1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: You are listening to Ruthie's Table four in partnership with Montclair. 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: A few weeks ago, I was invited to a gala 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: dinner at the National Theater. The host of My Table, 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: Yan Appeal, said she was sitting me next to a 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: young filmmaker who had recently won a BAFTA. Then I 6 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: met an artist whose work had just been exhibited at 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,959 Speaker 1: hauserin Worth Gallery in Los Angeles and is about to 8 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: be shown at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: Then I met a champion volleyball player who, aged eighteen, 10 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: represented Britain in the twenty twelve London Olympics. To day 11 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 1: in the River Cafe, I'm about to talk with all three, 12 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: as Savannah Leaf incredibly is them all? The London born, 13 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: California raised athlete turned artist who still only thirty, has 14 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: just won the baft Of for Best British Debut Director 15 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: for her powerful film Earth Mamma. Executive chef of the 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: River Cafe, Sean Owen is joining us. Now we are 17 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: five cook, an artist, a director, an athlete and me 18 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: women rule. I love that. Yeah, we're good. 19 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 2: So it was. 20 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: It was an amazing dinner, wasn't it It? 21 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:20,119 Speaker 2: Was really nice. 22 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: You never know who you're going to sit next to you, 23 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: you know, I don't know me too, next to each other, 24 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: and it was it was a pretty amazing night. Was 25 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: because it was a gala supporting the National Theater and 26 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: it was really created by the actors and the director. 27 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, you really felt like the theater experience while also 28 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 3: going to a galla with food and you know, an 29 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 3: auction and all of it. But it was really nice 30 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 3: to just be seated next to you and and talking 31 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 3: to you about everything architecture, food. 32 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: Films, covered volleybool, volleyball, volleyball, and I think what you know, 33 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I think you very often meet people who 34 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: do different things. You know that they can be well, 35 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: they could be a chef, they could be a writer, 36 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: they could be an actor and a mother. They could 37 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: be an actor and a director and love to swim. 38 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: There are people who do combine different parts of life together. 39 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: And then there are people who do one thing you know, 40 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: so that's fine too. Or some people do nothing and 41 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: that's fine too. But you know, so from interesting to meet, 42 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: I've ever met anyone who was an Olympic, much less 43 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: a volleyball player in the Olympics. So I think it's 44 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 1: interesting how you have taken those parallel lives and put 45 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: them together. There's lots to talk about food, and lots 46 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: to talk about how you got where you are and 47 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: what you want to do, But how does the combination 48 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: of being an athlete and being an artist, what has 49 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: that taught you. 50 00:02:58,400 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 2: At this point? 51 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 3: It's it sounds really weird saying that I played in 52 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 3: the Olympics and you know, have made a film and 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 3: do video art, and it sounds like not like a 54 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 3: typical kind of narrative. But when I look back on it, 55 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: I really feel there's a lot of parallels, you know, 56 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 3: and the transition doesn't feel as crazy because because when 57 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 3: I was an athlete, I was working in a team environment. 58 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 3: You're very good under pressure a lot of the times, 59 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 3: and you're kind of looking at all your teammates around 60 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 3: you and you're seeing what their strengths are and then 61 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: you're trying to pull that out of them, and you're 62 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 3: also seeing their weaknesses and where you can kind of 63 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 3: fill in or help them in spaces that they're struggling with. 64 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 3: And it's all about this kind of movement towards a 65 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 3: common goal, you know, and at the time also when 66 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 3: I played in the Olympics, I was also going to 67 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 3: university in Miami and I was playing Division one volleyball there. 68 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 3: And while I was at that university, I studied psychology 69 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 3: and human and social development. So I was already thinking 70 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:11,119 Speaker 3: about kind of how we interacted our societies and what 71 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 3: individuals struggle within their own kind of mental health. 72 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 2: And so I. 73 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 3: Was thinking about kind of like society and how we 74 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 3: can help one another or kind of focus on individuals stories. 75 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 3: And then I was also in this team environment. So 76 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 3: in a way, like film is kind of a combination 77 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 3: of all of that, because you have to kind of 78 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 3: work in a similar setting. You have this like clock 79 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 3: while you're on set, and you have this kind of 80 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 3: the day is, you know, moving quickly and you have 81 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 3: to get to this common goal and you have to 82 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 3: make quick decisions, and there's like an intuition there that 83 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 3: I think is kind of very common in a lot 84 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 3: of these artistic scenarios. And then you also have this 85 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 3: kind of study on the character and the human development 86 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 3: and society. And then you have artistic expression, which is 87 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 3: something I felt like I was lacking in sports, you know, 88 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 3: like I didn't get to share my mind or what 89 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 3: was going on in terms of my worldview. 90 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 2: And so there was a. 91 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 3: Point in sports where I was like, I need to 92 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 3: share my voice. I have all these stories inside of me, 93 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 3: but I haven't been able to show them because all 94 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 3: I'm doing is expressing. 95 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 2: Things with my body. 96 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 3: So all of a sudden, I could start expressing things 97 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 3: with my mind and that that was very liberating for me. 98 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: I want to you then segued from volleyball to film. 99 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: Did you start out as an actor in a film? 100 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: Did you just play small films? Well? 101 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 3: My first well, I think like ever since I was 102 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 3: a kid, I was like painting or drawing or doing 103 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 3: you know, different variations of art. And then I got 104 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 3: injured playing in Puerto Rico. Because I was playing professionally 105 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 3: in Puerto Rico at the time. 106 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: What is Andreie, you would suffer in volleybale. 107 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 3: So I had stress fractures in both of my legs. 108 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 3: And at the time they were telling me, which actually 109 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 3: relates to food in a funny way, I had transitioned. 110 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 3: When I was in TMGB, I was like eating everything 111 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 3: and then I started becoming like a pescatarian. Then I 112 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,359 Speaker 3: became a vegan because I realized, like I was eating 113 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 3: kind of everything and anything like Burger King McDonald's. Literally 114 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 3: every day was just like downing as much food as possible, 115 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 3: like six eggs for breakfast, just excessive. 116 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 2: Amount of food. 117 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 3: And then when I got to the Olympics and I 118 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 3: started getting a nutritionist, they were kind of like, ah, 119 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 3: you're a little bit you're like not eating very healthy. 120 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 3: You're kind of a little bit heavier than you should be, 121 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 3: and you need to kind of like be thinking about 122 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 3: what you're eating and the kind of energy you're preserving, 123 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 3: and you know how you can kind of utilize that energy. 124 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 3: And so it kind of started to get me thinking 125 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 3: about food a little bit more. But when I went 126 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 3: back to I decided to just like go full throttle 127 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 3: like vegan, and so I just cut everything. But I 128 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 3: didn't really know how to like balance that vegan diet. 129 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: So I was just. 130 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 3: Kind of eating like an insane amount of like bananas 131 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 3: and bruccoli and like but not really thinking about what 132 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 3: is what is that food? 133 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: Were you having enough protein? Then? 134 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 3: So exactly that, So when I went and played in 135 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 3: Puerto Rico like a few years later, I had such 136 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 3: a strict diet, but I got these stress fractors in 137 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 3: my bones and my shins and my bones were becoming 138 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 3: really frail, and I don't know, maybe it's just the overworking. 139 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 3: I was working like all through the year, both for 140 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 3: Team GB and England and then also professionally. I was 141 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 3: literally taking no time off and a lot of times 142 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 3: you're jumping in a gym with like just cement beneath 143 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 3: your legs, and so you're just completely over overworking yourself. 144 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 3: But then when I went to the doctors, they were saying, oh, 145 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 3: like it could be because you're not getting enough vitamin 146 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 3: D and you're not getting enough nutrients for your bones 147 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 3: to kind of maintain while you're overworking them. Basically, they 148 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 3: told me I had to either put rods in my 149 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 3: legs or I would have to take at. 150 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 2: Least a year off, if not more. 151 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 3: And they said during that time, if I take that 152 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 3: time off, I can't walk much. I have to just 153 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 3: like be as still as possible, don't do exercises any 154 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 3: If you do any exercise, ass be in the pool. 155 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 3: And so it really forced me to like sit and 156 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 3: think about kind of what my life was at that 157 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 3: kind of young age and how long I wanted to 158 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 3: do this for and like, at what age do you retire? 159 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 2: Can I go back to this? 160 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 3: And so? And am I happy doing what I'm doing? 161 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 3: And I started thinking about what else could I be? Like? 162 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 2: What else? 163 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 3: I've always been known as this athlete because you see 164 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 3: me when I walk in, I'm like very tall, athletic looking. 165 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 3: It's like instantly what people think of when they see me. 166 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 3: And so I started kind of thinking of myself as 167 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 3: more than an athlete. And that was like very liberating. 168 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: The River Cafe is excited. We're opening the River Cafe. Cafe. 169 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: Come from a morning Briosian cappuccino, a plate of seasonal 170 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: antipasty on the terrace, or an ice cream or a 171 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: paratibo in the sun. We can't wait to open, and 172 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 1: we cannot wait to welcome you. In your family growing 173 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: up as a child, what was food like in your family? 174 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: Did your mother cook? Did you sit around the table 175 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: being a child in the household? You had a single 176 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: parent and you grew up in San Francisco. 177 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,079 Speaker 3: Well, so I grew up half my life here in 178 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 3: a in Vauxhall, and I grew up with just my 179 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 3: mom when I was little, and uh, it was you know, 180 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 3: she's working long hours, and so sometimes it was neighbors 181 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 3: that are I'm eating dinner with, or sometimes it's my mom, 182 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 3: and so it would be a mixture of things. 183 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: And we were an only child. 184 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 3: I was an only child until I was sixteen, and 185 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 3: then my mom had my sister. 186 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: Growing up though, growing up the all So would she 187 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: come back from home. 188 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, sometimes it would be late, sometimes it'd be late, 189 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 3: And I think like as I got older, there was 190 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 3: a lot of like you know, microwaveable meals or whatever 191 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 3: you could have, especially like when you're also thinking about 192 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 3: I would then go to sports practice. 193 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 2: I'd go to volleyball practice or basketball practice. 194 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: What day should you stop playing volleyball? 195 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 3: I think I was like nine, maybe, Yeah, a lot 196 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 3: of times, like my mom would be riving home and 197 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 3: I'd be going to practice or something like that, so 198 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 3: I would have to eat before she came home. But 199 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 3: then also, like I think there was different stages sometimes, 200 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 3: you know, there was also times where my mom would 201 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 3: make something on a Sunday and then there would be 202 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 3: leftover so I could eat it for the next couple 203 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 3: of days. 204 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: You have grandparents around, no, because. 205 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:23,679 Speaker 3: I grew up with only my mom, and then we 206 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 3: moved to the Bay Area in California, and my grandma 207 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 3: lives in Yorkshire, Weatherby. 208 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 2: Do you know where that is? 209 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: Yeah? 210 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 3: Okay, so my grandma lives in Weatherby, and so she 211 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 3: wasn't really around. We would sometimes go for Christmas or 212 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 3: something like that. But my grandma had this like really 213 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 3: simple pasta and I remember just like asking my mom 214 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 3: for it all the time, and it was the most 215 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 3: simple thing. It was literally like penne pasta with like 216 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:55,959 Speaker 3: a tin red sauce and then cheese on top and 217 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 3: you put it in the oven. But for some reason 218 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 3: it like had this kind of I don't know. I 219 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 3: would just ask my mom for it like all the time, 220 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 3: and I think even now we call it like Grandma's 221 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 3: famous famous pos even though very simple. 222 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: San Francisco. What was that like for you to move? 223 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: How old are you then? 224 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 2: I was eight years old when I moved. 225 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: So did you start playing volleyball? 226 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 2: When I got there? 227 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 3: And I started seeing because volleyball is not really like 228 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 3: a big thing in the UK at all. I think, 229 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,199 Speaker 3: like in the London twenty twelve Olympics is when people realize, 230 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 3: you know, what kind of sport it was? But when 231 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 3: I moved to the Bay Area, volleyball and basketball were huge. 232 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 2: And for what was when I saw women? 233 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, for women, for young girls, and I mean I 234 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 3: think basketball I was more excited about at the time. 235 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 3: But I was like, I've always been a kid that 236 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 3: hung around a lot of guys, and so I would 237 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 3: There was like this basketball hoop kind of close to 238 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 3: my house where all the guys would play and they 239 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,199 Speaker 3: would ask me if I wanted to join it, and 240 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 3: so I would join in. But you went for volleyball 241 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 3: over basketball, Yeah, because I was better at volleyball. Yeah, 242 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 3: and I was stronger at it, and I was starting 243 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 3: to people were noticing me for volleyball, and like I 244 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 3: was getting a lot of offers to play in university, 245 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 3: and the more offers I got, I realized, like, let's 246 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 3: lean into that, you know, let's lean into the where 247 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 3: I naturally am like better. 248 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 1: What does your mother think? 249 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 3: I think she was just like excited to see me 250 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 3: finding something I was good at. Also, it was something 251 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 3: like I could go and play in university and have 252 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 3: everything paid for and have like this whole trajectory in 253 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 3: my life, and so she was excited to watch that. 254 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: But yeah, It's very moving to me. The way you 255 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: spoke about about being in a team, in the space 256 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: into another space to help someone, having someone move into 257 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: your space, the the collaboration. That reminded me of what 258 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: we do here. Yeah, you know, probably and in many 259 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 1: many offices, many fields, there are people who, as I say, 260 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 1: like to work at home by themselves in a room 261 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: with the typewriter, or the people who really seek out 262 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: kind of feel. And I think cinema, I was on 263 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: a set the other day and it really struck me 264 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: how similar probably or in the National theater, how many, 265 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: how many similarities they are I thought at the time 266 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: between a restaurant and. 267 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I can see it even now, like just looking 268 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 3: into the kitchen and seeing everyone kind of knows their position, 269 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 3: but then also can help each other out if they 270 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 3: need to. But yeah, that's it's something that I think 271 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 3: about a lot when I get when I'm like in 272 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 3: the hiring position, you know, as a director you're thinking 273 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 3: about who can I hire and balance out on a 274 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 3: set because I need Sometimes I I want to hire 275 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 3: some that's never done this role before, but I like 276 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 3: them for their kind of general vision, you know. For 277 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 3: my film Earth mamac I hired this costume designer who 278 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 3: had never done a film before, but she just had 279 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 3: such a great taste for it, and so it's like 280 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 3: a matter of hiring her and then hiring someone that's 281 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 3: very experienced that can work with her, you know, as 282 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 3: a kind of under her to help kind of manage everything. 283 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 3: And so I like that idea of hiring and kind 284 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 3: of thinking, how can we find people from different places 285 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 3: to help this vision be progressive and challenge the way 286 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 3: cinema is made. But then I also kind of have 287 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 3: the experience of some of these people that have done 288 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 3: it time and time again. 289 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: You know, during this period when you became interested in 290 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: doing film working and then you say how you started, 291 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: and then when you were in a situation of being 292 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: actually a director, yeah, and you could create your own 293 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: work world? Was that very well? Yeah? 294 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 2: I didn't take long. 295 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 3: I started working for a company and then I like 296 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 3: left maybe four months in or something and kind of 297 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 3: saved up money and made. 298 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 2: My first little short. 299 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: What was that? 300 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 2: It was called f Word. 301 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 3: It was kind of about a girl who's coping with 302 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 3: not knowing her father. At a biographical yes, it is, 303 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 3: but it's also you fictionalize it a little bit to 304 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 3: have a bit of distance to it. 305 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: How long ago was that? 306 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 2: That was twenty fifteen? 307 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 3: I think I was twenty one and then actually it's 308 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 3: interesting you thinking about, like, you know, shifting your career 309 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 3: finding ways because then you know, eight years later, I 310 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 3: guess Earth Mama was released in twenty three last year, 311 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 3: which is my first feature film, which feels like a 312 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 3: big shift from them from doing your first, you know, 313 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 3: little short film to doing your first feature film, and 314 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 3: then last year also releasing like a piece of video 315 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 3: art and like moving into the video arts space and 316 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 3: the art world. 317 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 2: And I don't know. 318 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 3: I think you get to a point in your career 319 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,399 Speaker 3: where you've been doing it for almost ten years and 320 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 3: then you feel like how can I challenge myself in 321 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 3: a whole other space or like keep evolving? And I 322 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 3: think for myself, I hope that I'm always like that 323 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 3: throughout my whole life, is like always not afraid to 324 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 3: take that kind of jump into a new space, because 325 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,400 Speaker 3: the idea of having one job for all of your 326 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 3: life doesn't excite me. Like for me, I need to 327 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 3: have those shifts, you know. 328 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: Can you tell us about the movie? 329 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 3: Earth Mama is about a young woman who has two 330 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 3: children in foster care and one child on the way, 331 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 3: and it's all set in the Bay Area, and she 332 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 3: is trying to figure out what she's going to do 333 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 3: with her unborn child, whether she's going to give her 334 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 3: child up for adoption or try to keep it. And 335 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 3: so there's kind of this dilemma there of whether or 336 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 3: not as well whether the system is going to allow 337 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 3: her to keep her child or not. So it kind 338 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,159 Speaker 3: of goes through her final days of her pregnancy and 339 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 3: how she maneuvers those those obstacles. 340 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: When we talk about adoption, yeah, and I'm a mother 341 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: of an adopted child, A lot of it is about love. 342 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: As a mother, I had one child that was I 343 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: would say, handed to me on my breast after giving birth, 344 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: and another child who was handed to me in a 345 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 1: hotel lobby, you know, in Philadelphia, and then I remember 346 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 1: going up on the elevator and thinking I could no 347 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: sooner give this baby away, yeah, you know, than the 348 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: one that I was I gave birth to. And I think, 349 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,159 Speaker 1: and it is about what is what is love? What 350 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: is protection? What is taken care of? And so I 351 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: think that and you experienced that with yeah, your own sisters. 352 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, exactly. Well, the film is like roughly based 353 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:11,440 Speaker 3: on my relationship to my own sister. My sister was 354 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 3: adopted when I was sixteen. It was a really pivotal 355 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 3: moment in my life, which is why I wanted to 356 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,239 Speaker 3: make this film because for me as a sixteen year 357 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 3: old meeting her birth mother and like sitting across from 358 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 3: her and just thinking about this kind of selfless act 359 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 3: that she was going to do, but also the pressures 360 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 3: in her life at that time and how she was 361 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 3: going to have to make that decision. And she told 362 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 3: me at the time, she said, I want you to 363 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 3: be the role model that I can't be in her life. 364 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 3: And I remember like that shifting something within me because 365 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 3: it just all of us. When you're an only child, 366 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 3: you don't have that same sort of responsibility as you 367 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 3: have as you know, an older sister or a parent, 368 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 3: and at that age, being sixteen, I almost felt like 369 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 3: a second parent, you know, to my siblings. 370 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: Did you cook for her? 371 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 3: She was so young, she was like, I was giving 372 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 3: her the bottle, so I was, I was doing that, 373 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 3: but she I left the house before she really started 374 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 3: eating foods. 375 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: You have a scene in the movie which takes place 376 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: in a restaurant. Yeah, and it's a very emotional scene. 377 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. 378 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:25,359 Speaker 1: Can you describe the scene. 379 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 3: Yeah, So there's this moment which is actually, you know, 380 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 3: in the first draft of the script, I wrote it, 381 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 3: and there was one scene that's stuck through that whole 382 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 3: first draft, which was the scene that you're talking about, 383 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 3: which is the middle point of the film, which is 384 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 3: where the birth mother meets the adoptive family for the 385 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 3: first time and they meet over food over in a restaurant, 386 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 3: and it's kind of playing with this the uncomfortability, but 387 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 3: also the intrigue and the questions you have all these 388 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 3: feelings that arise when you're sitting across the table from 389 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 3: someone who who's potentially going to be giving her child 390 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 3: to you, and you kind of anticipating that child, whether 391 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 3: you couldn't have children before that, or what that anticipation 392 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 3: is like. And also as a sister, what it was 393 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 3: like to sit across from this person that you're kind 394 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 3: of know nothing about, but they're potentially changing your whole life. 395 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 3: So it was such an important scene in the film, 396 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 3: and it started in the first draft and maintained throughout 397 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 3: the whole film. But I think it's also been one 398 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 3: of the things that people take home or take with 399 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 3: them the most. 400 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 1: In the movie, it's interesting in the see the detailed 401 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 1: ordering of the food. And also I think what's interesting 402 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:44,439 Speaker 1: is that you're doing a very very personal, very probably 403 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: I can't imagine a more compellingly personal emotional scene between 404 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: people than talking about, you know, the loss of a 405 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: baby and giving a baby away to parents. Yeah, it's 406 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: set in a restaurant. You think you might do that 407 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:08,199 Speaker 1: in somebody's house, in a in a living room, or 408 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: in an office that you that you put it in 409 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,160 Speaker 1: at a restaurant is interesting because again I say over 410 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: and over that people do very private things in a 411 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: very public space. Yeah, people do gravitate. If you go 412 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: to the tables looking out here in the garden, you know, 413 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: you have no idea what they're talking about. They might 414 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 1: be just talking about their day or what their plans are, 415 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 1: or how much fun they're having in London, or they 416 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: might be discussing very life changing issues. 417 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 2: Yeah. 418 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 3: I think actually, like some of my most key moments 419 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 3: in life have been in like restaurant, you know, like 420 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 3: meeting my sister's birth mother for the first time, or 421 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 3: meeting with someone that you had a relationship with before 422 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 3: and then you're just having a meeting again, and that 423 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 3: there is this like kind of comforting space because you 424 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 3: can always eat to fill the silence. 425 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,159 Speaker 2: So if you need to and. 426 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:04,399 Speaker 1: You're being looked after by a waiter, you don't have 427 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 1: to get up and get the salt from the coupboard. 428 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's like something about that. The fact that it's 429 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 3: in a public space and you're sharing this personal moment 430 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 3: in a public space is like very vulnerable and it 431 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 3: kind of can bring all these emotions out or you're 432 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 3: having to hide emotions as well, And so I think 433 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,720 Speaker 3: in scenes in films, there's something really profound about setting 434 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 3: these like private moments in a public space. 435 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: If you like listening to Ruthie's Table for would you 436 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: please make sure to rate and review the podcast on 437 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, o, wherever you get 438 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: your podcasts. Thank you. As we're reading the recipe for 439 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: far and out her a Sean executive share for the 440 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: River Cafe is just coming in with farinata food. You 441 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: just share have you ever heard of before? 442 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 2: I actually have no idea what farinata is. So this 443 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 2: is exciting. 444 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,679 Speaker 4: So this is actually a pancake made out of chickpea flour, 445 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 4: so it's super it's actually vegan and gluten free. 446 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 2: I don't know if you have any diet trees. I do. 447 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 2: I'm pescatarian, so you're going to take all boxes. 448 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a kind of street food from Genoa and 449 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:36,400 Speaker 4: it's just made with chickpea flour and olive oil, fennel seeds, 450 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 4: rosemary and just cooked in the wood oven. But you 451 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 4: don't need a wood oven to make it at home. 452 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 4: You could just in an ou in case you don't 453 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 4: have a wood oven. It's really nice if you want 454 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:44,880 Speaker 4: to try it. 455 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. 456 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: One of the things about farinata's very very regional, goes 457 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 1: at the coast of Laguria up until France, in which 458 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: it then becomes a nice when you have it. It's 459 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: pretty much the same recipe, but it has a different name, 460 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: and so it is a street food, but it also 461 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: is quite sophisticated. It's also really good to have before 462 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 1: you have a meal. 463 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 2: So very often do you put it with anything. 464 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 4: We find in the restaurant that instead of if people 465 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 4: don't want to have brisketta, Fretty will send it out 466 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 4: like that. But it's also really nice with something else, 467 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 4: like some pretty rutto or mozzarella or even crab, so 468 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 4: it can be an accompaniment or just a nibble. 469 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 1: If you're making fairinata at home, what would be your 470 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,719 Speaker 1: advice when you're cooking it? Because it is so simple, 471 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: but it's hard to make it good farinata? Really, don't 472 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: you think? Yeah? 473 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 4: I think you need to do it like any pancake. 474 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 4: You need to make sure the pan is really hot 475 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 4: before you put the oil in, and then let the 476 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 4: oil be hot before you put the chippea mixture in it, 477 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:50,119 Speaker 4: and then because otherwise it can stick, can't it. I 478 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 4: mean that was one of the things that whenever I'm 479 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 4: cooking for Ruthie, you always like, do you want to 480 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 4: make farrilata? 481 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: No? No, because it sticks. The more the more experienced 482 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: the chef in the River Cafe, the higher up there 483 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: are on the on, the harder they find. And it's 484 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 1: also such a performance you judged immediately like how fair 485 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 1: and half their it is. You know, how thick it is, 486 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: how creamy it is, how dry and so. 487 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 3: You know, it's kind of a bit of all of that, 488 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 3: like it's crispy and it has the like softness inside. 489 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 4: And it's one of those things if you're working next 490 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 4: when one's freshly made and it comes out of the oven, 491 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 4: you don't want to be working too near it because 492 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 4: you end up eating like half a. 493 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 3: Fowl at night, like one slice is actually really. 494 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, And if you were making it at home, would 495 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: you would you make the better the day before? 496 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 2: What? 497 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: What? What do you feel about making the better? How 498 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: long do you let it rest? Probably you let it. 499 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:54,159 Speaker 4: It says in the recipe to leave it rest for 500 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,679 Speaker 4: about two hours, But if you leave it overnight, I 501 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 4: think you get a better, better end result. 502 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 1: There's also telling about the para nada pan. What is 503 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: a paranada pan. 504 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 4: It's like a kind of massive big skillet, a couple 505 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 4: of about twenty inches. It's got like a pitted the 506 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 4: bottom of the It's not just flat, is it. It's 507 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 4: got kind of like slightly grooves in it. 508 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:19,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. 509 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,119 Speaker 4: I don't really know what the grooves do apart from textually. 510 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 1: What do you think? 511 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 3: Really? 512 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: I think it does give a texture and it probably 513 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,240 Speaker 1: also helps perhaps with the separation. Yeah, when it eats ups, 514 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: so you have a copper pan and it has a 515 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 1: little hook, so you can hang it, and you can, 516 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 1: and then it has a tin base, so the tin 517 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 1: the inside is tin. It's a very beautiful thing to 518 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: look at. I remember that when I wanted to buy one, 519 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: I could not find one in the liquoria. I went 520 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 1: to a place called the Spezzia. I couldn't find one 521 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: in any shop. And then I made a meeting for 522 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: a cousin of a friend of a friend who met 523 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: me in the parking lot at pizza station. And he 524 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: took out of the of his car, not drugs, not something. 525 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 1: It was like, you know, at seven o'clock he took 526 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: out a far night. I gave him the cash, and 527 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 1: it is. And then but then you can get them, 528 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: you sell them, and I shop, you know, shop the 529 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: River Cafe, and it is. You know, it's something that 530 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 1: I really loved as a thing, as you say, something 531 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: to have before with a NEGRONI with that sounds nice. 532 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 1: Any other tips for making it? How do you know 533 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: when it's done it will. 534 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 4: Look set on top, it won't be runny. That's really 535 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 4: hard to get out if it's running. 536 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: I don't think you. 537 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 4: Can really overcook it. I can definitely undercook it. 538 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 2: Like you don't mind if it's burnt a little bit. 539 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, probably it's more forgiving in going the underway and 540 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 4: then trying to scoop it out, which. 541 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, looks like a real mess. Farinata. Wow, now that 542 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: you've eaten it and you've learned how to make it, 543 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: would you like to read the recipe? 544 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 3: Farinata chickpea and fennel Farinata serves four people. Two cups 545 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 3: of warm water, three quarter cups of Italian chickpea flour, 546 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 3: four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon fennel seeds, 547 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 3: chopped fresh stage or rosemary, and some salt. First, you're 548 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 3: gonna put the water in a large bowl and sift 549 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 3: in flour. You're gonna whisk to combine. Then add the 550 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 3: extra virgin olive oil and salt. Cover and leave in 551 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 3: a warm place for two hours and preheat the oven 552 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 3: to two hundred and fifty degrees celsius. Pour enough olive 553 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 3: oil into a farinata pan to coat to the bottom. 554 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 3: Pour in the batter it should be about one to 555 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 3: two centimeters deep. Top with the fennel seeds or herbs 556 00:29:55,840 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 3: and black pepper. Bake for twenty to thirty minutes until 557 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 3: the surface has bubbled and become crisp. 558 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: So you're about to embark on an exhibition sf MoMA, 559 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Incredible city, a city 560 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 1: that also you know, yeah, and I have so many 561 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:21,479 Speaker 1: friends who lived there. There's such an energy for new art, 562 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: new design. Tell us about what you're planned to do 563 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: with sf MoMA. 564 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 3: I'm really excited because last year we were able to 565 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 3: show a piece that kind of delved into my sports 566 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 3: backgrounds and was almost like a self portrait, and it 567 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 3: showed at Hauser and Worth Gallery and a group show 568 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 3: with other women artists in LA And then this year 569 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 3: we're going to be kind of part of another group show, 570 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 3: but this group show is also about sports in a 571 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 3: year you know, where there's the Olympics happening, and so 572 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 3: it's going to be kind of another way to show 573 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 3: this kind of sports story combining with my art and 574 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 3: film work in a place like essef moment, so kind 575 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 3: of bringing it back to where I grew up half 576 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 3: my life. 577 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 2: So I'm really excited about that. 578 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 3: When will that be it opens I believe October nineteenth. 579 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 1: Okay, we'll all be there. 580 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 2: Thank you. 581 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: So in your life. You have been an athletes, We 582 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: have a filmmaker, we have artists. Is there a Savannah 583 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: leaf that we've been thinking might be doing we put 584 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 1: out an album. 585 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 3: It's funny you should say that. I mean, actually over 586 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 3: the pandemic. My partner and I learned ableton and making music, 587 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 3: and I think kind of learning different crafts is something 588 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 3: that really excites us and excites me a lot because 589 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 3: making music is such something so interesting because it helps 590 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 3: me in the filmmaking world. It helps me edit films, 591 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 3: it helps me write films. So I don't know what's 592 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 3: next for me, but who knows, maybe you'll come. 593 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 1: You know how to cook parano exactly right there, And 594 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: if we were going to ask you for your last question, 595 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 1: very very lovely talk. Yeah, if you need food for 596 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: comfort and all the roles you've been as in sport 597 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: and film, is there a food that you would actually 598 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: go back to that in your past or something you'd 599 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: like to eat or that you. 600 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 3: Grave Recently, in the past few years, my partner and 601 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 3: I have had like a tradition of going to this 602 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:38,360 Speaker 3: place called the Wedding Patisserie, which is in Vauxhall, which 603 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 3: is like a Portuguese bakery and they have like little 604 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 3: questants and it's like a warm quaest on. It's just 605 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 3: a simple thing. And I have like a questlong with 606 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 3: an orange juice, like a freshly squeezed orange juice in 607 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 3: the morning and we go there kind of like almost 608 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 3: every morning to have it. And it kind of that 609 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 3: walk along to little Portugal and Vauxhail is like something 610 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 3: I used to do as a kid because we would 611 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 3: go to all the little Portuguese restaurants over there. So 612 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 3: there's something nostalgic and comforting about that, but it's also 613 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 3: a nice like routine to have when you're waking up 614 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 3: early in the morning. 615 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 2: So that's what I have been doing to start the day. 616 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:19,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you so much for that, and we have 617 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 1: many more dinners to share it together. 618 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:23,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you. 619 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 4: Thanks, thank you for listening to Ruthie's Table four in 620 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 4: partnership with Montclair