1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: Ruthie's Table for presented by Sky. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,279 Speaker 2: There are some people across the globe who are nativists, 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 2: who believe in sort of populist politics, who believe there's 4 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 2: a clash of civilizations, who are always talking down great 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 2: cities like London. Why because we're the antithesis of what 6 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 2: they stand for. We've shown diversit as the strength and 7 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 2: not a weakness that makes us rich and not poorer. 8 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 2: It makes us stronger, not weaker. We can't take it 9 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 2: for granted. And that's where food comes in. You know 10 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 2: the fact that you could be somebody who may have 11 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: suspicions about foreigners but loves their food. That will open 12 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: your eyes and so you need to go and holder 13 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 2: you've got it here, And so you start talking to 14 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 2: the chef or the restaurant is from a different background, 15 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 2: which you didn't realize. We've got much more in common 16 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 2: that unites you. The joy of being the mayor is 17 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 2: forget no two days of the same, no two hours 18 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 2: of the same. All sorts of you like could meet 19 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 2: a cleaner or a bus driver, or a great chef, 20 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 2: or a business person small business, a big business, and 21 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 2: that's the rhythm of us great city and we're always evolving. 22 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: At a dinner in our home in twenty sixteen, Mayor 23 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: cidcon threw three lemons across the room, just missing a 24 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: pre Columbian sculpture and the frame of a beloved painting. 25 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: But before you gasp, it was done for good reason. 26 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: He was leaving the next morning for New York and 27 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: had been given the honour of throwing the first pitch 28 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: at a Mets baseball game. Josh Burger, though an LA 29 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: Dodgers fan, volunteered to give him a lesson there and then, 30 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: mister Mayor, this really needs to go well for cidikon, 31 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: the third and longest governing mayor in London's history. Much 32 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: has gone well for me. One of his many great 33 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: achievements as mayor has been ensuring that every child in 34 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: London has a free school lunch. AM incredibly moved that 35 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: he's taken the time to join us here. We'll share 36 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: stories about the food of his family, of how the 37 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: diversity of London's restaurants reflects the diversity of our city, 38 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: making it a better and stronger place for all of us. 39 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: Sadek as a man, I respect as a mayor and 40 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: deeply love as a friend. 41 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: Well, he's pleasure to be and thanks for having me on. 42 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,119 Speaker 2: I should just end the story you began. 43 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: With throwing lemons in my living room. 44 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: To be fair. I mean, you know Richard, who we love, 45 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 2: and I doing miss encourage this behind. 46 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: Richard was always like, what's more important in life? You know, 47 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: the friends or a work of art. 48 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 2: Well that the story goes on because Josh, Josh taught 49 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: me how to throw a lemon. I go to Chicago before, 50 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 2: so we'd be Toronto. We go to Chicago and go 51 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: to New York and I see Ram, the Rams and 52 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: the mayor of Chicago at the time, and I tell 53 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 2: Rom I'm going to throw the first pitch at a 54 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 2: Mets game. And he said, forgive him a language, some 55 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 2: apology in advance. Are you fucking mad? And I said, 56 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 2: what do you mean? Because there's no upside because they 57 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 2: hate Mays and so you'll get bood going on. You'll 58 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: get the pitch wrong because you won't go into the 59 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 2: catcher's hand, and you'll be laughing stock. And now I'm 60 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: really nervous. Yeah, anyway, the next day is the Mets game. 61 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 2: Go to the Mets game, and I'll walk into the pitch, 62 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 2: and they announced the Mayror of London, his hair, huge 63 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 2: screams and huge chairs something. Yes, they love London. And 64 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 2: then I trick one of your dinner guests taught me 65 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 2: was hug the catcher because the catcher can make it 66 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 2: look very good or make it look very bad. So 67 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: I hugged the catcher. I threw. It wasn't eleven, it 68 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: was a baseball. I did the posess Josh told me 69 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 2: up as they do in the movies, and the catcher 70 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 2: caught it and the crowd cheered. But it gets even better. 71 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: I stayed for the game and I sat behind the 72 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 2: net and during the game there's were doing awful and 73 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: just doing awful, and a New Yorker shouted out, you're 74 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 2: so crap. What should get the Mayor of London to pitch? 75 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 2: My story? And it all began in yours and Richard's home. 76 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: It's a great story. And you played baseball since then? 77 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: Or is that the height of your career? 78 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 2: Throw another first pitch at San Francisco game. But no, 79 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 2: I mean I'm a cricket man, not a baseball mat. 80 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: I said to daniel Lewie. We were just talking about 81 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: another very exciting mayor of San Francisco, and I was saying, 82 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: you know, if you'd asked me what, maybe six years ago, 83 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: what's important in the city. The education, the theaters, the opera, 84 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 1: the museums. But when COVID happens and restaurants closed, I 85 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: think we all missed them. Do you think the restaurants 86 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: are part of a city. 87 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 2: I think COVID was obviously awful, but I think it 88 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 2: reminded us what matters and what's important as human beings. 89 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 2: We love socializing, just think going back to the Biblical 90 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 2: times about the importance of breaking bread together, the conversation, 91 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 2: the place where you teach, where you have arguments and 92 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 2: discourse and debate. And what COVID reminded us of is 93 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 2: how much we missed each other. 94 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: The spontaneous meetings. 95 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: The vibe you get when you go even to the office, 96 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 2: took place to eat, the noise, the ambiance, that sort 97 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 2: of thirty second conversation with a waiter or with a chef, 98 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 2: or with somebody in the table next door to you. 99 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 2: But also the food. One of the joys of whether 100 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 2: it's London or you mentioned San Francisco, another great city 101 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 2: is the diversity of foods in terms of price, in 102 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 2: terms of where the ingredients come from, in terms of 103 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 2: the typic cooking. Of course here at the River Cafe, 104 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 2: which is great Italian food. But the joy of London 105 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 2: is you can get you know, Palestinian food, you can 106 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 2: get Israeli food, you can get Indian food, you can 107 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 2: get if you Havepian food and a train food of 108 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 2: Harney food, you can get Spanish food. And I could 109 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 2: go on and so we missed that. And that's the joy, 110 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 2: by the way, great cities, the restaurants, the diversity of restaurants. 111 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: It tells you the story going to a market when 112 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: you arrive in a city, tells your story. How they 113 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: sell their food, how they grow it, how you can 114 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: buy it, and the smells. 115 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 2: I have the privilege now that I'm the mayor, I 116 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 2: get to visit kitchens. I've just been to the River 117 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: Cafe kitchen and I love. We're going to go to Resturan. 118 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 2: The smells, Yeah, the different smells and fragrances that that 119 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: kitchens have. When I grew up in a household them 120 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 2: lots of Pakistani food and there's different smells with the spices, 121 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 2: the onions frying, and some people love it. So don't 122 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 2: I love it. I love the smell of food, whatever 123 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: food it is that you know, whether it's you know, 124 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 2: a pizza bean baked, whether it's onion being fried, whether 125 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 2: it's the smell of fresh coffee, And that can avout 126 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 2: memories which which can take it back to your childhood 127 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 2: or to a holiday, or to a wedding. 128 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like a piece of music, you know, you can. 129 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: I can sometimes listen to music and know what I 130 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: was wearing the first time I heard it being played. Whatever. 131 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: But I think you know, when you look at memories, 132 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: and that's what we try and do here, look at 133 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: memories in your life through the lens of food. You know, 134 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: people open up and people remember. 135 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: It's a great level, isn't it. 136 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: And it's a level because we all Let's start with 137 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: your family, your grandparents, some idea. 138 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 2: The origin of my family is originally from India. Yeah, 139 00:06:55,279 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 2: so India pre British Empires was a huge, huge country, 140 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 2: different religions, you know, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Zurastrians, Christians, 141 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: and I could go on, different ethnicities coming from Afhanistan, 142 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: from Persia, from Saudi Arabia, from you know, Roman Europe 143 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: and so forth. And my family has gone back many 144 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: generations as Muslim. 145 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: And in India where they from. 146 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 2: So originally my both maternal and paternal grandparents are from 147 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 2: a place called Lucknow and utter pratishous of province in 148 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 2: India which is predominantly Muslim, lots of Hindus, lots of Sikhs. 149 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 2: They grew up with neighbors who are different religions, very 150 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 2: diverse community. And in nineteen forty seven, as the British 151 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 2: were leaving India, they decided to partition India, and very 152 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: crudely what they did was an area where there was 153 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 2: a majority Hindu became India and an area that was 154 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 2: majority Muslim became what's now called Pakistan. I think of 155 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 2: a brucktang. The east of the rectangle had majority Muslims 156 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 2: that became East Pakistan. The middle had majority Hindus and 157 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 2: some Sikhs that became India. The west had majority Muslims 158 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 2: that became West Pakistan. So ridiculously you had West Pakistan 159 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 2: on one extreme, India in the middle, East Pakistan or 160 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 2: the other extreme. So if you're a Muslim, you had 161 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: to go through. So if you if you're a Muslim 162 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 2: in say majority Hindu area or a Sikh area, You're 163 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 2: to travel to West Pakistan or East Pakistan to get 164 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 2: to safety. Because unfortunately this maximum you may have heard 165 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: divide and rule, it created friction and tension between Hindus 166 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 2: and Muslims and Sikhs. And so literally three million Indians, Muslims, 167 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 2: seeks Hindus died doing this walk. Because I'm walking this 168 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 2: way as a hit as a Muslim, You're walking this 169 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 2: way as a Hindu. We're diving a fisticuffs and it 170 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: turns to a three million died. So my family migrated 171 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:04,079 Speaker 2: from what was majority Hindu India, migrated from the middle 172 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 2: to West Pakistan, a place called Karachi, which is a 173 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 2: former couple and so that would have been eight. And 174 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 2: so my grandparents are migrants from India to Pakistan. My 175 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 2: parents are migrants from Pakistan to London. 176 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 1: That happened. 177 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 2: My dad worked in the Pakistani Air Force and he 178 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 2: was sent first to Australia. An apologies to my Australian friends, 179 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 2: It's not my fault. He didn't like Australia. 180 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: Oh no, Australia listeners, grandfather. 181 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 2: And so my dad went to Australia, didn't like it, 182 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 2: went a place called wag Wago, I think did like 183 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 2: in Australia, went back to Pakistan, left the Air Force 184 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 2: and came to London, and with he came in. He 185 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: came into by himself. Originally in the sixties. My mom 186 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 2: had had three kids, so my mom was looking after 187 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 2: the three kids, my three siblings in Pakistan. And so 188 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 2: my dad comes in by himself. He can't get a 189 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 2: well paid job as an engineer. As engineer, so his 190 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 2: qualifications are wasted. A bet. He can't get a job 191 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 2: as a bus driver because lond and Transport are looking 192 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 2: for bus drivers, London Underground looking for train operators. And 193 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 2: so you got a job as a bus driver. And 194 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 2: so he had the security now of an income. And 195 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 2: so he called my mum over and my two oldest 196 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 2: brothers shies eye then fared my sister called them over 197 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 2: and started and laid roots down here in this country. 198 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 2: And I was born here in nineteen seventy. I've got 199 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 2: four older siblings, three older brothers, three younger brothers, so 200 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 2: there's eighteen kids. Yeah, yeah, and it was a great child. 201 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 2: And I mean I've got nothing but for it. I mean, 202 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 2: it was clearly tough. And you know. 203 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: That's an amazing just stopping that your parents left their parents, 204 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: Your grandparents didn't come. 205 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 2: No, they'd already made a journey from India to play style. 206 00:10:55,840 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 2: And it's quite migrants generally, I mean, my grating is 207 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:02,199 Speaker 2: not easy. No, you know this from your person. 208 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: The people, the people who had the energy and the 209 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: you know, the values to do that. 210 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, my grandparents happen in Garachi. They've already moved from 211 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 2: India to Karachi. That we again, my dad moves here. 212 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 2: What he did was what was fascinating was he raised 213 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 2: his family here. But he would always send money back 214 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,559 Speaker 2: to Pakistan. Yeahs back and even now my mom sends 215 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 2: money back to Pakistan. It's just it's just the thing 216 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:26,839 Speaker 2: you do, right. 217 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: You do. My family in a very different way. My 218 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: grandparents came at the beginning of this. They were part 219 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: of the Ellis Island, you know, migration from Budapest from 220 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 1: Hungry from Kiev. And they again that the men came 221 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: first by boat. You know, if you imagine that journey. 222 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: My grandmother, one of my grandmothers, had they had seven children. 223 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:52,199 Speaker 1: She was a seamstress. 224 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 2: My other one was a seamstress. 225 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 1: My other grandmother was a kind of union organized Apparently 226 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: she got jobs, you know, making tie and she was 227 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: she was very political. 228 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: Is that we get politics from is he? 229 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: Probably? Yeah? And she was a great cook. She used 230 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: to used to bring her rolling pin wherever she went. 231 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: She didn't trust any of her daughter in laws to 232 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: make a strudle. But I just think what this shows 233 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 1: is a parallel of too families. People who leave their families, 234 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: come to a new country and work and take care 235 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: of their kids. And how much do we celebrate these people? 236 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 2: You know, it's from a fam history. Actually, anybody who's 237 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 2: taken a consciouscision to leave home, travel thousand miles is 238 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 2: not going to go and sit in there bum and 239 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 2: work hard. They've got to work. If you want a 240 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 2: job done, ask an immigrants spreadline hammeton. But that's the 241 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 2: story of America and actually of London. I mean London 242 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 2: over the last two thousand years. It was originally called 243 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 2: Londinium during the Roman times. It's grown and evolved and 244 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 2: it's not, in my view, the greatest in the world 245 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 2: because of successive generations of migrants. What's fascinating about London 246 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 2: It goes back to your rolling pin story. My mum's 247 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 2: got a rolling pin. She makes chapati roorty with h 248 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 2: She doesn't trust either her sons or a daughter or 249 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 2: to make raw teacher makes it herself. But it vokes 250 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: memory from it. Evoked memory from her mum of being 251 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 2: back home the food because she was incredibly homesick. I 252 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 2: mean even now she misses Bakistan. But food brings it back. 253 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: The food brings it and she could cook it here 254 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: and she could make it and she could Yeah, Richard's 255 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: mother too. 256 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 2: I've got I've got really fond memories. When I was 257 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: living at home as a child during the month of 258 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 2: Robber Dan. You have a meal, a meal just before dawn, 259 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 2: and you fast all day and they have a meal 260 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 2: at dusk. And my mum had been fast and all day. 261 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 2: She'd get up before dawn to prep you know, half 262 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 2: the job in cooking his prep right dawn breakfast was 263 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 2: around three o'clock. She must have got about one thirty. 264 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 2: So she's you know, getting the flower ready, making it, 265 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 2: getting the rawty's ready. And either way it come with 266 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 2: her a smell. And also when I was growing up, 267 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 2: everything was fresh, I mean inside of even you can 268 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 2: you can cheat now if you're making a curry and 269 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 2: get plumb tomatoes in a tin. No, no, there fresh tomatoes. 270 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,079 Speaker 2: Chop them up, you stew them for a while. And 271 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,679 Speaker 2: so I'd wake up with a smell of what's called parata, 272 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 2: a version of chaparties, but with potatoes in the middle 273 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 2: of it. She'd make fresh parata. I could smell the 274 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 2: omelet being made, and we'd go downstairs, and she'd been 275 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 2: up an hour and a half before us. We don't 276 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: have pre dawn breakfast. She would have a pre dom bakfast. 277 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 2: We'd go to school or whatever. We'd come back up 278 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 2: and have a nap because we're starving hungry. My mum 279 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 2: would be cooking while she's fast in out, you know 280 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 2: fast breaking mill which were fresh and also fresh barkora, 281 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: you know silence curries rice. There's two things you learned 282 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 2: to do when you're raising the can family. One is 283 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: eat fast, yeah if you want seconds. And two is 284 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 2: to talk quickly. So if you want to be heard 285 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 2: or if you want to eat, we talk fast and 286 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 2: eat quickly. And so when I when I was speaking 287 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 2: to particularly foreign dignitares or you know, I've got to 288 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 2: tell myself to slow down because when I'm excited, like 289 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 2: I'm talking to you, I got back to my fast pace. 290 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: I think the value of actually sitting around a table 291 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 1: and at the end of the day, even if it's 292 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: for a short time, and having a discussion about life, 293 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: we say, how important you think the table is. 294 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 2: You know, my life started that in our family. So 295 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 2: because there were so many of us at home, we 296 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 2: very really got a chance to eat together around the table. 297 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 2: We spend lots of time together because we'd be in 298 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 2: and out, brothers in and out. I'm in and out, 299 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 2: and we just go straight from the pot to the plate. 300 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 2: My wife grew up where her family would eat around 301 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 2: the table, and when we got married, you know, she 302 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 2: we realized the importance of eating together because you're so 303 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 2: busy working, you need that time to dine and to talk. 304 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 2: Our kids were young, we agreed at an early age 305 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: we would eat together. And it's so important because it 306 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 2: can be a p it could be a classroom, it 307 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 2: can be a place where we share good stories. We've 308 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 2: had a bad day in the day. This plage you 309 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 2: can decompress. This is the place you can laugh. You 310 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 2: can invite us to the table as well, but also 311 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 2: you can get convenience food and London they're so good. 312 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 2: Now and you know, one of the things that we're 313 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 2: talking about is the recipe I've chosen, which is so fast. 314 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: How about if we read that recipe INGREENI with fresh 315 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: and dried. What made you choose. 316 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 2: There's a number of reasons why. For first, it's very quick, 317 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 2: and when your time poor, often you can sometimes sacrifice 318 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 2: quality because you think you look at the time. But 319 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 2: this is a good example of a combination of some 320 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 2: that's easy, fresh and it's quick. And listen. Can I 321 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 2: just say that those listening, if I can do it, 322 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: anyone can do it, and I can do this good? 323 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: Okay, do you want to read? We will have an 324 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: air of London city kind is going to read the 325 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: recipe for. 326 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 2: Linguini with fresh and dried oregano, and it serves. It 327 00:16:56,280 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 2: serves serves six. It's ingredients are very simple. You need 328 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 2: fifty grams of fresh oregano very finely chopped, twenty five 329 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 2: grams of dried oregano leaves crumbled, twelve red tomatoes, quartered 330 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 2: and seeded, twelve yether smarters. I think the cherry smarter, 331 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 2: the size quartered and seeded, one hundred millilitters of extra 332 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 2: virgin olive oil, one tablespooner of red wine vinegar, and 333 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 2: two and fifty grams of linguini and basically three ingredients. 334 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 2: It's just so easy to do, very affordable, and it 335 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 2: goes a long way. You mix the fresh and dried 336 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 2: oregano together. I can do that. It's very easy. Combine 337 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 2: the tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, the red wine vinegar, 338 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 2: and sea salt and black pepper. And then here's the trick. 339 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 2: You put it aside for it to marinate. And that's 340 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,640 Speaker 2: the trick that I think people are realized, letting things 341 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 2: soak in the ingredients. So it's marinate on the side, 342 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 2: and then you cook the linguini in a generous amount 343 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 2: of boiled salt water, drain and return to the pan. 344 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,719 Speaker 2: When I do my pasta, I put a tiny bit 345 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: of oil in the water so does stick to the sides. 346 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 2: So I'm not sure you approve, and that may just 347 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 2: comes out nice and easy. You toss with the oregano 348 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 2: mixture and the marineage tomatoes until it's very hot and 349 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 2: you serve right away, and from start to finish, that 350 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 2: takes around fifteen minutes recond It's very fast. 351 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: It's great, it's cheap, and it's easy, and it's fresh. 352 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 2: I'm really pleased you chose the recipe actually tomatoes. I 353 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 2: mean you probably knows ruthy, but tomatoes is the base 354 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 2: for nearly all Indian food, so most curries are. Actually 355 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 2: the starting point is very similar you wish is. You 356 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 2: you fry onions, You have your spice on the side. 357 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 2: Once the once the onions are browned, you put tomatoes in. 358 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 2: You can cheat now and use the tinned plum tomatoes, 359 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 2: or you can do what you've done here. You put 360 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 2: the tomatoes in and that becomes the sauce. So the 361 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 2: tomato and the onions is basically the sauce. 362 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: The foundation is the foundation of so you can you can. 363 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 2: Then add your spice, and you can then decide whether 364 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 2: your chicken or lamb or fish or whatever you're going 365 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: to do. But that's your base, and so most courage 366 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,159 Speaker 2: you will have will have that as the base, and 367 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 2: in most restaurants that's how they'll start. And then when 368 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 2: you order from a restaurant, they will then add whatever, 369 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,159 Speaker 2: But the base has been made already. The sauce is 370 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 2: made already, but like your pasta dishes, sauces already made. 371 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 1: So if you have that in the fridge, if you 372 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: keep that, you can then di. 373 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 2: So so my mother in law makes a lot of 374 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,880 Speaker 2: the base and just puts in the fridge and bring 375 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 2: it out different days, and so it means it shall 376 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 2: use one day to make all the basic stuff and 377 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 2: then every other day add to it to mix it up. 378 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 2: So you may be having chicken one day, yeah lamb 379 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 2: another day, but the base is the same. 380 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: When you were growing up, so you had you had 381 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 1: your mother fucking you these wonderful meals. You had rama 382 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: dam which I find so interesting about the culture of 383 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: you know, not eating and then eating and the feast. 384 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: I've experienced it Morocco when you when you go through 385 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: the souks and there's nothing, and then the way everyone. 386 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 2: To prayer and people to start eating other big feast. 387 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 2: That's the joy of London. 388 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:07,239 Speaker 1: The joy. 389 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 2: But one of the reason why I love this city 390 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 2: and I genuinely think it is the greatest in the 391 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 2: world is you've got all the great religions, big religions, 392 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 2: small religions here in London, so you can you don't 393 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 2: need to go to Morocco or Dohart to experience Ramadan. 394 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 2: You've got in London, or you know, a Jewish fast 395 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,479 Speaker 2: or a Christian fast or a Hindu fast. And one 396 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 2: of the things that I've sought to do is mayor 397 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 2: is to celebrate the different religions. So we have Hunakha 398 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: in the square, Drag Square, we have you know, obviously 399 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 2: the Christmas tree, we're Easter commemorated. We have even the 400 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 2: square for Muslims, the valley in the square for Hindus, 401 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 2: for Vesaki in the square Pride. So the other is 402 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 2: that everyone should have a sense of belonging. But more importantly, 403 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 2: people who aren't from the OLGBTQ plus community, or aren't 404 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 2: Muslim or an't Hindu can also experience the joys of 405 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 2: different cultures. Because what we want to give people a 406 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 2: sense of belonging. They believe if you feel exactly right. 407 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: The New York Times did a really interesting piece a 408 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: long time ago where they asked ten people how they 409 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: would define their identity. So would I say number one, 410 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 1: I'm a chef. 411 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 2: Number one, I'm a mother. 412 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,119 Speaker 1: Number one, I'm you know, an American, And it was 413 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: interesting that some people did do it. By their profession. 414 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 1: Some did it by their sexuality. What I find with 415 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: my grandchildren here is that they identified not as a 416 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: British citizen, but as a london But I just want 417 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: to tell you what they do is they say, I'm 418 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: a Londoner. Now it's even like I'm a North Londoner 419 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 1: or I am from a Hackney or I'm from South London. 420 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 2: You know that. Do you find that London is a 421 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 2: very confused. We've got four hundred villages here. Yes, I 422 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 2: think we have multiple identities. Yeah, of course you can 423 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:53,400 Speaker 2: be a proud Londoner and you can be proudly Muslim 424 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 2: and proudly British and a father and so forth. That's 425 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 2: the joy of spot or occupation about great cities and 426 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 2: the same place in New York because I think I 427 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 2: think New York is the most closest to London in 428 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 2: terms of with that doubt, I think I think diversity. Yeah, 429 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 2: I think New York is the second greatest city in 430 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 2: the world. It's just because of global city, the different 431 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 2: types of businesses there are there, the cultures, the ethnic backgrounds, 432 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 2: the attitudes, the values, and what's interesting about your your 433 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 2: grand children's experiences. That's that's very typical now. People are 434 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 2: incredibly proud of being in londoner, particularly post Brexit, before 435 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 2: they're English or before they're British, or before their Scottish 436 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 2: or whatever whatever. And we've got to we've got to 437 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 2: cherish that because there are some people across the globe 438 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 2: who are nativists, who believe in sort of populist politics, 439 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 2: who you know, believe there's a clash of civilizations who 440 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 2: are always talking down great cities like London. Why because 441 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 2: we're the antithesis of what they stand for. We've shown 442 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 2: diversit as the strength and not a weakness. It makes 443 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 2: us richer and not poorer. It makes us stronger, not weaker. 444 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 2: We can't take it for granted. And that's where food 445 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 2: comes in. You know the fact that you could be 446 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 2: somebody who may have suspicions about foreigners but loves their food. 447 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 2: That will open your eyes. It does, and so you 448 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 2: need to go to holder You've got it here, and 449 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 2: so you start talking to the chef or the restaurant 450 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 2: is from a different background, which you didn't realize. We 451 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 2: got much more in common that unites you than divide you. 452 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 2: But the joy of being the mayor is forget No 453 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 2: two days of the same, no two hours of the same. 454 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 2: Mean all sorts of you like auld meet a cleaner 455 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 2: or a bus driver, or a great chef, or a 456 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 2: business person small business, a big business. And that's the 457 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 2: rhythm of us great city. And we're always evolving, evolving. 458 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: Everyone has a story to tell you nand a story 459 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: to bring. I always say that you know that if 460 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 1: you look out your river cafe today, you'll see one 461 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: hundred people eating there, and they all look happy and 462 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: eating what you always say, you never know. No, they 463 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: might have been are that morning, or they mother might 464 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: be sick, or their daughter might have graduated with honors, 465 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: or there's always such a something that brings people together 466 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 1: and talking. 467 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 2: And we have I mean the phrase that the sociological 468 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 2: phrase is social hubs. So in the olden days, a 469 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,120 Speaker 2: social hub is a place we meet to be the pub, 470 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 2: or could be the village post office. 471 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: That's where it was for me. 472 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 2: There you go. And so because of the pace of society, 473 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:33,159 Speaker 2: because of you know, atomization, we're all busy fragmentation, the 474 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:37,879 Speaker 2: nuclear family, there are fewer social hubs. They just are that. 475 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 2: There are fewer pubs, there are post offices have closed down, 476 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 2: the people are down the internet, and that's why food 477 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 2: and restaurants is so important. There are social hubs. It 478 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 2: could be that your done table at home is your 479 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 2: hub for your family, three generations coming together. It could 480 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 2: be a restaurant meal with friends. And we've got to 481 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 2: we've got to recognize that. Actually, we've got to make 482 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 2: an effort. And the joy of when I was growing 483 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,120 Speaker 2: up was we'd find comfort in my mum's kitchen. 484 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: We could go back just to the trajectory from university 485 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,640 Speaker 1: where you were studying law, I believe, and then being 486 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 1: away from the domestic life of home, being on your own. 487 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I think a lot of us, I 488 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 2: mean me included a pala is dictated by the food. 489 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 2: We have a home run and so I was used 490 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 2: to food with spices. But also we never ate out. 491 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 2: We couldn't afford to it. Now. I mean there's firstly, 492 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 2: there weren't great restaurants when I was growing up in 493 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 2: the seventies and eighties that were affordable. But secondly, we 494 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 2: just didn't people in my state. I was raised the 495 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 2: municipal house and we just didn't eat out. It's just 496 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 2: not the thing you do. If you were lucky, you 497 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 2: at fish and chips on a Friday, you know, you 498 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 2: buy fish and chips, you bring it home. That was it. 499 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 2: My older sister going to university. I remember what she 500 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 2: came on when weekend she brought home at taramasalata. We'd 501 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 2: never had terra masalata before, which blew our minds. Or 502 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 2: the first time we tasted humus, and so I'm tasting 503 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 2: humos and terrible salata and for the first time as 504 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 2: an undergraduate, or you know, my sister bringing stuff home, 505 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 2: and so they're so exciting because I'm trying new things. 506 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 2: And I can't explain the excitement when you try a 507 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,400 Speaker 2: new thing. It's just it's just mind blowing, like yeah, 508 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 2: you know, even now my daughter's I mean, I'm a 509 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 2: working class boy who's not a middle class man, but 510 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 2: my kids are middle class kids, so their horizons are 511 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 2: much wider than mine. So they will introduce me to 512 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:30,440 Speaker 2: foods I'm discovering now age fifty five because of the 513 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 2: joys of having kids who have different life experiences. And 514 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 2: so even now I'm tasting stuff for the first time, 515 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 2: whether it's parrogi or whether it's sort of sort of dumpling, 516 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 2: but university opened eyes a bet because of my friends 517 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 2: and their backgrounds and their food types. But working as 518 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 2: a lawyer because frankly speaking, your wallet means and the 519 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 2: clients mean, you can eat nicer foods all right, because 520 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 2: you just can. So going to nicer restaurants. You know, 521 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 2: the first time I went to you must have j 522 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 2: shieky is of course, oh my, I mean I love fish. 523 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 2: Blew my mind. I mean, who knew, right? And so 524 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:08,440 Speaker 2: you know, there's the examples, like you go the first 525 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:09,719 Speaker 2: time you go to a nice rest and you think 526 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 2: it's like it is, and things you're working, so you 527 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 2: gonna be careful to see two stories. Which is so 528 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 2: because at home with you, when you eat Pakistani food, 529 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 2: eat with your hands. And so you obviously eat the 530 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 2: rights with his spood, but the chapatti in their hands. 531 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 2: And so my mom and dad, you know, weren't raised 532 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 2: to use the knife and fork with you know, so 533 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 2: I grew up and we also have this custom which 534 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 2: is you try and eat with your right hand. So 535 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 2: if you're eating, you try and eat with your right hand. 536 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 2: So even now I have a fork in my right 537 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 2: hand rather than the left hand because I wasn't taught 538 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:49,639 Speaker 2: how to use the knife and fork until I was 539 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 2: and so, and that's and so. So it's a it's 540 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 2: a soft skill about about how you eat, which some 541 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 2: kids haven't gotten. So one of the reasons why you 542 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 2: know I'm passionate about free school mills. It's a leveler 543 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 2: it was eating together, breaking bread together. But you're learning things. 544 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 2: You let you try new foods, which actually is a 545 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 2: life school. You shouldn't be embarrassed. But and that's the 546 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 2: joy of food. It opens up new. 547 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 1: Horizons we we haven't talked about. And I would like 548 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 1: to talk to you about is poverty and food. So 549 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: I can talk about New York City where we know 550 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: that the South Bronx doesn't have any grocery stores, it 551 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: doesn't have vegetable markets. And we know that your initiatives 552 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: the school super zones has been something really important. So 553 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: should we just have. 554 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 2: Let me be quite candid. Look, I do believe we 555 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 2: are the greatest city in the world. We've got challenges though. 556 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 2: One of the biggest challenges is in equality. In London. 557 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 2: There are what I call food deserts. What I mean 558 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 2: by the there are parts of London where you can 559 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 2: buy fresh fruit and produce within a two minute walk 560 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 2: of your home. Some parts of London where there is 561 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 2: nothing available within fifteen to twenty minutes self your home, 562 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 2: which is hardly surprising. If you're somebody in a low 563 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 2: income you'll choose to feed your kids. I'm not criticizing 564 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,920 Speaker 2: you six pieces of chicken and chips for a ninety 565 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: nine p which used all sorts of challenges in terms 566 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 2: of obesity, in terms of lack of productivity, in terms 567 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 2: of life expectancy, and so forth. So I'm somebody who 568 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 2: benefited from means tested free school meals because my parents, 569 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 2: both of them were working, didn't earn enough. I would 570 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 2: at school have to queue up to get a token, 571 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 2: and there's some people would be labeled as poor because 572 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 2: they're in that cue, and I was obviously one of 573 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 2: those kids. But the benefit of being in that cue 574 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,720 Speaker 2: was I'd get a free school meal at lunchtime, which 575 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 2: was a life changing for my parents because while it's 576 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 2: expense and I was eating a decent meal, hot milk 577 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 2: at lunchtime, and I could be more productive in the afternoon. 578 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 2: And by the way, in the morning we would receive 579 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 2: a bet of milk as well. All the kids would 580 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 2: receive a better milk, because kids are more productive when 581 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 2: they've eaten. When I became mayor, I have this vivid 582 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 2: memory of being grateful for receiving a free school meal, 583 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 2: but being embarrassed and shameful for the stigma having to 584 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 2: cube to receive my free token. And so I'm determined 585 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 2: to do something about this in terms of making us 586 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 2: any more equal, but also alleviating the stressed parents of 587 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 2: feeling during a cost of living crisis doing two jobs 588 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 2: making not making ends to me. I spoke to parents 589 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,959 Speaker 2: who are skipping meals themselves so their kids can eat. 590 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 2: I spoke to parents who feel so guilty that the 591 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 2: pack lunch they're giving to their child is not nutritional, 592 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 2: but they've got no choice because they're busy, they're time poor, 593 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 2: they're poor, and so forth. So I set out my team. 594 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 2: I said, look, is it possible to provide a free 595 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:01,240 Speaker 2: school meal to every child that goes to primary school? 596 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 2: Can we consider having water only school so there's no 597 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 2: fizzy drinks inside the schools? Have water fountains across London? Again, 598 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 2: can we have these food zones where these areas where 599 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 2: parents are encouraged to walk or cycle to school rather 600 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 2: than driving to school, so their kids are getting too exercise. 601 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 2: Walk to school. It means you're starting to get exercise. 602 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 2: And so we've got this across London. So we've got 603 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 2: these great zones, super zones around schools. We've got school 604 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 2: streets where cars aren't allowed town more kids are walking 605 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 2: and cycling. We've cleaned up the air in London, so 606 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 2: you know, it means that you're lessged to get asthma, 607 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 2: suffer from dementia or cancer or heart disease. But also 608 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 2: really importantly we've introduced universal free school mills. And two 609 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 2: of your prodeges, Jamie and Hugh, big big fans of this, 610 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 2: and they've been really supportive in terms of this what 611 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 2: does it mean. What it means is if you're a 612 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 2: parent and have just one child in a primary school, 613 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 2: you're saving every year five hundred pounds per child. So 614 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 2: if you've got three kids, think about the money you save. Secondly, 615 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 2: you're not stressed now about your pack lunch, or you're 616 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 2: not stressed about giving your child the money for the 617 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 2: free school mills. And here's the really exciting thing. Fifty 618 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 2: percent of kids are trying new foods isn't exciting, so 619 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 2: they're trying food for the first time. But we've also 620 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 2: done some research that shows kids are behaving better, their 621 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: attention is better, they're more productive. Teachers will bringing in 622 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 2: leftover food from their fridge to feed the kids. They're 623 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: not worried about that now schools will having arguments with 624 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 2: parents about school debt. That's not happening anymore. So the 625 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: kids are doing better. And you've heard this word angry, right, 626 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 2: if you're hungry, you don't to be angry. Well, kids 627 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 2: that are different, of course, right, they're going to be 628 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 2: They're not gonna be productive, they're going to be hungry, 629 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:54,480 Speaker 2: they're going to be concentrating. The classes will be you know, 630 00:32:54,800 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 2: less less well in terms of productivity. But my happiness 631 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 2: is actually, if you think about it, kids have got 632 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 2: to go school, they've got a choice, they've got to 633 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 2: go school. Right, Yet they're not given a free nutritious meal. 634 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 2: Until now. If you go to a hospital as a patient, 635 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,520 Speaker 2: you're given a meal because you're in patient. Why are 636 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:17,719 Speaker 2: we giving our kids nutritious freeze free meals? And by 637 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 2: the way, you can We've shown with the Linguini recipe 638 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 2: you can provide a nutritional meal that's quite cheap actually, right, 639 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 2: So we've worked with great experts. Tom Carriage has been great. 640 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 2: So we've got great experts, the Bush team. So the 641 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 2: meals we have at primary schools are so exciting. Kids 642 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 2: are tasting pineapple for the first time in their desserts. 643 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 2: They're tasting you know, braised beef, they're tasting you know, dumplings. 644 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 2: They've got pies, and it's done in a way that 645 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 2: is affordable, that are nutritional, and I'm incredibly proud. 646 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: No, it should be and it is. It is. I 647 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 1: think we kind of look at a culture. We look 648 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: at I look at a city, I look at a 649 00:33:55,760 --> 00:34:00,080 Speaker 1: state as to the where they feed their children, the 650 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 1: where they feed their sick, the way they feed people 651 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: in prison. You know that. How do we take care 652 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,720 Speaker 1: of people who it's a sign of culture. 653 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:11,400 Speaker 2: The thing you made, the point you made really so 654 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 2: important and I hate to go here, but it's a fact. 655 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 2: It's an investment because all the evidence it's good for business. Right, 656 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 2: There's been research done saying actually, these kids now will 657 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 2: grow up being more productive, they'll do better in their exams, 658 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 2: they'll do better in their adults, in their working stuff. 659 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 2: So we're gonna get the money back, by the way, 660 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:29,040 Speaker 2: So I don't want people to think it's charity. No, no, no, 661 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:31,759 Speaker 2: it's not hands helping hand. We'll get this money back, 662 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 2: like you wouldn't imagine or dream if you've got a 663 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:36,839 Speaker 2: broken limb, so that it lay broken, but you're try 664 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 2: and fix it and make sure you're healthy and so 665 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 2: forth and stuff. And it's a really portant investment because 666 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 2: you know, we do have a challenge ultra processed foods, 667 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:49,320 Speaker 2: you know, the wrong sorts of foods, obesity and so forth. 668 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:52,279 Speaker 2: And so by investing now, I think we will pay 669 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 2: dividends in years to come. And that's who we are 670 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:55,640 Speaker 2: as a city, right value is. 671 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 1: Who we are as a society. I remember, just go 672 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: back for one minute, was then when Ken Livingston was, 673 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:05,279 Speaker 1: you know, the first mayor. It was the first mayor, 674 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:08,040 Speaker 1: wasn't it. And I remember being as an American, people say, 675 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 1: will he get on with the Labor Party? Will he 676 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 1: get on with the party in power? And for me 677 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 1: growing up, the mayor was not about getting along with them. 678 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 1: The governor was always like there was always like you know, 679 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 1: like a little bit of tension and fight between the 680 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: governor and the mayor. The mayor was starting up for 681 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:26,719 Speaker 1: which is a good and a bad thing because we 682 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: have to look at the whole picture, and then the 683 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: governor the president. But I remember the idea is why 684 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 1: are they so worried if the first mayor. 685 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:37,920 Speaker 2: The reason why is because for us, the mayor is 686 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 2: quite a new thing. So as you mentioned the French 687 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 2: about it for centuries, talking about it for centuries, and 688 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:45,600 Speaker 2: so i'm as you said, the third mayor. So for us, 689 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 2: we're still in unappies. Yeah, so we're probably now teenagers 690 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:53,360 Speaker 2: as we're twenty five years old, you know, no longer teenagers, 691 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:57,040 Speaker 2: and so it's new to us. And so we're used 692 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,120 Speaker 2: to party political system where you are a represent of 693 00:36:00,239 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 2: the party and your spot on your What mayors should 694 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 2: be is above parts of politics. We are champions for 695 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 2: ours city. We is the bully pulpit of city hall, 696 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,040 Speaker 2: speak for ours city. Sometimes work with the government, whatever 697 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,840 Speaker 2: party is. Sometimes we will have arguments and challenges with 698 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:18,439 Speaker 2: the government and stuff, and we've learned to chillax about 699 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 2: it a bit. Initially we didn't. We weren't sure about 700 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,319 Speaker 2: this because you know, the mayor should be the representative 701 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:27,920 Speaker 2: of you know, the respective party. I think people I 702 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:30,800 Speaker 2: realize we're independent minded, whether you're the mayor of Greater Manister, 703 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,280 Speaker 2: the mayor of you know, London or elsewhere. 704 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:35,920 Speaker 1: Exciting, well, thank you so much for coming me. Is 705 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 1: such a great You go on for hours, but I 706 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: know that you have a lot to do and I'm 707 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:45,480 Speaker 1: taking you away from your privilege. Had a great time. 708 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:49,359 Speaker 1: The question that we do end with is to say, 709 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 1: if you have food for hunger, if you have food 710 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:56,719 Speaker 1: to alleviate hunger, if you have food to have fun 711 00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,839 Speaker 1: with to share to, you also have food that gives 712 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:01,920 Speaker 1: you comfort. And I have a feeling I know what 713 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 1: your answer is going to be. But if you needed 714 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:08,880 Speaker 1: mayor city can't to have food for comfort? Is there 715 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:10,560 Speaker 1: a food that you would kind of reach for it? 716 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:13,479 Speaker 2: I'm afraid I'm a high carbs man. To be funny stories, 717 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 2: when I first became an MP in twosand and five, 718 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:18,760 Speaker 2: within the first eighteen months, I put on two stones 719 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 2: because yeah, yeah, because you have breakfast meeting me. And 720 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 2: then I was on the way home, you know, getting 721 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 2: fast food on the way and stuff. And so I've 722 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 2: tried to be good about what I But if I'm 723 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 2: going to my Mom's freshly frieds. 724 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:35,799 Speaker 1: That's I assumed it would be something because it. 725 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 2: Brings because it's a great memory. The spices, it's not 726 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:41,479 Speaker 2: always good for you. You can you can have baker 727 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 2: they don't taste the same when they're baked compared to 728 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:45,880 Speaker 2: the fried. And you know, but small says are special 729 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:46,120 Speaker 2: when you. 730 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,279 Speaker 1: Have to tell her before I'm coming home, Mom, I 731 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:49,319 Speaker 1: want someses. 732 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:53,239 Speaker 2: It's a really good point. She used to have them 733 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,759 Speaker 2: all the time already and stuff. But because you know, 734 00:37:56,920 --> 00:37:58,920 Speaker 2: we're not living with her. Yeah, because the great thing 735 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 2: about Mum was there always be a with food and 736 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:03,680 Speaker 2: there already and there'll be stuff made in the fridge 737 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 2: that you can you can get out and stuff. Because 738 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 2: we're not there, you know, she'll make it toant and 739 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,359 Speaker 2: she's happy doing that, she's claimed. So it's a win win. 740 00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:12,920 Speaker 1: Okay, well it's a win win. 741 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,440 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Bed a pleasure, Thank you so much, thank. 742 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:24,720 Speaker 1: You really wonderful. Ruthie's Table four is proud to support 743 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: Leukemia UK. The Cartwheel for a Cure campaign raises funds 744 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 1: for vital research and more effective and kinder treatments for 745 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:37,560 Speaker 1: a cute Malloyd leukemia. Please donate, and to do so 746 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 1: search Cartwheel for cure. 747 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 2: Ruthie's Table four was produced by Alex Bell, Robbie Hamilton 748 00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:51,800 Speaker 2: and Zad Rogers, with Andrew Sang and Bella Selini. This 749 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 2: has been an atomized production for iHeartMedia.