Rachel Allen was brought up in Dublin and left home at eighteen to study at the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School. She is now a busy TV chef, author, journalist and mother, and still teaches at Ballymaloe.

Rachel's style of cooking is above all practical - simple but delicious food, ideal for family and friends. Her influences are both regional and global. Often described as the 'Irish cooking queen' and Good Food magazine believe she has put Irish cooking on the map in recent years. Rachel has a devoted fan base both in the UK and Ireland, and the popularity of her television programmes continues to rise.

Rachel’s Dinner Parties will premiere first and exclusively on BBC Lifestyle in April.