1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Ruthie's Table for presented by Sky. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 2: There's always some sort of nuance of writing the menu 3 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 2: and then obviously paying attention to the kind of house 4 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 2: rules and the house style. And you know, I couldn't 5 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: do like a sort of Asian salad with the soul, 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 2: for example, it has to be within the brief. And 7 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 2: then peas. We've got peas on with a salad with 8 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 2: the longer stems, with a crab on polenta, and then 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 2: slow cooked with the monkfish with panchetta, because peas are 10 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 2: like slap banging season now. And then got the first 11 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 2: of the years Dattini tomatoes that have just come up 12 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: from Italy, so that's with boga. And then we've got 13 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 2: that also with I did the salad that we had 14 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 2: a miland I remember we had the salad in Milan 15 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 2: that which is just mash leaves and Datterini tomatoes, and 16 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: we thought it was a carrot salad. Remember we were like, oh, 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 2: let's have a carrot salad, but it turned out with 18 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 2: botaga on top. Yeah, and that so that's a really nice, 19 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 2: super fresh And then. 20 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 3: Where do the wettes fergus come from? 21 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 2: France? Okay, Yeah, it's just like it's spurgus in peak 22 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: season now as well, so the English stuff is beautiful, 23 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 2: and then the French stuff is also. 24 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 3: We're like still in the springtime. So it's pretty interesting. 25 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 3: Each time I go to a restaurant, I keep saying, 26 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,279 Speaker 3: like the dottery need tomatoes and I haven't seen them anything. 27 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so it's exciting. And then we've got nettles that 28 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 2: have been and they're just starting to finish now. And 29 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: then when I've written the menu, and then because we've 30 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 2: got a set menu that's running alongside that today, and 31 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: then I have all the chefs that are working, and 32 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: so I just try and give everyone jobs that are 33 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 2: nice for them. 34 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: So the other restaurants, well, traditional maps have somebody who's 35 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: aren't the salads for a month or the grill from 36 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: is that the way. I've only worked in one restaurant, 37 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: and that's this one. So I don't know how the 38 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: kitchens really do work. But what we do is we 39 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: say that you come and see who's working. And so 40 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: you've had how many chefs do you have today? Ten? Ten? 41 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 4: Yeah, and so we'll say, you know the complex positions 42 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 4: of what we. 43 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: Call hots, one which is the wood oven, and we 44 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: have in every section we have we have the grill, 45 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: we have the wood oven, we have hots what we 46 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: call two which is the pastas pizzas, and so we 47 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: and every section of the has a fish and meat. 48 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: So we might grill the sea bass and grill the beef, 49 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: and then we'll do a slow roasted veal, and we'll 50 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: do maldfish in the oven, and then on the in 51 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: the roasted. 52 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 4: And then in the wood oven we'll have game. 53 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: We always put the game a whole bird, if it's 54 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: pigeon or grouse or partridge or PHAs, that. 55 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 4: Will be done in the wood oven. 56 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: And then the fish we usually do dover sole in 57 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: the wood oven. Sometimes we grill them mostly there, so 58 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: you have everybody has a fish in to meat fishing, 59 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: because we only have six main courses. And so I 60 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: think that's the decision. Who are you going to put 61 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: on these sections? 62 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: I think what's quite cool is the fact that the 63 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: chefs don't know what sections. 64 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 4: They don't know. Yeah, that was going to be my question, 65 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 4: right when they don't find. 66 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: Out about half past ten, and so the younger chefs, 67 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: like this guy here, he's doing a trial today, so 68 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 2: he's got a really easy job, Like washing asparagus. But 69 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: then I also gave him ioli to make because I thought, 70 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: let's see if he can make ioli. It's kind of 71 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,959 Speaker 2: classic thing. And so he's obviously he's not going to 72 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 2: be doing a difficult section because he's not going to 73 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 2: make a Yeah, but then everyone else will be playing 74 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: to their strengths today. But it stops chefs. You know. 75 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: In classic kitchens, people have sections and then they hold 76 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 2: kits and make loads of meson plas for like the 77 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: week and hide it. And none of that can happen. 78 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 2: Everything has to be there's no at habits. Yeah, yeah, 79 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: And I remember when I started here thinking it's impossib Well, 80 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 2: you can't cut parsley to order. Of course, you have 81 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 2: to cut it for the week. 82 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 3: You know. 83 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 2: And then I was burn away and now I can't 84 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 2: imagine how you can happen. And that's just how it 85 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 2: is here, you know, But I can't imagine how. 86 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: So then so this is so this is hots. We 87 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: see there's hots one, which is a wood oven. Hearts 88 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: two is the pasta. Three is roasting in the oven. 89 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: Four is a sort of news section that we had 90 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: not terribly, but the idea that person on hots two. 91 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: Making pastas can get overwhelmed, so we try and put 92 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 1: one pasta or risotta on hats four and they'll also 93 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 1: do one of the antipasity if you do seared scallops, 94 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: so we do a lenta with some then mushrooms in 95 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 1: the winter. So that's the four, and. 96 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 4: Then we have the grill six is uh yeah, just 97 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 4: doing hearts back here, can you know? It might be 98 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 4: a language. 99 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: Steene again just two things or a carnee crudeo. And 100 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: then we have the cold section and pizzas. 101 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 3: So you know, and there's a is there a prep 102 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 3: team also that's in earlier than well no, we have. 103 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: Some people who do do prep. They do like the 104 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 2: spinach and peel potatoes and chop the chilies and things 105 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 2: like that, so that stuff the chefs don't have to do, 106 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 2: so they just have to cook. 107 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 4: Waiters do it too. 108 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, and the ways there's always been in tradition that 109 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: everyone participates. As we've gotten bigger, it's harder because we 110 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: have the cafe, we have private dining room, and we 111 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: have a lot more people than we used to have 112 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 1: for this kitchen, which was really designed in two thousand 113 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: and eight, and so the kitchen porters do the scallops. 114 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: The waiters peel, you know, peel the garlet. They learned 115 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: how to clean an anchovy, they chop the chili. So 116 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: in a way, if they're stopped and asked by a 117 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: customer what's in themselves, avery, they know because they helped prepare. 118 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 4: But as we've gotten. 119 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 2: Sort of bigger, we do have people who get a. 120 00:05:55,080 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: Lot of questions, have questions, Yeah, how do you do that? No? 121 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 3: I actually, do you sit down with everybody like they 122 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 3: all come? Do you sit down and give them their assignments? 123 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 2: Now, sometimes if I've got like an experienced team, like today, 124 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 2: I'll write the menu and then everyone will come and 125 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 2: have a chat about this and that, you know, and 126 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 2: then I'll say, you know, what do you want to do? 127 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 2: You can do anything if you're a good chef. And 128 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 2: then Carl Lota, who's one of our you know, top chefs, 129 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 2: is making the zucchini sauce and she just said to me, okay, 130 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 2: if I do whatever I want sort of thing, and 131 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 2: I was like, yeah, because what she's going to make 132 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 2: would be amazing. And she knows what I want and 133 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 2: how my what style? Like every chef will have their 134 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 2: style and she'll know she just is so good and 135 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: I'll just yeah, you know, for you what really well 136 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 2: that sounds really vague, but with people that have worked 137 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 2: at the River Cafe for like ten plus years, there's 138 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 2: just such good cooks that you you just kind of 139 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 2: look at them. They know what you're looking at. Yeah, 140 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: they know what they're doing, they know the repertoire. 141 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: We don't have line cooks. I think that's a big difference, 142 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: you know that we've seen. I think you know another kids, 143 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: you know, where you have maybe just one or two chefs, 144 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: but then everybody they're brilliant, you know. And that's what 145 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: how Rose, my partner started, That's how she learned to 146 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: cook in New York. So she was taught to cook, 147 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 1: not by the chef's besties or you know, Keith McNally's restaurants, 148 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: by the right. 149 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 4: Yeah. 150 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 3: So the person's making the ioley and do they have 151 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 3: the ability to make it in a modern pestle compared 152 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 3: to like using machine, because that's always one of the problems. 153 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 2: Because I was like ask he said, I was like, 154 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 2: how are you going to make ioli? Just to see 155 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 2: if he knew what it was. And then he first 156 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 2: of all said, well, I'm going to make it in 157 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 2: the food prices there. And I said to him, well, 158 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 2: I actually said, can you you can make it with 159 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 2: a whisk if you like. I didn't say make it 160 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: in the pest and watch. I thought that he might 161 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 2: just walk straight back out. I thought, let's see if 162 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 2: you can make it with a whisk as a starting 163 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 2: point before we go to the machine and then check 164 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 2: it it's good. But we had them. We had just 165 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 2: a last minute catastrophe when we found out that the 166 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: longest things aren't aren't here because they'd be coming by 167 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: train and the train's delayed. So we've just had to 168 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 2: take that whole dish off and then reprint a hundred 169 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: more menus without it on so that all the people 170 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 2: aren't like I was really fancy the longest things stuck 171 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: in traffic. 172 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 3: I actually used to do something similar where Lindsay can 173 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 3: attest to that. I would just kind of come in 174 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 3: and then I remember what was around maybe four We 175 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 3: lived like two blocks from the original location, and then 176 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 3: I would rewrite the menu every day until started to 177 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 3: drive some folks a little about it and then but 178 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 3: it lasted for a good first six or so years 179 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: where we write the menu every day and change chat. 180 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 2: We do think about it because especially having thinking of 181 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 2: the younger chefs that also get to write menus, whether 182 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 2: it's better to have just us right menus and they're 183 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:03,079 Speaker 2: being more standing. But it is part of the uniqueness 184 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 2: that then's going to be a whole nother menu tonight. Yeah, 185 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: and it is really free because you just think what 186 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 2: do I want to cook today? And then you think 187 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 2: about all the people that everyone comes here for a 188 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 2: different reason, don't they. Some people are having a working lunch, 189 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 2: some people are having a celebration, and the menu has 190 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 2: to cover all of that. But it's such a you know, 191 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 2: I've worked here for twenty six years because it is 192 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 2: so every day is different, you know, and that I 193 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: think is keeps you going exactly. Yeah. 194 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 3: Even had a Shapenese like if you have the menu 195 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 3: and you sit down at one one o'clock for dinner, 196 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 3: you had your working in the fireplace of the rotistery, Yeah, 197 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 3: by the hearth, you'd have to go on the walk 198 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 3: and grab your fore lambs or whole lambs, then break 199 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 3: them down there at that time and be ready by 200 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 3: you know, five o'clock to give wherever the chef was 201 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 3: a tester, a tester and right, yeah, so I always 202 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 3: kind of grew up being able to start at that 203 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 3: level of not a walking and having something like Cryovector. 204 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 3: It's all you know what, you see the quality, and 205 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 3: then you exactly so no, that's great. 206 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 4: So it's as simple as that. So that's it's as 207 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 4: simple as that.