The influence of Irish culture is very strong in Canada but I never thought I would end up going to Ireland until I found the mecca of cooking schools was situated there. I trained at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. It was for their 12 week intensive where you live on their 100 acre organic farm and learn the nitty gritty of all things farm to table. Basically, it was a 2 year college program condensed into 3 months.