Colin Ryan, a past pupil of Ballymaloe Cookery School, has been quietly making his mark on the Irish food scene. After completing the 12-week course, he’s gone on to work on a range of exciting food projects.
At Hansum Rotisserie Chicken in the Marina Market, Colin focuses on simple, flavourful cooking that celebrates great ingredients. He’s also involved in Paperboys Café, a cosy spot known for its welcoming atmosphere and thoughtful dishes.
Most recently, Colin has teamed up with Ciarán O’Regan, another Ballymaloe graduate and the talent behind Rita’s Pizzeria in Dublin, to launch GoodHood Pizzeria. Together, they’re serving up freshly made, delicious pizzas in a relaxed setting.
After finishing college, Thea Gould wasn’t sure what direction to take until her mum told her about Ballymaloe Cookery School. She took the leap and completed the 12-Week Certificate Course, an experience that sparked a lifelong love of baking.
After graduating, Thea returned to New York to begin her baking career. She started at Pies ’n’ Thighs, a much-loved Southern restaurant in Brooklyn known for its pie slices and doughnuts, before moving to Ops, an acclaimed pizza restaurant also in Brooklyn.
She then joined La Cantine, starting out as a line cook. With a growing interest in sweets and baking, Thea began taking over the small selection of baked goods on the menu. Her boss encouraged her to focus fully on baking, and for the past four years she has run the restaurant’s baking programme single-handedly, creating desserts guided by the seasons and her own curiosity.
Thea is currently working through every Technical Challenge from The Great British Bake Off — a personal project that has helped her refine her skills and see how far she has come. Alongside her full-time role, she runs a small side business, Thea’s Treats, from her home kitchen, creating bespoke cakes to order.
Now Head Pastry Chef at La Cantine, Thea’s work has been featured in The New York Times. She also creates a monthly dessert for Kellogg’s Diner in Williamsburg and has several more interviews and features due to be published soon.
