About

Céad Míle Fáilte. (A Thousand Welcomes)

I am an American cookbook author, food stylist & (fledgling) photographer living in Ireland. A former broadcast producer, I previously worked in television and commercial production while living in New York, Minneapolis & Los Angeles. In 2005, I threw caution to the wind and traded city life in the USA for rural ways in the West of Ireland, where I currently live with my husband and son.

From 2010-2015, I wrote, styled and photographed a weekly column for Irish Country Living featuring recipes and stories from our family life in the Irish countryside.

My first book, The Farmette Cookbook: Recipes and Adventures from My Life on an Irish Farm was published by Roost Books and distributed by Penguin-Random House worldwide in spring of 2016.

In 2013, I began developing the concept for Lens & Larder food and photography workshops, and from 2014-2020 executed a series of retreats and gatherings guided by international creatives set in extraordinary country houses amidst the stunning backdrop of Ireland's most beautiful regions. Lens & Larder was named one of the world’s best learning travel experiences by Suitcase Magazine.

Autumn of 2020 brought me back to television production via food styling for the AppleTV+/Skydance sci-fi series, Foundation. Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov’s trilogy, was written and produced for the screen by David S. Goyer and was released in Autumn, 2021.

In 2022, I began working with the Irish tourist board, Failte Ireland and Discover Ireland, styling campaigns for both print and television, and also styled a beautiful interiors feature for Country Home magazine (USA), photographed by notable architecture & interiors photographer, Jessica Glynn on location outside of Belfast in Northern Ireland.

2023 brought more culinary television production experience working on Gordan Ramsay’s Uncharted series shot in the West of Ireland which will air in 2024, along with more prop styling work for Guinness and IRFU “Don’t Jinx It” print/digital campaign ahead of the 2023 World Rugby Cup.

Over the years, I have contributed words, photos & styling to Condé Nast Traveler (USA), Town & Country (UK), The Guardian, and her recipes and stories from the farm have been featured in The New York Times, The Irish Times, The Sunday Times UK, Food and Wine Magazine (USA), Martha Stewart, Saveur Magazine and more. I also wrote, produced and directed a doc film short on Irish food and farming, Small Green Fields, which was nominated for a Food Film Festival award and was broadcast on all Aer Lingus transatlantic flights in 2013. I am a member of the Irish Food Writers Guild and the Irish Guild of Set Decorators.

In my spare time, I am having fun fixing up a centuries-old thatched farm and cottage which I hope to welcome guests and visitors to for creative + food retreats in the very near future.

A selection of images from my portfolio are available for purchase and can be found under the SHOP tab. These limited edition fine art prints are printed on museum quality Archival Hahnemühle Fine Art paper and can also be framed to your specification. Worldwide shipping is available. Please enquire at imenmcdonnell@gmail.com.

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Clients:

Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board)

Buzzfeed

Condé Nast

Country Home Magazine

Discover Ireland

Failte Ireland

The Guardian

Guinness

Hearst Magazines

Hermés

Image Interiors & Living

Irish Country Magazine

Irish Country Living

Kinfolk

Kildare Village

Skydance

Contact: imenmcdonnell@gmail.com