1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: You're listening to Ruthie's Table four in partnership with Montclair. 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: In two thousand and eighteen, I found myself living in 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: Mexico City for four months. My regular world of London work, 4 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: family and friends became irregular as I was unexpectedly thrust 5 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: into a city with new people, new language, and definitely 6 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: new food. Then one day someone suggested we meet at Nido, 7 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 1: a small restaurant recently opened by Karen Dujonsky and her 8 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: son Eduardo Pleshinsky. From that morning everything changed. I went 9 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: to Niedo almost every day, always to be greeted with 10 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: a strong embrace from Karen, who would then go back 11 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: to her kitchen and cook me the best Mexican food, 12 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: eggs Mexicana and cettos, tortillas, fresh breads, oatmeal, cheese, omelets, avocado. 13 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: Months later, when it was finally time for me to 14 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: return to London, it had switched around. Karen and Nido 15 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: had become my regular world and it was painful to 16 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: leave them. We emailed and sometimes phoned, but it was 17 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: only two days ago that I returned to Nido and 18 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 1: Karen for breakfast. In four years, so here we are 19 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: today in a studio. Two good friends back in the 20 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: most beautiful city I know. 21 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 2: Ruthie, thank you so much. Would you like to read? Yes? 22 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: And isn't it good to be together? It is beautiful. 23 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: You always bring tears to my eyes never So you've 24 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: chosen the recipe. 25 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 2: I've chosen that tlalini with sparagus. So oh, we need 26 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 2: these five hundred grums of chopped sparagus, four garly clothes, peeled, 27 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 2: four tablespoons chop mix fresh herbs, one hundred million liters 28 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 2: of double cream, five hundred grams of unsalted butter, two 29 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 2: hundred grams of taglarini, one hundred and twenty grams of parmesan. 30 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: Please grate it and this is how you're going to 31 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 2: do it. Trim and finally chop the sparagus. Bring the 32 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 2: cream to a boil in a saucepan with a garlic, 33 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: and simmer until the clothes are soft. Hiat the olive 34 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: oil and butter in the saucepan and fry half of 35 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 2: the chopped sparagus. Add the rest of the cream. Bring 36 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 2: to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until 37 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 2: the cream begins to thicken. Cook the pasta. Add the 38 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: sauce half of the parmesan and tossed together, serve with 39 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 2: remaining parmesan and a lot of love and a lot 40 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: of love. 41 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: A good recipe. And why did you choose it? All 42 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: the recipes in all our books that I asked you 43 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: to choose, why did you choose this one? 44 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 2: Care I love sparagus, I love herbs. I like when 45 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: pastas are treated simply, and I adore cream and butter. 46 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: So I thought anyone can do it because you can 47 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 2: find the ingredients everywhere, and it's something that I do 48 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: very often. From your book. 49 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: In England, we have a very short asparagus season. It 50 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: goes from probably mid May till end of July. What 51 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: is there a season in Mexico? 52 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 2: Apaus, we can find sparagus throughout the year. Yes, usually 53 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 2: sometimes they come from here and sometimes they come from California, 54 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 2: So we find that's you know, it's easy because I 55 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: can find sparagus all the year, and also fresh herbs 56 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 2: in the parmer market that I go every Sunday. They're amazing. 57 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: They come from Bay. 58 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: So let's start at the very beginning, perhaps, which would 59 00:03:54,480 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: go back to how did your family come to Mexico? 60 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: Because I know, it's a very compelling story. Was it 61 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: your grandmother or your great grandmother? 62 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: My grandmother? 63 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: Tell me about your grandmother. 64 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: So my Austrian grandmother came from Austria escaping the Second 65 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 2: World War, and my other grandmother came from Poland way 66 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 2: before the Second World War. So I had two very 67 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: different upbringings, two very different kitchens, and two very different 68 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 2: environments for cooking. The Viennese one, the Austrian, was super 69 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 2: sophisticated because she could purchase and she knew about a 70 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: lot of ingredients. So there was dark, but something very interesting. Ruthie, 71 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 2: the cook at my grandma's, was an amazing Mexican cook. 72 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 2: So when I was five and six, as soon as 73 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 2: I went into her house, I ran into the kitchen. 74 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: I didn't go to the garden. I didn't want to 75 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 2: go play with the dogs in the garden or with 76 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 2: the dolls. I wanted to cook my own eggs. Had 77 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: six years at six, so they had a little wooden 78 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 2: stool for me to go up, and they would say 79 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 2: can I cook for you the eggs? And said no, no, no, 80 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 2: I'll make my own. And since then I do scrumble 81 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: eggs like I did for you. 82 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: Every day. When you talk about your grandmother who escaped 83 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: to come to Mexico, what was her story. 84 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 2: It was a very hard and painful story. She lived 85 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 2: in a very close town to Vienna, who was taken. 86 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 2: You know, they came to get them and kill them all. 87 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: They were a Jewish family. 88 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: He was young. I'm Jewish and my family is Jewish, 89 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 2: and I'm very proud of our traditions like anybody else 90 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 2: with their own traditions. So we are a Jewish family. 91 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: And her mom saw a diamond inside a hat and 92 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 2: she explained to my grandma, when they come together us 93 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 2: and if they kill all, wear the hat and run away. 94 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 2: They came. They killed everyone except my grandma and my 95 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 2: grandma's sister. In fact, my grandma saved the sister from 96 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 2: a camp. So it was an amazing story because my 97 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 2: grandma was very hard working, and I take the hard 98 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 2: working part from her since I was very young. She said, 99 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: you need to work, you need to learn how to 100 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 2: make a living, because that's the experience that she learned, 101 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 2: and she wanted to pass it to me. 102 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: Go back to the story of the diamond and the hat. 103 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: But she saw her family being killed. 104 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 2: She was spared she quickly went and got the hat. 105 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: She got the hat she wore, and she was how 106 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 2: old she was? Fifteen? She run away into the. 107 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: Woods with the hat and the diamond. 108 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,359 Speaker 2: Because by with the diamond she could save her life 109 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 2: and get a ticket to go to America. 110 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: So she was coming not to Mexico, but to a marria. 111 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 2: She went to New York. Yeah, a family member took 112 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 2: her while she was trying to make a living, and 113 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: she lived in a garbage bin in New York. In 114 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: New York, in a garbage bin for more than six 115 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 2: months until she could make it, wadering doing housework, anything 116 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 2: that would give her a living while finding her sister. 117 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 2: She did find. You know, it's very interesting, Ruthie, because 118 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: my grandma name was Carlotta Charlotte and her sister was Annie, 119 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 2: and Annie and my grandma taught me how to cook. 120 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 2: So once they went to New York, they saw an 121 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: opportunity to come to Mexico. And Mexico has been always 122 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:55,119 Speaker 2: always an amazing place of opportunities. If you work hard 123 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 2: and you're passionate, there's always opportunities in Mexico. So they 124 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: came to make how old were they then? Okay? So 125 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 2: my grandma was nineteen or twenty. She was trying to 126 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 2: find her sister. She didn't save her from the camp, 127 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 2: from the Holocaust camp, and they came to Mexico and 128 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 2: the sister started to cook and started to have a 129 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 2: little restaurant in a Capulco. And my dad had a 130 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 2: jewelry store and my grandma had a jewelry store in 131 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 2: a Capulco in the in the coast line of the beach. 132 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 2: So I worked in the jewelry and in the restaurant 133 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: since I was twelve. 134 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: And your own so that was your grandmother. Your parents 135 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: then were born in Mexico. 136 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 2: The first generation born in Mexico. I'm the second and 137 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 2: my children are the third. Yes, so yeah, it's an 138 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 2: amazing story because on the other side, the Polish side, Yeah, 139 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: they didn't suffer the Holocaust. They just came before to find. 140 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: They decided to camp. Why did they chanse Mexico? 141 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 2: Do you think there was a good Jewish community and 142 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 2: a lot of opportunities. So from Poland to Mexico it 143 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 2: was a great opportunity. So they came to Mexico, the 144 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 2: Polish and the Austrian and then mom and dad they 145 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 2: met here. They were born here and my mom Susanna 146 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 2: and my dad Muses they met here, they married and eating. 147 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: What did they do? Mom? 148 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: An amazing art dealer? Oh yes, amazing art dealer. You know, 149 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 2: I was very lucky to get to know Medida in 150 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 2: Suynia and Toledo. So they sat at a table always. 151 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 2: So there was always cooking, an art, cooking and culture, 152 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 2: cooking and music, cooking and love. 153 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: And where were your grandmothers did they did they live 154 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: near your house? 155 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 2: Very close? Polanco and Polanca, both in Polanco and I 156 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: could work and the Vienna's grandma. When I was very little, 157 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 2: I put a little food store outside the house with 158 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 2: little soapasitos and the supositos were one sent So since 159 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 2: very young I was cooking and feeding people. 160 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, were you ever trained or did you just know? 161 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 2: I'm not supernatural? Like when I was very young, I 162 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 2: could smell and know what I wanted to put into 163 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 2: the dishes. I love spices and herbs and products and 164 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 2: markets and the people who do it, you know, and 165 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 2: very passionate about it. 166 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: And who taught what? Was it your grandparents and the 167 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: Mexican chef that you had cooking for you. The Mexican 168 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: cook that you had in the kitchen, who actually Corney, 169 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 1: who was Corny Corney, was a very important. 170 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 2: Figure in my life because my grandma taught her cook 171 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 2: while she worked. She was a silversmith, so while she 172 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 2: work a lot, the cook cook a lot, and she 173 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 2: was taught by my grandma. Was very tough and she 174 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 2: and Connie was very soft, and she was very sweet, 175 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 2: and she was an amazing cook. So she was very 176 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 2: patient with me because she took care of my mom 177 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 2: when she was pregnant in me when I was born. 178 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: When I interviewed Alfonso Couran, the other Mexican that I 179 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: had on the podcast, he talked very much, and of 180 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: course he made a movie Roma about the role of 181 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 1: the domestic help in Mexican families, and it's a very 182 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: unique role I think that you had. He said a 183 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: very interesting thing. He said, when Americans made money and 184 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: had greater wealth, they would buy bigger things. They would 185 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 1: have a bigger kitchen, they would have a bigger car, 186 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,439 Speaker 1: they would have a bigger house, they would have maybe 187 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: two cars. In Mexico and also I think perhaps in Italy, 188 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: maybe in Spain. His opinion was that when people had 189 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: greater wealth. They kept the house the same, the kitchen 190 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: the same. Is very simple. That they had more domestic staff, 191 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: They had more people to work for them, and those 192 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: people became very, very important in the family. 193 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 2: Do you agree they become your family, They become your 194 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 2: chosen family. In fact, I have somebody that helps me 195 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 2: at home and my children for over thirty years, Ruthie. 196 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 2: So the same with Connie. So Connie became my mom's 197 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 2: mom because my mom's mom was always working, and Connie 198 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 2: was the one feeding the kids and taking care of 199 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 2: their calls and their temperature and their you know, and 200 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 2: she became almost like my grandma. 201 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: Yeah. 202 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 2: So I was always in Cornie's kitchen and then on 203 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 2: my Bobber's kitchen. My Jewish Yewish, you know, very interesting Jewish, 204 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 2: but very different. 205 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: And so you had the Mexican food when your family. 206 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 1: Tell me about life in your household. Your mother was working, 207 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: your father was working, and you had one sister. What's 208 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: the four girls? Four girls? Okay, so we four and 209 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: so what would you'd go to school? And what was 210 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: life like at home? So mum worked and ground my work. 211 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 2: So at home you would wake up in the morning, 212 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: go to school, come back and have an amazing Mexican meal. 213 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: Dinner. 214 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 2: It was lunchtime. It was two thirty two three, right, 215 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 2: So dinner in Mexico was light. Lunch is heavy. 216 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: When I lived here, that was one of the things 217 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: I learned, really was that you had well, we had 218 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: big breakfast at Niedo. Then we would have I would 219 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: be in the hospital with my husband, and then we 220 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: would meet for lunch at about four or possibly five, 221 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: have a delicious whatever it was called lunch or early dinner, 222 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: and then that was it. You'd have a piece of 223 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: fruit at ten o'clock or a glass of mescal or 224 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: tequila and then go to bed. So I thought it 225 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: was a beautiful way to eat if you could do 226 00:13:58,000 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: that and work. 227 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 2: You know, I like because you go to bed very light. 228 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 2: You have a slice of papaya or watermelon or melon. 229 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 2: It's very light. But since we have a Mexican food, 230 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 2: you know, you know, Ruthie, you know the rice and 231 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 2: the fideo and the moorland and chiladas, and that's what 232 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 2: we ate at home. And then a little bit of baking, 233 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 2: which was Austrian or. 234 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: Polish, and so you sit down to dinner, everybody ate together. 235 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, so they would come from work and at three 236 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 2: everybody was sitting at the table. We had an amazing 237 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 2: Mexican during the week, and then Sunday was a little 238 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 2: bit more sophisticated and for Shabba, dinner was always at 239 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 2: my Polish Grandma, and at sha dinner was very Jewish. 240 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 2: They filled the fish, mudzables, you know, roasted chicken all that. 241 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 2: And on Sunday we had a very delicious, amazing lunch 242 00:14:56,040 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 2: at my Viennese Grandma, which was dark and then potato 243 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 2: dumplings filled with apricot in sach and linzert and butter cookies. 244 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 2: It was all about butter. 245 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, and better easy to get in Mexico is amazing butter, yeah, interesting, 246 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 1: amazing butter. 247 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 2: Sometimes I buy it from a special very small ranch, 248 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 2: or sometimes I get it from where it comes to bit, 249 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 2: which is France or Denmark, but produce in Mexico, if 250 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: you know where, we're very lucky. Yeah. 251 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: I think that there's such an incredible food awareness in 252 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: Mexico City, and I think it can be anything from 253 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 1: your own restaurants to what you're doing to contram Mar, 254 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: which we went to today, which has probably two hundred 255 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 1: and fifty people in one room and having wonderful you know, 256 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: fish brought to you by waiters who just say yes 257 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: to everything. You know, there's just a wonderful atmosphere to 258 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: a bar that I went to the first night I 259 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: got here, and you had to open what looked like 260 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: a kind of refrigerator door to get downstairs to have 261 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: a thing. It was like prohivision. But it feels on fire. 262 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: The Mexican food scene without being with you know, not 263 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: being fashionable. There's a culture of food here that I'm 264 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: so amazed by and moved by. 265 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 2: It is so important for us. It is so important 266 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 2: as family together, as friends together, as couples together. So 267 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 2: fort is a huge part for where are you going 268 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 2: for breakfast? What are you doing for lunch? Where are 269 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 2: you having dinner? It's part of our life. You know, 270 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 2: it's big because I find that you stop your day 271 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 2: for those moments and you connect with people in those moments. 272 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: And did you go to restaurants with your family or 273 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: so you did, so you'd have those danielsynth thing and 274 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 1: then you'd go Friday night Shabad, And then when would. 275 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 2: You go to Saturday when we're young on Saturday? Have 276 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 2: you been to that movie. Now it's a very typical 277 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 2: fish Spanish restaurant in the city center. You have to go. 278 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 2: It's a classic, okay, So from lobster to big shrimp 279 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 2: to little clams, and it's a very old, beautiful dining room. 280 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,440 Speaker 2: I'll take you next, Nubio. We went to the Nubio, 281 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 2: We went to La Lanna, We went to Chamselice, which 282 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 2: was like an amazing restaurant. Food was an eaties a 283 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 2: huge part of our lives. I have four sisters, So 284 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 2: wherefore we cook big time? 285 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: And is it regional? I know it is regional, so 286 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 1: I know the answer to that question. So if you're 287 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: in the Yucutan, you'll be eating something very different than 288 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 1: you would have perhaps in you know, on the Pacific coast. 289 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,439 Speaker 1: And if you're on the Pacific coast, you'll have something 290 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: that's quite different from you know, Mexico City or then 291 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 1: the Boa, California, Wahaka. So the regionality of food is 292 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 1: very important in Mexico, isn't it. 293 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 2: Such a It is because who is from Wahaca is 294 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 2: very proud from their products and the way they cook 295 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 2: their chillis. If you go to Puebla, you have a 296 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 2: certain kind of molley, But if you go to Wahaka, 297 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 2: you have another morley. Tell me about the two Malays, 298 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 2: you know, they're so different, So listen. In Puebla sweeter. 299 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 2: In Wahaca is hotter, spicier. And I was just in 300 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 2: Merida in Casasquila doing an amazing pop up, and I 301 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 2: went to these amazing markets, Ruthie, I cannot even tell 302 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 2: you what I found, Like a La masorca. 303 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 1: That's the corn cob. 304 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 2: It's burned inside the ground and it's burnt and it's 305 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 2: brown and it's smoky. And I did pick of thee 306 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 2: with it, and mal is with it, and you can 307 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 2: do pastory with it. Then it's very regional. 308 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: Can you just tell everyone what malay is. 309 00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 2: Yes, moley. It's a very thick sauce made with chili nuts, 310 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 2: tons of spices from cinnamon to chocolate. 311 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: Does all malet have chocolate and it. 312 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 2: Not in Wahaca. Yes, a ton in Pevla. Less in Pevla, 313 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 2: more sugar, in Wahaca, more chocolate. And then in Wohaca 314 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 2: you can find more than twenty thirty forty kinds of moley, 315 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 2: like colorado mariito nero for for pork, for chicken for 316 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 2: Waholote molay. It's a huge thing. Yeah, I love it. 317 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: You love it? And do you cook a certain type? 318 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 1: Do you make all different Puebla? Yeah, I like it 319 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 1: mole sweeter. 320 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 2: And I went to Puebla like two three months ago 321 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 2: and I got some beautiful pastes from it and I 322 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 2: just seas in it. And I do it with chicken 323 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 2: and white rice and tortillas for my kids, with an 324 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 2: amazing avocado and tomato salad with a cilantro dressing, and 325 00:19:58,600 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 2: it's beautiful. 326 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: It's so interesting because as an American, my vision of 327 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: what Mexican food was it was so different from the reality. 328 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:14,159 Speaker 1: It's so refined, it's so subtle and light and about 329 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 1: the ingredients. The markets have the markets changed in the 330 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,399 Speaker 1: last many years. 331 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 2: No, there real ones. No, you know, if I go 332 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 2: to El Mercado in Wohaka and Elmergo Central and Ohaga 333 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 2: La Central de Bastos, Ruthie, it's the same. It's beautiful 334 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 2: because it has we make sure we keep it the same. 335 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 2: So if we go to the old markets and the 336 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 2: original markets. Yes, if you go to the neighborhoods, maybe 337 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 2: they come and they want to paint a little bit 338 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 2: and they take the charm of it. But I was 339 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 2: in Meridia and I went to three markets, and I 340 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 2: went to the original market and these one market was 341 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 2: It took me back one hundred and fifty years ago 342 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 2: in what way, the way that people dress, the way 343 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 2: that people talk, the ingredients they had, the way they 344 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 2: display it, the freshness. It was the same ass one 345 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 2: hundred years ago. So we keep them. We want to 346 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 2: keep the tradition. We want to keep We want to 347 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 2: keep it that way. 348 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 1: Did you know the River Cafe has a shop. It's 349 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: full of our favorite foods and designs. We have cookbooks, 350 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 1: linen napkins, kitchen were toat bags with our signatures, glasses 351 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 1: from Venice, chocolates from Turin. You can find us right 352 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: next door to the River Cafe in London or online 353 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: at shop Therivercafe dot co dot uk. We grew up 354 00:21:56,359 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: in this family that loved food, love to eat to other, 355 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: loved art, loved culture, obviously loved you. What age were 356 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: you when you actually left home this beautiful home. 357 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 2: Life twenty to get married. 358 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 1: You were married at age twenty, very. 359 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 2: Young, super young. I was very in love with love. Yeah, 360 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:20,439 Speaker 2: so I married super young and I cooked that home, 361 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 2: but I never thought I was going to have a restaurant. 362 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:24,400 Speaker 1: And did you have children very soon? 363 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 2: Yes, at twenty five, I had Michelle, then Carlos and 364 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 2: then and you cooked for them every single day. 365 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: Did you have help at doing that? 366 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 2: In Mexico? 367 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: It's and again you cooked Italian and Mexican, Mexican food 368 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: and the food of the Jewish culture a lot lot. 369 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: Did you have a job did you have as a 370 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: graphic designer? 371 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 2: I started graphic design and I always wanted to work 372 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 2: all the time. I was like a carrier woman, a 373 00:22:55,400 --> 00:23:00,199 Speaker 2: professional woman. So I said, I have three kids, going 374 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 2: to have a restaurant. I want to be a full 375 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 2: time mom. So I had a very big kitchen with 376 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,920 Speaker 2: a big range and a big oven, and I said, 377 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 2: I can have supper clubs. So on Tuesdays I gave 378 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 2: classes in the morning for twenty people and they were 379 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 2: always very liked because it was about comfort food with 380 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 2: a twist. And then at night I had supper clothes. 381 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 2: We moved to Vancouver. I lived in Vancouver for twelve 382 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 2: years with three children. With three children, and it was 383 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 2: huge to work from six o'clock in the morning to 384 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 2: three when I picked them up and then prepare for 385 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 2: supper clubs on Thursdays. 386 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: So you came back from Vancouver to Mexico yesterday. 387 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 2: I came back with Eduardo and I started to work 388 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 2: for a guy that had twelve restaurants and he needed 389 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 2: somebody that he can really rely on. And then one 390 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: day my kids sat with me and I said, Mom, enough, 391 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,439 Speaker 2: I think you need to do your restaurant. And I 392 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 2: said what And I said, Mom, do your dream die 393 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 2: without your dream? And I said no. 394 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: So you started with did you have an investment? How 395 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 1: did you start? 396 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 2: I started by partnering with the door of my son, 397 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 2: because we share the same passion in a very deep, deep, 398 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 2: deep level. And then from day one I put my intention. 399 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 2: I found that beautiful old building that bottom part of 400 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 2: the street tree Line street off reforma between a lane. 401 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 2: I was, this is precious. And then Carlos invested my son, 402 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 2: and then we saved a lot of money. And then 403 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 2: I started coming in at three thirty in the morning 404 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 2: to prep because I thought it was going to be 405 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 2: a big supper club. 406 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: Rue it's a very hard business to start because when 407 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: we started, you asked about the River Cafe, and when 408 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 1: we began, we had accountants for my husband's office. We 409 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 1: had Rosa worked in a restaurant in New York, and 410 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: I had never worked in a restaurant. And you can 411 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 1: fail so easily, you know, the dream of having a 412 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: small restaurant, We've seen them, you know, come and go 413 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: because you know you don't charge for that cup of coffee, 414 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 1: You throw away a box of funnel, you forget to 415 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: turn over the fridge on. There's so many ways you 416 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: treat your friends to dinners, and so it takes a 417 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: lot of brigger and a lot of business. And did 418 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: you have doubts whether times when in the beginning you 419 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: thought it might not work to do never think that was. 420 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,119 Speaker 2: A very interesting thing. And I knew from the start 421 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 2: it was going to be amazing. I knew it was 422 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 2: going to be successful, but successful because what I was 423 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 2: offering nobody else did. In Mexico. They brought chains, only 424 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 2: chains from the States. They never did their own thing. 425 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 2: And I was doing my own thing with my son. 426 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 2: And the story was beautiful. It was a mom with 427 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 2: a son cooking. But I never thought it was going 428 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 2: to be as hard as when the veggiets are going 429 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 2: to arrive and they don't arrive when the gas is off, 430 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 2: because you didn't think about it was one day going 431 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 2: to be off. When the water doesn't come in, when 432 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 2: the water doesn't come in, when your help gets sick, 433 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:18,120 Speaker 2: and then you you know. I remember, for the first 434 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,679 Speaker 2: three years I went in a for the first two years, 435 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 2: I went in at four o'clock in the morning. But 436 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,399 Speaker 2: I woke up so sure that I wanted to do 437 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 2: my dream come true. I never saw the hour or 438 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 2: the time. I just went to bed, went to take 439 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 2: a shower, put on my apron, and went to needles. 440 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,200 Speaker 2: And it was really hard, but at the same time 441 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: really rewarding because I was doing what I loved in 442 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:48,479 Speaker 2: a more professional way. I really want to tell people 443 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 2: to never ever leave their dreams on the back burner, 444 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 2: and that sometimes it's hard, but it pays off in 445 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 2: the in the realization of your passion and just keep 446 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 2: on doing it. 447 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: Can you tell me what it's like to be a 448 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 1: partner with your son, Well, that's. 449 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: The most interesting question. This is an amazing question me. 450 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 1: Why don't you can come and join us if you 451 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: want to, EDWARDA, Why don't you come on? 452 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 2: Come on? Just come? 453 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: I think in many in many fields of work. You 454 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 1: hear about husbands and wives being partners of working together. 455 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: You hear about brothers working together. I would love to 456 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 1: know how is it working together as a team with 457 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: mother and son. 458 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I started front of house and I was 459 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:43,919 Speaker 3: pretty much waitering tables and seeing people and lots of 460 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:44,919 Speaker 3: different types of things. 461 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: What did you do before? Was this your first restaurant 462 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:48,119 Speaker 1: you ever worked in? 463 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 2: No? 464 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 3: I worked with who's the chef of Maximo Bistro in 465 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:56,439 Speaker 3: Mexico City, and I think that pretty much was like 466 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:00,119 Speaker 3: my PhD in learning how our restaurant works. I had 467 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 3: absolutely no restaurant experience elsewhere. I went to school for 468 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 3: hospitality here in Mexico City, but I actually dropped out 469 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 3: halfway because school was never something for me. So I 470 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 3: decided to quit my job at Maximo, and together we 471 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 3: opened the first restaurant, which is the original one in 472 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 3: the corner. I mean together. We've opened all of them, 473 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 3: but it's been that first one was really intense because 474 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 3: we had very little restaurant experience, and so we learned 475 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 3: day by day. We learned how to manage a team. 476 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 3: Day by day, you learn how to create an internal culture. 477 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 3: You learn how to make your processes more efficient. You 478 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 3: learn how to optimize the business part to it, which 479 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 3: is fundamental, because if you don't have a good business, 480 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 3: then you don't have anything. 481 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 1: You know, how many do you have now? 482 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 3: Right now we have two cafes and two restaurants. 483 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: So someone listening to this coming from New York or 484 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: Paris or you know, Moscow, who knows, what would you 485 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: recommend them to? How would they come to find you 486 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: in Mexico City? Which one would you? 487 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,240 Speaker 3: Which one? It's if you feel like breakfast or lunch, 488 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 3: I would say go to the original, which is the 489 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 3: corner on Dres. 490 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: Street where yesterday yes and I would like to describe 491 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 1: the restaurant. And I recommend anybody who's listening to this 492 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 1: that they must come there on their first trip to Mexico. 493 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 1: Because if going to the market teaches you about the culture, 494 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: going to Nito teaches you about culture. And these beautiful 495 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: shelves with beautiful objects of Mexico on them and a 496 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 1: mirror on the ceiling, which reflects being inside or outside. 497 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: You try and think where do I want to sit 498 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 1: outside on the street with their friends walking past, or 499 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: inside where you feel cozier, but always that sense of 500 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: warmth and delicious, delicious food. You can't just have warmth 501 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: and haveiness, you need to have the rigor of having 502 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: delicious food. 503 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 2: If you like. 504 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: Listening to Ruthie's Table four, would you please make sure 505 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: to rate and review the podcast on the iHeartRadio app, 506 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you. 507 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 1: I'm very impressed with the younger generation of people here 508 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: in your city. When I was here four years ago, 509 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 1: there were young people really exploring how to make tequila again, 510 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: how to make mescal again, how to make tamali's again. 511 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 1: You know, going back with from the the parents maybe 512 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 1: had the farms, the parents maybe had the alcohol. But 513 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,920 Speaker 1: the younger generation were interested in organic They were interested 514 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: in means of production, they were interested in the ethics 515 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: of the workers. And I thought there was very definitely 516 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: a younger generation who are challenging and excited about what 517 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 1: incredible ingredients you have and land you have in this 518 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 1: country to produce great food. 519 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, Mexico has everything. We have everything, and people here 520 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 3: are very creative and very driven. I think, so, yeah, 521 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 3: there's opportunity. I always I have a lot of friends 522 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 3: that live outside of Mexico. And I always say that 523 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 3: Mexico is the perfect place to be an entrepreneur and 524 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 3: to start a business and to create, which is what 525 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 3: you're saying, because it's a lot easier. People are very nice, 526 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:53,959 Speaker 3: people help you a lot. You're just like in an 527 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 3: environment where it's easy to flourish, you know. 528 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, And did you find any difficulty in terms of 529 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: the male dominated yes, profession and. 530 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 2: Especially I have to say Mexico it's a very much 531 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 2: a driven country. That it's a male driven places where 532 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 2: where women are your wishes are second or not a priority, 533 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 2: or your passion or your work is not a priority. 534 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 2: In fact, it's a very alpha, male dominated world and 535 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 2: you find it everywhere. So I learned that Mexico sometimes 536 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 2: is stuff that way. In business. I have to say 537 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 2: the comfort food that we offer because the other night 538 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 2: we created the concept, we created the family meals that 539 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 2: we had since my kids were born is the menu. 540 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 2: So I was competing with no one really, but it 541 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 2: is an alpha dominated country. 542 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 1: Yes, And how did you expand? So you have one? 543 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: You had one needle and twenty eighteen. 544 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 2: And then we opened another one and then the Pandemica 545 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 2: came and I couldn't stop cooking because number one, I 546 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 2: need to be creating and creative all the time. And 547 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 2: I knew that people would need to go out at 548 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 2: least two breathe and get a little, a little treat. 549 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 2: And do you know our famous butter milk pancakes. They 550 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 2: saved us. And that not only saved us, but it 551 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 2: helped us expand. So we expanded into desserts because baking, 552 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 2: it's my cooking, it's for sure my passion. But ending 553 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 2: with a nice dessert routine for me, you cannot have 554 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 2: a meal without good bread, good butter, good olive bail, 555 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 2: and good dessert. You agree like it is a tip, 556 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 2: like it's a cherry on top. So we opened the 557 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 2: first needle. Then we opened a needle cafe, which is 558 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 2: all my recipes, my heritage from my tribe, my grandma's, 559 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 2: my aunts and my sisters, my kids, my loves. And 560 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:12,399 Speaker 2: then we open another middle because we started to have 561 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 2: our wedding list, and the wedding list wasn't an hour, 562 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 2: it was two and there was three hours wait, and 563 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 2: then we had an opportunity to go around the block. 564 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 2: And I went to a retreat because I love meditation 565 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:30,400 Speaker 2: and said mom, this place opened up, shall we take it? 566 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 2: I said, okay, let's go for it. And now we 567 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:35,239 Speaker 2: open in Polanco. The fourth one, how do you keep 568 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 2: the control of holiday? Like? They all are very, very 569 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 2: good like you. I'm there every day. What did it 570 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 2: Dodo tell you when we pick you up? Tell my 571 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 2: mom to rest a little bit? 572 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:48,280 Speaker 1: And I can't. 573 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 2: I just I mean, she said that you're my mentors. 574 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 2: So what do you have to say about it? Because 575 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:56,359 Speaker 2: my passion is to go there, so I try. 576 00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:58,280 Speaker 1: I think we have the best job in the world. 577 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 1: I always say that, you know, and I say that 578 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 1: if you you know. Steve Job said, if you, if you, 579 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: if you love your job, you'll never have to work again. 580 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:09,880 Speaker 1: I don't worry. So it don't work, you know, we don't. 581 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 1: And do you talk and meet with other chefs, other 582 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 1: people who are doing what you're doing or is it quite? 583 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 2: It is interesting that question. I'm not a celebrity chef, 584 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,840 Speaker 2: the you know, I'm just a cook. I'm not a celebrity. 585 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 2: I never wanted to be a celebrity chef. I'm just 586 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:35,279 Speaker 2: a simple cook that there to do my dream and 587 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:39,480 Speaker 2: open up a restaurant and became very successful because of 588 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 2: the comfort of the food and also the price of 589 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,520 Speaker 2: the food. You know it has to do also, you 590 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 2: know you can go to Mido many times. 591 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:56,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, when you talk about your restaurant or other people's restaurant, 592 00:35:56,360 --> 00:35:59,279 Speaker 1: or your grandmother or your you know, your parents, or 593 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:03,919 Speaker 1: sitting down meals or the people that you've learned from, 594 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: the word comfort comes up a lot. And I always 595 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:14,279 Speaker 1: end the podcast by asking people because it's important to me. No, 596 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 1: And I think it's quite revealing that if we eat 597 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 1: for hunger, we eat because we're hungry, don't we We 598 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: eat because we want to share with other people. We 599 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,160 Speaker 1: eat because we want to sit down at a table 600 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,600 Speaker 1: with our children, we eat because we want to cook, 601 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:31,359 Speaker 1: but very often we eat because we need comfort. And 602 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,480 Speaker 1: so if I were to ask you in terms of comfort, 603 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 1: is there a food that you would turn to? 604 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:37,799 Speaker 2: Yes? 605 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 1: And what with that? 606 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:44,880 Speaker 2: A good mutsiple soup, good maths a good And what 607 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 2: is this pasola? Borsola? I love? I do it with 608 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 2: chicken and very big corn that I forget in English 609 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:56,840 Speaker 2: how it's called. But it's a soup with my kids 610 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:59,279 Speaker 2: love it and it's a lot of chicken and this 611 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,960 Speaker 2: big corn. Then I put radish and cilantro and lemon 612 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:05,719 Speaker 2: chillis and they prepare it and it's comforting. 613 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 1: There's so many chilis and Mexican food. Tell me about chilis. 614 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,960 Speaker 2: Oh, I love passia. What is that? The chili passia. 615 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 2: It's a dried chile that is very sweet. The chipotlet 616 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:20,920 Speaker 2: that is very smoky. My favorite is the morita, and 617 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:24,920 Speaker 2: the morita is very small. It's very tasty, but it 618 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:27,799 Speaker 2: doesn't burn your tongue, so it makes you just enjoy 619 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,320 Speaker 2: the meal and you eat that fresh or dry dry fresh, 620 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:38,200 Speaker 2: calapagno and serrano and the rest, which are so many. 621 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 2: Ruthie Dry. 622 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:44,239 Speaker 1: I think there's incredible culture to Mexico. I I when 623 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 1: I was here in twenty eighteen for those four months. 624 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:51,759 Speaker 1: You know, culture can be you know, going to the 625 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 1: Anthropological Museum or going to Tomao to the folk museum. 626 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:58,600 Speaker 1: But it also can be the way you make a bed. 627 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: It can be the way you drive a taxi and 628 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:05,400 Speaker 1: the cleanliness of your car. It can be the kindness 629 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:09,200 Speaker 1: to a stranger. It can be showing somebody if they're lost, 630 00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 1: how to walk down the street. I think it's an 631 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:18,239 Speaker 1: incredibly beautiful culture and the other day when I was 632 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,919 Speaker 1: with some friends and they said I'm going I said, 633 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:24,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to Mexico for my Christmas holiday. And one 634 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 1: of them said, well when are you coming back? And 635 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,279 Speaker 1: one of my children said, maybe never. 636 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,879 Speaker 3: I'm surprised. I'm surprised you're not living here. All right. 637 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:50,360 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for listening 638 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:53,600 Speaker 1: to Ruthie's Table for in partnership with Montclair. 639 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:06,040 Speaker 3: Ruthie's Table four is produced by Atamei Studios for iHeartRadio. 640 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:09,800 Speaker 3: It's hosted by Ruthie Rogers, and it's produced by William Lensky. 641 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:13,680 Speaker 3: This episode was edited by Julia Johnson and mixed by 642 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:18,840 Speaker 3: Nigel Appleton. Our executive producers are Fay Stewart and Zad Rogers. 643 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 3: Our production manager is Caitlin Paramore and our production coordinator 644 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:25,839 Speaker 3: is Bella Cellini. Thank you to everyone at The River 645 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 3: Cafe for your help in making this episode.