The Allens: Rachel and her husband Isaac

About Rachel

The Allens - Rachel, her husband Isaac and their two boys, Lucca and Joshua, and the new addition to the family a kitten who has yet to be named - are a picture of contentment in the house, where Rachel's programmes are filmed.

"The new kitten is really sweet. He - or she - we're not really sure yet - is about six weeks old. We got it from Isaac's sister Lydia, as her cat had kittens.

"We've been living here for three years. We used to live in a tiny cottage at East Ferry. It belonged to Isaac's parents.

"When we moved in, we thought we'd move after a year or two, but we ended up staying for ages. With two children and a dog it got much too small, so we've built a house on some land that Isaac's parents own.

I ask how it is living so close to her husband's family and Rachel assures me it's lovely for her and for her children.

Started a garden: apple, pear and plum trees

"The boys love playing up at the Cookery School, because they get to pick everything we're going to have for supper.

"This month, at home, we've apple, pear and plum trees. We've started the garden, but we're planning a lot more. I grew up in Dublin, just outside the City, but it's lovely for me to see the boys growing up in the country."

Rachel's one of those people who's always frantically busy, but appears completely serene. She always has a project on the go, but keeps very grounded.

Her  work

"I'm about to do a homeware range', she tells me. "I'm not claiming to be Philip Stark, or to be a revolutionary designer, my style is very simple but I'll make sure I design the range myself. I wouldn't simply endorse a product; I have to be very hands on.

Rachel is still hands-on too at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, which is run by her husband's mother Darina Allen.

"I teach at the Cookery School about two afternoons a week and I love it. It's so satisfying teaching them and they're delighted with themselves when they see what they've made. I love working with food. I didn't really enjoy cheffing and it's not very conducive to family life, so everything I'm doing at the moment is perfect."

Loves working with food: always busy with a project on the go

"When people drop in you can always throw something in one of the ovens, even if it's only a baked potato. Lucca likes to get a cushion and sit on top of the Aga, which is very cosy. I couldn't live without it."

Passions

Fashion, like food is one of Rachel's passions. If she weren't working with food, she would have probably would have been a shoe designer.

"I love what I do now, it's so funny how things work out. I always thought I'd be a shoe designer as my mother worked in fashion and my father owned a shoe factory. I love shoes, but I'm quite fussy and don't go shopping for lots and lots.

"It's the same with clothes. I prefer to buy less and love, love, love what I have. I now realise there are certain things I can't wear. I prefer a finer cut and a nicer fabric."

For more from Rachel visit Rachel's Favourite Food online.

For more information on the cookery school visit Ballymaloe Cookery School online.