What can a lunch tell you about a colleague, or a job candidate? In this bonus episode, Founder and Editor of Tortoise Media, James Harding, discusses the power of the working lunch. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership in Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Around the table with friends we were talking about the kind of movies we like best. My vote was for movies about journalism — His Girl Friday, Broadcast News, The Insider, All the President's Men. I don’t need to watch a movie to see my favourite journalist, I just call James Harding — the youngest ever editor of The Times, Washington editor of the Financial Times, and head of BBC News. In 2018 he founded Tortoise, an online news platform, with the principle of responsible, deep journalism. Slo...
When the great filmmakers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach wrote to say they were moving to London for a year, we decided to meet for Sunday lunch with their son in The River Cafe. After that first lunch we made a date for the following Sunday, and the next one. Soon they became a tradition. Today, Noah, Greta and I are here in The River Cafe to talk about food and life, food and friendship, and the beautiful movies they've made for all of us — Barbie, Little Women, The Squid and the Whale, and Ma...
In this bonus episode of Ruthie’s Table 4, with the inauguration approaching, Ruthie joins friend and writer for The New Yorker, Adam Gopnik, to discuss James Carville, the election and America’s future. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
"It’s the economy, stupid." You may recognise the slogan which won Bill Clinton the presidency in 1992. It was the creation of James Carville, the brilliant campaign strategist who has gone on to become a key voice in American politics as a consultant, commentator and author. Now, James is here at The River Cafe to share memories of growing up in the Deep South, stories about his mother, and his new film, Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid. And in a special crossover ahead of the inaugurati...
The first time I met Josh Brolin was here at The River Cafe, and there was an instant connection between us. Josh is a storyteller, and I sat there listening as he described what it was like to be a 14-year-old chef in an Italian restaurant, and acting in No Country for Old Men, Milk, and most recently Knives Out. Josh is back in The River Cafe today to talk about his beautiful memoir, From Under the Truck, memories of a vivid childhood, and the way food and love for his family sustains him. Rut...
In this bonus helping of Ruthie's Table 4, Sienna and Ruthie discuss the art of the Sunday roast — a sacred ritual in Sienna's life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Everyone knows Sienna Miller—not just as an actress and a fashion designer, but also as a brave combatant who stood up against a powerful media empire. At The River Cafe, we know her as a fabulous eater. Always here with a big table, always with children, always sharing. On this episode of Ruthie's Table 4, I’m here with Sienna for a conversation about food, family and bravery. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Happy holidays to all of our listeners, we thank you so much for your responses and for your support. As a present for you, we’ve made this podcast with Sian Wyn Owen and Joseph Trivelli, the executive chefs at The River Cafe. We’ll take you inside the world of The River Cafe during this special time of year, and answer some of your festive cooking questions. Ruthie’s Table 4, made in partnership with @me_andem See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
I’m often asked about the inspiration for Ruthie’s Table 4. The answer is easy. Two words — Ian McKellen. For some years, Richard and I invited actors to perform at our home. Ian ended his performance with a reading of a recipe for Ribollita, a traditional Tuscan soup. Compelling as any sonnet, we were all spellbound. Ian is known to everyone as different characters — Macbeth, King Lear, Gandalf. I think of him as one character, inspiring, kind and brave. For this podcast, we went to his beautif...
Acting, directing, cooking. In this candid conversation, Saoirse, Greta and Ruthie explore their personal approaches to learning, and mastering their own confidence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The other week, the director Greta Gerwig sat at my table, describing the unique experience of working with Saoirse Ronan — ‘Ruthie, you have to meet her.’ In a way, I feel like I’ve already met Saoirse through the intimacy of her award-winning performances in 'Atonement', 'Lady Bird' and 'Brooklyn', and her forthright interviews. Now, the three of us are here together at The River Cafe in person — Saoirse, Greta and I. We’re talking about food and cooking, Ireland, Saoirse’s garden, learning to...
Adam Gopnik is a brilliant mind. An acclaimed writer, essayist and commentator; he's authored nine books, and has written for The New Yorker for nearly forty years , to which he's contributed non-fiction, fiction, memoir and criticism. I've been lucky enough to share 34 years of friendship with Adam, and in that time, we've never stopped cooking, and sharing our passion for food. Today, we're talking about family, the world, and of course, eating. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Me+Em...
When Michael McCarty walks into The River Cafe, he immediately fills the room with his warmth and kindness. Restaurants are, of course, what he knows best. He and his wife Kim opened Michael’s in Santa Monica in 1979, bringing Californian cuisine to the world; artichokes, asparagus, tomatoes and peaches, grown in the sun and eaten under the sun. Ten years later, California came to New York when they introduced Michael’s to midtown Manhattan. Today, they are with me in London, bringing their warm...
When Rose and I opened the River Café in 1987, we were credited for bringing open kitchens, farm-sourced ingredients, and women chefs, to restaurants. We would always say ‘Alice Waters did it first. Chef, author, food activist, founder of Chez Panisse and Edible Schoolyard, Alice is a culinary icon and a hero. She is also my close friend. Today, we are here to talk about our restaurants, our families, the world we live in and wonderful memories. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Me+Em S...
The connections between Scott Rothkopf, Director of New York’s Whitney Museum, and I run deep. When Rose and I wrote the first River Cafe Cookbook in 1994, Scott’s husband, Jonathan Burnham, helped us with our introduction. Museums and restaurants are about connecting art and people. They welcome people into a space and create something beautiful to see, or cook something delicious for them to eat. This is what my friend Scott and I do every day, and this is what we will talk about today. A deep...
When Elton John agrees to do a podcast, you go to wherever he is. So a few weeks ago, I travelled to Elton and David Furnish’s beautiful home in Berkshire. We sat around his wooden dining table, tried to think of songs with lyrics of food (‘Blueberry Hill’, ‘Sugar Sugar’), talked about shelling peas with his grandmother, the first meal he and David shared (at the same table) and much more. What was meant to be a half hour conversation stretched to an hour. His assistant, who joined us, said in 2...
The world knows Kristin Scott Thomas as an actress, starring in films such as The English Patient, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and most recently, playing Diana Tarverner in Slow Horses. Having lived in Paris for decades, Kristin is passionate about French cuisine and culture, and today at The River Cafe we speak about how food, France, and family have all played a role in her journey. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
We return with our guest this week, former Prime Minister Tony Blair. In the second episode of the new series, Tony Blair reminisces about food in politics, from the 'memorable’ meals he made his children at Chequers to dining with Heads of State, including the late Queen Elizabeth II. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, we had our first guest of the new series, award-winning director Guillermo Del Toro, on the podcast. When he came to The River Cafe, he shared his deep knowledge of tequila and his passion for making his own. Today we're sharing with you what he taught us, giving you a taste of his hometown and the tequila region, Jalisco. You can listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnys...
Our first guest in the new series is film director Guillermo Del Toro. Guillermo has taken us into his world, often surreal, mystical, and sometimes dark, through his hugely successful films. But today, he joins us in The River Cafe to talk about the foods of his childhood in Mexico, the foods in his movies, and how food is often used to build trust between his characters. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
We are days away from the new season of Ruthie's Table 4, which begins on Tuesday 22nd October! Today, we are giving you a preview of who you can expect to hear from in the coming weeks. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We have just one week until the new series of Ruthie’s Table 4 starts on the 22nd October! And in just 21 days, the U.S. Presidental election will be underway. This week we are revisiting an episode from Series 2 with former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Considered the most powerful woman in American political history, she recalls how her five children would help her prepare dinners for the Democratic Party in the early days of her political career, her memories of childhood meals in Baltim...
We have just one week until the new series of Ruthie’s Table 4 starts on the 22nd October! And in just 21 days, the U.S. Presidental election will be underway. This week we are revisiting an episode from Series 2 with former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Considered the most powerful woman in American political history, she recalls how her five children would help her prepare dinners for the Democratic Party in the early days of her political career, her memories of childhood meals in Baltim...
On 22 October the new series of Ruthie's Table 4 returns! In this episode from series two, Steve McQueen talks beautifully about his family, ethical values and the impact of food in his life and work. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ahead of the the fourth series of Ruthie's Table 4 returning on the 22nd October, we are visiting the archives and today, we hear from our guest - Emily Blunt. Emily gives us the recipe for the roast chicken worthy of a marriage proposal, reveals why her favourite pasta dish is cacio e pepe, and how she ate Burger King every night before performing on stage with Dame Judi Dench. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Three weeks from today, on 22nd October Ruthie’s Table 4, Season 4 of will begin. This week we are replaying one of our favourite episodes - Dame Judi Dench which we recorded in January of 2023. Listen to her recite from memory a childhood poem, recall trying to impress an agent with her cooking, and describe how she cooked a raw sausage on stage for Norman Rodway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's episode of Ruthie's Table 4, we're delving into the archives again, ahead of our return for series 4 in October. This time, we're revisiting our time with fashion model, actor and political activist, Adwoa Aboah. Adwoa's parents have been part of the River Cafe family since we opened 37 years ago. Five years later Adwoa was born, and was soon sat in the River Cafe as a child, eating pasta, butter and cheese. Now we're here, talking about her life as one of the most successful mode...
This week on Ruthie's Table 4, we're revisiting our time with actor, filmmaker, writer and comedian, Mel Brooks. Mel makes the world laugh, but funny isn't the word he'd choose for himself. That word, would be hungry. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week on Ruthie's Table 4, we're going back to the archives to relive a memorable conversation with Oscar-winning actress, and successful entrepreneur, Gwyneth Paltrow. Two friends, talking about food, family and love. Ruthie’s Table 4 is made in partnership with Moncler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
