Cookery classes and workshopes at Howth Castle Cookery School are all led by our team of experienced chefs and natural teachers who create a relaxed and professional environment for learning.
Howth Castle Cookery School's talented and creative team;
Pierre's passion for food started at home with his mother’s cooking which led to a career in the food industry spanning three decades. Pierre starting cooking professionally in Paris at the Pied de Cochon, a true parisienne institution and he then worked in too many restaurants to mention. From casual bistro to the finest gastronomic restaurants, hotels and catering for film industry on location, Pierre has experienced most of the industry landscape. In 2008 he opened his own restaurant which he ran successfully until joining Howth Castle Cookery School in 2021. Pierre is a wonderful addition to Howth Castle Cookery School, sharing his life-long interest in all things food related as well as always planning his own ‘next meal’.
Prior to joining the team at Howth Castle, Ian has held a variety of interesting jobs, including Head Chef at the Belmond Grand Hibernian which is a 5*sleeper train. He worked as a Sous Chef at the Shelbourne Hotel and King Sitric (blue book). He also held Head Chef positions at Event Catering, Berman & Wallace, Clare island Lighthouse (blue book). He was a member of the Euro Toques between 2019/2024. His culinary interests are European Cookery, Patisserie, Savoury and Sweet Bread and all things Fish.
Lorraine hails from a family who are passionate about food. Her parents opened a whole food macrobiotic restaurant in Temple Bar in 1977. Having worked there since school, Lorraine learnt how to run a busy restaurant kitchen, Lorraine opened the very popular vegan-vegetarian restaurant Blazing Salads in Powerscourt Shopping Centre in 1986. In the evenings she ran cookery classes teaching customers how to make the dishes served in the restaurant. These in-demand classes continued after she opened the Blazing Salads Deli on Drury Street in 2000. Lorraine has written 2 best-selling cookbooks, The Blazing Salads Cookbook in 2004 and Blazing Salads Good Food Every day in 2013. She is running some new and exciting classes including our new Introduction to Sourdough.
Sarah spent her early cooking years working in an organic restaurant in Co. Wicklow and as a private chef for well-known personalities and a number of embassies. Another four years at a private house and venue in Dublin allowed her to gain extensive bespoke catering experience. Sarah went on to cook at other city centre venues & rustic eateries, rounding out her experience of both top-end cooking and the more informal approach to food.
Sarah has huge food-curiosity and a great eye for detail. She has read and travelled extensively over the years and has a great knack for absorbing and understanding food culture and identity. Her capacity to devour cookery books cover-to-cover, remembering every detail, is a constant source of amazement to her colleagues.
Her desert island cookery writers are Nigel Slater and Diane Henry (she really couldn’t choose) and her favourite class to teach is our Catch and Cook course.
With us for 10 years, Sarah is renowned for her professional, yet relaxed, teaching approach and an ability to bring fun to every class. Having grown up by the sea, her inherent love of seafood and natural affinity for teaching, makes her a strong part of our team here in Howth Castle.
Howth Castle Cookery School Manager.
Originally from Venice, Anna moved to Milan to study communication and marketing, when she unexpectedly discovered a passion for cocktails and hospitality. What began as a curiosity soon grew into a defining interest, shaping her professional path.
After gaining experience in the world of high-end fashion, she relocated to Dublin, where she reconnected with her roots in food and beverage. Today, she works on bringing her background in marketing along with her appreciation for style and love of hospitality to create thoughtful, engaging experiences here at Howth Castle Cookery School.