-date=7 April 2014}}

She has been called the "renowned matriarch of Modern Irish cuisine,"{{cite web|last=McNamee|first=Joe|title=Matriarch of Ballymaloe celebrates her 90th birthday|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/matriarch-of-ballymaloe-celebrates-her-90th-birthday-261396.html|work=Irish Examiner|date=10 March 2014|access-date=7 April 2014}} "the leading light of modern-day Irish cooking,"{{cite web|last=Andrews|first=Colman|title=Heart and Hearth|url=http://www.saveur.com/article/Travels/Heart-and-Hearth-|work=Saveur Magazine|date=12 March 2007 |access-date=11 May 2014}} and "as important to her country's cuisine as Alice Waters was to America's."

• 1975–1980: one Michelin star{{cite web|url=http://www.michelinonline.co.uk/travelshop/star-history/2011/rg-roi.htm |title=Michelin Maps & Guides: maps, atlas, travel guides, Michelin Guide |access-date=13 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010050305/http://www.michelinonline.co.uk/travelshop/star-history/2011/rg-roi.htm |archive-date=10 October 2011 }}
• 1975–1981, 1983–1984 and 1987–1988: one star in the Egon Ronay Guide[http://arrow.dit.ie/tourdoc/12/ The emergence, development and influence of French Haute Cuisine on public dining in Dublin restaurants 1900–2000: an oral history. Thesis DIT by Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire, 2009. 3 downloadable volumes.]. Part 2, p. 348
• 1981–1994: Red M awarded by the Michelin Guide[http://arrow.dit.ie/tourdoc/12/ The emergence, development and influence of French Haute Cuisine on public dining in Dublin restaurants 1900–2000: an oral history. Thesis DIT by Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire, 2009. 3 downloadable volumes.]. Part 2, p. 345
• 1984: Cesar Award in the Good Hotel Guide
• 1988: Ballymaloe House included in the Courvoisier book of best hotels
• 1990: the Ackerman Martell Guide the black four-leaved clover for excellence in all aspects of the hotel and restaurant business
• 1991: Ballymaloe House included in Harpers and Queen 'The one hundred Best Hotels in the World'
• 2000: Degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa – awarded by the University College Cork{{Cite web|url=http://www.ucc.ie/info/courier/144/page9.html|title=National University of Ireland}}
• 2011: Taste Icon award – presented by Taste of Dublin{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2011/0618/1224298888676.html|title=Food file|newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=13 June 2016}}
• 2011: Lifetime Achievement Award – Women and Agriculture Awards{{cite web|title=Food entrepreneurs take top spots at Women and Agriculture Awards|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2011/0601/business/food-entrepreneurs-take-top-spots-at-women-and-agriculture-awards-156433.html|work=Irish Examiner|date=June 2011|access-date=7 April 2014}}
• 2014: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Food Writers' Guild{{cite web|title=Myrtle Allen – Lifetime Achievement Award|url=http://www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie/2014-winners.html#myrtleallen|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140407120953/http://www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie/2014-winners.html%23myrtleallen|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 April 2014|publisher=Irish Food Writers' Guild|access-date=7 April 2014}}

• The Ballymaloe Cookbook; 1984{{Cite web|title=The Ballymaloe Cookbook (Hardcover)|url=https://ballymaloeshop.ie/product/ballymaloe-cookbook-hardcover|access-date=3 November 2021|website=Ballymaloe Shop|date=18 August 2017}}
• Myrtle Allen's Cooking at Ballymaloe House; 1990{{cite book|title=Myrtle Allen's cooking at Ballymaloe House|first=Myrtle|last=Allen|date=1 January 1990|publisher=Stewart, Tabori & Chang : Distributed by Workman Pub.|oclc = 21332243}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.ballymaloe.ie/ Official website Ballymaloe House]

{{Michelin stars in Ireland}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Myrtle}}

Category:1924 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:Irish chefs

Category:Writers from Cork (city)

Category:Irish women writers

Category:Irish women chefs

Category:Head chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants

Category:Irish women food writers

Category:Deaths from pneumonia in the Republic of Ireland

Category:Irish cookbook writers