Moroccan cuisine has taken center stage on Irish television with the debut of a new seven-part culinary series titled “How to Cook Well in Morocco,” which recently aired on RTÉ One, Ireland’s national broadcaster. The program marks RTÉ’s first-ever food series filmed in Africa and offers Irish viewers a rich and colorful journey through Morocco’s diverse gastronomic landscape.
Led by acclaimed Irish chef Rory O’Connell, co-founder of the prestigious Ballymaloe Cookery School, the show blends travel and culinary discovery in a deeply immersive format. From the bustling port city of Tangier to the bohemian streets of Essaouira, the winding alleys of Fes and Marrakech, the serene blue of Chefchaouen, and the majestic Atlas Mountains, O’Connell embarks on a personal exploration of Morocco’s food traditions, visiting vibrant markets and learning directly from local chefs and artisans.
Each episode highlights key dishes that define Moroccan cuisine, including fragrant fish and lamb tagines, the creamy split pea soup known as bissara, and the delicate, paper-thin pastry used in many Moroccan sweets. Back home in East Cork, O’Connell recreates these meals, infusing his own touch while preserving the authenticity and soul of what he encountered abroad.
The series doesn’t just showcase recipes—it pays tribute to Morocco’s culinary heritage, emphasizing the use of fresh ingredients and age-old cooking techniques, particularly the tagine method, which involves slow-cooking in earthenware pots to build complex layers of flavor. More than just a cooking show, the series is a cultural portrait, illustrating how Moroccan food is woven into the very fabric of the country’s identity.
Following the show’s warm reception in Ireland, Morocco’s ambassador to Ireland, Lahcen Mahraoui, visited Ballymaloe Cookery School as part of his trip to Cork for Africa Day celebrations and the opening of the “Morocco, Land of Light” exhibit at the Alliance Française. Welcomed by Rory O’Connell himself, the ambassador took the opportunity to thank the chef for his efforts in introducing Moroccan culinary traditions to an Irish audience.
Mahraoui praised O’Connell’s dedication and decades of experience working in world-renowned kitchens, saying the chef had helped shine a light on Morocco’s rich food culture. He emphasized that Moroccan cuisine is not only a mirror of the country’s geography and history, but also a living symbol of its generosity, creativity, and spirit of dialogue. In his view, food can serve as a powerful bridge between cultures.
The ambassador’s visit also came as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Ireland. During his time in Cork, conversations began about future collaborations in sustainable food practices and deeper culinary exchanges between the two countries—initiatives that could further strengthen ties through a shared appreciation of food as both art and diplomacy.
