1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to River Cafe, Table four, a production of iHeartRadio 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 1: and Adami Studios. 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 2: In front of the camera and behind it. Danny Houston 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: has spent his life in movies. Danny's son of John Houston, 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: grew up watching Russia's traveling to film locations and meeting 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 2: all the great actors, later directing, producing and acting in 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 2: films and television series Mister North, Fade to Black, The 8 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 2: Constant Gardner Succession, and much more. I knew Danny loved food, 9 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 2: but nothing could have impressed me more than one of 10 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 2: all the River Cafe recipes he chose. While basically toast toast, 11 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 2: or rather, as the Italians call it, brusquetta, was what 12 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 2: made me want to cook Italian food when I first 13 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: tasted it in Florence in nineteen seventy one. Danny and 14 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 2: I have much to discuss today as we sit here 15 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 2: in the River Cafe, food, music, family, cookie, traveling. Then 16 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 2: we'll go inside across the green and have a piece 17 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 2: of briskinna. 18 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 3: I will read the recipe of a brusquit for four people. 19 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 3: It would be four thick slices of bread from sour 20 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 3: dough loaf, one garlic clove, very good olive oil, a 21 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 3: state bottled extra virgin olive oil. You heat the griddle 22 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 3: pan or you chargrill it until it's very hot, and 23 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 3: you toast the slices and until they're dark but not 24 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 3: burnt on both sides. You remove the slices from the 25 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 3: grill and you rub them lightly with a garlic clove. 26 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 3: You season with salt, black pepper, and you drizzle it 27 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 3: very generously with olive oil. And that is it. 28 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 2: Thank you, so as I was saying, why did you 29 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 2: choose a piece of brusquette with olive oil? 30 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 3: It is one of my early memories being in Rome 31 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 3: as a child. I remember going to a restaurant called 32 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 3: the Kukuruku by the Tiber. There was always a lot 33 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 3: of attention Townan's love children. It would be the phone 34 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 3: books would be brought out so I could sit higher 35 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 3: in the chair, and the bluskit that would come out, 36 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 3: usually rather vigorously scratched, really with with with the garlic clove, 37 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 3: and out it would come. It's one of my early memories, 38 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 3: as I said, diving into these wonderful kazari show pieces 39 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 3: of bread and it would just stimulate my appetite as 40 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:52,279 Speaker 3: it does today. 41 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 4: And so you were you were actually born in Rome. 42 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 3: I was born in Rome. My father was making a 43 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 3: film called The Bible. It was long. It was a 44 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 3: long pre production and post production, rather well known book. 45 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 3: Yesk yeah, yeah, but here was that nineteen sixty two. 46 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 3: My love of food really started right there. 47 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 4: Did you eat out a lot, a lot of your 48 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 4: food in restaurants? 49 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 3: Yes, we ate out a lot beautiful restaurants. And the 50 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 3: connection towards children, as I said earlier, the phone books 51 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 3: on the chair and the tension, I mean, the star 52 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 3: at the table is the kid, and they you know, 53 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 3: they squeeze your your your cheeks, which you can get 54 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 3: a little annoying after a while, but the attention is 55 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 3: on you. What do you what do you? You know, what 56 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 3: does the kid like? And great joy drive by everybody 57 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 3: if the child is happy. Yeah, I had I. 58 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: Had some friends who came from New York and they 59 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 2: rented a house in Tuscany and they had a two 60 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: year old child. One year old child, put her in 61 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: the bed and woke up in the morning she's gone, 62 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: I mean she's gone. And they completely understandably panicked. And 63 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: you know what those days didn't have mobiles and went 64 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 2: to the neighbor's house to call the police. And they 65 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: walked into the neighbor's house and they're sitting in a 66 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 2: high chair with their daughter, you know, eating breakfast. Because 67 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: they had seen them arrived the night before. They thought 68 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 2: the baby might be hungry. The parents would be sleeping, 69 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 2: so they just came in and took the baby and 70 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 2: took care of her, you know, and that was you know, 71 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: you know, it's just such a different idea of the 72 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 2: child as the center of the of the story. Yeah. 73 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. And there's an expression at times, the bonnacle bianet, 74 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 3: which is mean as good as. 75 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 4: Bread, as good as bread. 76 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, so you grew up as good as bread. Tell 77 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 2: me about your father and food, because I grew up 78 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 2: with John Houston. I know, the young chef in my 79 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 2: restaurant is cooking today, also called Danny, when I told 80 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 2: him you were coming. 81 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 4: You know, loves your work. 82 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 2: He knows every movie you've been in, and he knows 83 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: about your grandfather and your father and you and. 84 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 4: Say, this family. Can you tell us about this family? 85 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 3: Certainly, certainly my grandfather Walter Houston, marvelous actor, My father 86 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 3: John Houston, master director and actor. My sister Angelica once again, 87 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 3: tremendous actress and the best friend and sister that one 88 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 3: could possibly have. And she's my angel, and we I 89 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 3: can say with great confidence that we all love food 90 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 3: and wine. My father designed the label for a Muton Rothschild, 91 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 3: which was a superb year. He shared that with other 92 00:05:54,560 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 3: artists such as as Matisse and Warhole. Yeah. And I 93 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 3: remember in Spain, let me Danny taste this. It's it's 94 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 3: called a DESPATCHO. 95 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 4: Did you know your grandfather? 96 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 3: I never met my grandfather. I only met him through 97 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 3: the film. Is that my father would show me. There 98 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 3: was always a big sort of plava made out of 99 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 3: bringing the projector out, and sometimes the film would rip 100 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 3: be spliced back together and and there'd be the sort 101 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 3: of beam of light that would cut through the cigar smoke. 102 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 3: And there was my grandfather. 103 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 4: And treasure and that I remember with the gold shaking, 104 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 4: shaking memory. 105 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, And I mean I thought he was those characters. 106 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 3: I thought he was the gold prospector. And then films 107 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 3: like Dodsworth and and my father did at the u 108 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 3: beginning of an evening, he'd he'd he'd make the sound addressing. 109 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 4: He did. 110 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 3: Yes, absolutely, Yes, see a mustard oil, vinegar and a 111 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 3: little dash of sugar. Sugar, yeah, which is which is 112 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 3: something that I've tried to reproduce and I can't quite 113 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 3: get it right, Not like he not like he did. 114 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 3: There was some magical thing that he did and I 115 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 3: can't reproduce. 116 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 4: What do you cook other food? That? 117 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 3: That was? That was his his gesture before a meal. 118 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 4: What about drinks? Did he have a cocktails? 119 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 3: Well, Martini was a dry lemon twist. But depending on 120 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 3: where we were, what country were we were, the cocktails 121 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 3: would would differ. In For instance, I remember in Mexico 122 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 3: when he was making a film called Under the Volcano 123 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 3: Malcolm Lowry with Albert Finney. We would watch the daily 124 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 3: Russia's whatever he shot that the previous day. We'd watch 125 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 3: it in the evening and I used to make him cocktails. 126 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 4: You made the cocktail? Yes, an age for you. 127 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 3: Then Danny very young, and he would I remember him 128 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 3: in Mexico. He was having kuba libres and I'd make 129 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 3: him a rum and coke and I handed to him 130 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 3: and he'd say, no, no, no, the coke should only 131 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 3: color the rum. 132 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 4: We have to make a drink for your father. And 133 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 4: so who cooked in your house? 134 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 3: My mother cooked. 135 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 4: She was born in India. 136 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 3: She was born in Indian luck now yeah, just under 137 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 3: the Himalayas. Then during the partition they moved to London. 138 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 2: Did she bring that culture with her or her parents? 139 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 2: Did your grandparents cook Indian? 140 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 3: Well? 141 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 4: Did they come as well? 142 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 3: Yes? They did? Well, my my my grandmother. It was 143 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 3: always a spicy doll, was Mati Rice Sogpanier. But I 144 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 3: also remember digestive biscuits and uh television, you know, Dad's 145 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 3: are Army and those those kind of programs. 146 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 2: As you grew up with different cultures Indian, your father 147 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 2: being American and Italian. 148 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 4: Yes, and was that all mixed you think in your 149 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 4: palette of the early years. 150 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah. I spent a lot of time in Galway 151 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 3: in Ireland growing up, and we drive to Kanamara Bay 152 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: and have oysters. I would have a little glass of guinness. 153 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 4: What age would this be? 154 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 3: Very young? 155 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 4: What age? 156 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 3: Oh? Preteens? But Kannamara Bay you could really taste taste 157 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 3: the sea in those and in those oysters, the mutinous 158 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 3: Shannon waves and that wonderful breeze. And I learned to 159 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 3: swim in Calamara, the very freezing much much much to 160 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 3: everybody's horror. But but Betty O'Kelly would hold hold my 161 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 3: my body up with her hand, and that's that's how 162 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 3: I learned how to swim. Many memories with my father 163 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 3: and in Saint Clarence and Galway. Uh interesting guests, you know, 164 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 3: mister Fuller, Robert Mitcham, Lauren Bacall. I remember falling in 165 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 3: love with with with with Ava Gardener at a restaurant 166 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 3: at Montpilly Square. 167 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 4: She did, you know she lived in. 168 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 3: And lunch with my mother and and Ava. And after 169 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 3: the lunch I said to my mother, again barely a teenager, Mom, 170 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 3: I'm I'm in love and she she just clipped me 171 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 3: in the back of the head and she said, of 172 00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 3: course you. 173 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 4: Are a gardener, for christ, what's not to love? 174 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 3: She was. She was dressed so casually. She was wearing 175 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 3: doctor showls and just sort of you know, she she 176 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 3: was hardly hardly any makeup. But the combination of her 177 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 3: and the and the food that made me a little dizzy. 178 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 3: I was sent to boarding school in England, must have 179 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 3: been about eleven twelve years old. I mean the boarding 180 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 3: school I had was quite tame. It was in Somerset, 181 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 3: compared to other people's experiences. Mine was very, very tame 182 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 3: and a summer set Millfield, Millfield. 183 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was. 184 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 3: Okay, it was a way for me to claim my independence. 185 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 3: But yes, a stark difference. 186 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 4: What was the food like? Dot ghastly? 187 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. I remember I was sitting next to a girl 188 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 3: who was from India and her food looked much better 189 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 3: than mine, and I asked why and they said, she's 190 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 3: a vegetarian. Okay, well I'll be a veget at school, 191 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 3: I'll be a vegetarian. So I still don't eat a 192 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:21,239 Speaker 3: lot of meat. My weak spot is or you know, figs. 193 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 3: That is a comfort place for me. But I'm not 194 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 3: a big, big meat teacher. But the moment I I 195 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 3: finished school and started cooking, my forte was cooking for. 196 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 2: Two as a method of We've talked a lot about 197 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: seducing a woman with food as a. 198 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 3: Method of seduction. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but yes, 199 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 3: as as a method of seduction, and it was. 200 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 2: Very sexy having a mad cook few. I have to say, 201 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: I do think there is something as a woman. This 202 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 2: just is a scene in Michael came when I talked 203 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 2: to Michael in an interview and we looked. We talked 204 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 2: about the ip Crisfild and there's a scene where he 205 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 2: is a spy and an agent and he's a great 206 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 2: kind of figure. But there's this very moving scene where 207 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 2: he actually cooks for the woman and she and he 208 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 2: does seem more interested in chopping the carrot than even 209 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: you know, the first kiss. 210 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 3: It's very well, it's a very central thing, isn't it. 211 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 3: Bibet's feast. Yeah, many films use that as a visual 212 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 3: language because of course you can't taste the food through 213 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 3: the screen, but you can only imagine what it tastes like. 214 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 4: So what would you cook when you were young? 215 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 3: Man? What I what I what I think is fun 216 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,839 Speaker 3: is is sort of necessity is a mother invention. And 217 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 3: so you go back home, it's not been premeditated, necessarily, 218 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 3: and you open the purgency what's there? And you whip 219 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 3: it up? And this something about the improvisation also searching 220 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 3: for a pleasant accident. I sort of translate that to 221 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 3: my work as well to acting. You're you're looking for 222 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 3: the for the unexpected, and sometimes you whip something up. 223 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 3: You've got some carrots and chop them up finally and 224 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 3: you throw them in with the with with with the garlic, 225 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 3: and uh, and you've discovered another another type of acting. 226 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 3: Maybe it's it's it's something that wasn't that wasn't written 227 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 3: and and and and certainly not pre premeditated that you 228 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 3: discover that gives it a feeling of reality and truth. 229 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 3: And the person that you're working with also discovers something 230 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 3: else because of it, and it becomes a wall a dance. 231 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 4: Do you like to eat when you're filming? 232 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 3: Yes? And no. I mean food for me is the 233 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 3: past and the present and and that anticipation right before 234 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 3: you eat of something, of something unexpected, and in a 235 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 3: way it takes me away from from my work. To 236 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 3: combine it with work for me as for me as difficult. 237 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 3: I remember having lunch with my father and Orson Wells 238 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 3: in l A and Orson eating a lot, and I 239 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 3: could see my father looking quite concerned and maybe even 240 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 3: a little. 241 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 2: Phobic about what that was going on too long, that 242 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: he was was unhealthy or. 243 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 3: Just it was it was unlike not onlike today. It 244 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 3: was a hot day, and he was eating too much, 245 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 3: and it's just I could see I could see it 246 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 3: making my father a little a little queasy. He didn't 247 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 3: particularly like sharing dishes. He didn't like it when his agent, 248 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 3: Paul Kohner, used to plunge his fork into his whatever 249 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 3: whatever he was eating. He liked to keep it separate. 250 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 4: But man was he a big man, tall, big. 251 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 3: Heart, personality, generous and loved a fine a fine meal, 252 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 3: and a good restaurant. I remember I remember going to 253 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 3: Alfredo's with him in Rome and his delight when the 254 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 3: Golden fourk and Spoon came out. No, he absolutely loved 255 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 3: loved food, and loved dining, and loved spending time with 256 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 3: with with people and celebrating. But at times, at times 257 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 3: he liked his own space. 258 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 4: Did you spend time growing up in La? 259 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 3: Not growing up? But I spent time I was in 260 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 3: La in my twenties. I like the California Palette. It's 261 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 3: it's it's again, it's freshness, it's those great salads and 262 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 3: talking about accidents. How the caesar salad came about some 263 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 3: stale bread and anchovies and a couple of leaves and parmesan. Really, 264 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 3: it's wonderful when something occurs like that. And I mean, 265 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 3: I don't know how you came across, how you came 266 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 3: across this location and how it developed, but maybe possibly 267 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,640 Speaker 3: there were a series of unexpected surprises that came your way. 268 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 2: Yeah. When we opened here, it was a Duckham's oil refinery. 269 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 2: My husband and his partners, architectural partners decided because we 270 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 2: were living in Paris for four years, he did the 271 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 2: Pomperty Center and we came back and didn't want to 272 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 2: be in the center of London in office buildings, so 273 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 2: found this site and tried to create a community. And 274 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: so the community was built on the idea there would 275 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 2: always be someplace to eat. And we were reviewing different 276 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 2: ideas for restaurants that wanted to come here, cafes really, 277 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 2: because there's a tiny space. 278 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 4: And I said, you know what, maybe I'll do it. 279 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 4: And that's what happened, you know. And then I did 280 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 4: it with my friend Rose Gray. And then the rest 281 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 4: is just like you say, any idea that it is then. 282 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 2: Or an accident, an accident of birth, an accident a place, 283 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 2: an accident of creative activity sometimes takes you somewhere else. 284 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 4: Have you ever worked in a restaurant? 285 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 3: No, I haven't. I would love to. I to. I 286 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 3: actually have a sort of a fantasy which I'm sure 287 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 3: will probably never be fulfilled, but I would love to 288 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 3: own a restaurant by the beach and catch of the day. 289 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 3: And yeah, I know that's got to be a lot 290 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 3: of stress, especially to maintain a certain standard. You can't 291 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 3: let it go the same way as a film director. Yeah, 292 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 3: you know, you've got to be probably a little obsessive 293 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 3: and in charge and seeing every seeing every detail, otherwise 294 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 3: things could fall apart. But my fantasy is sort of 295 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 3: some sort of. 296 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,400 Speaker 4: Hammock where what country would that be? 297 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 3: It would be it would be it would be well, 298 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 3: you know, the Mediterranean certainly, or Mexico, Mexico. 299 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 2: I lived in Mexico for four months. That's two years ago. 300 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 2: I lived in Mexico City and my husband had an accident, 301 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 2: so we stayed there for four months and I loved it. 302 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 2: I just as a place that I want to return 303 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 2: to again and again. Where were you in Mexico? Is 304 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 2: that with your family? 305 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 3: Yeah? My father had a house that you can only 306 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 3: get to my boat. This is when he gave up ireland. 307 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 3: He became very minimal. He leased some land outside of 308 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 3: Puerto Arta that you could only get to on a 309 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 3: on a boat, on a panga. And there he had 310 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 3: a chef called. 311 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 4: Archie and very Mexican Mexican. 312 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 3: No, no, no, Archie. Archie was Filipino, and he now 313 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 3: has a restaurant in part of art which is which is, 314 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 3: which is delicious? Actually, sadly he's not with us anymore, 315 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 3: but his wife, his wife wife runs at Archies restaurant, 316 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:12,360 Speaker 3: and part of our what was And in a way 317 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 3: it's my definition of complete luxury, eating fine food and 318 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 3: drinking delicious wine in the tropics, you know, and the again, 319 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 3: the freshness, the papayas, the mangoes, the avocados, and the fish. 320 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, so that's where you could open your restaurant. 321 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 2: What's clear in your stories and our lives is that 322 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 2: you know, food is memory, food is sharing, Food is comfort. 323 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 4: What would that food be that is a comfort food? 324 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 3: Well, I have one of my one of my weaknesses 325 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 3: is waking up in the middle of the night and 326 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 3: tiptoeing to the kitchen just cutting a piece of bread 327 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 3: and dunking it into a little saucer of olive oil 328 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 3: and adding adding some salt and and and secretly literally 329 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 3: eyes closed, enjoying the combination of tastes. I suppose that 330 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 3: sort of brings us back to to our brusqueite, where 331 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 3: it's it's it's. It is so much about those first 332 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,880 Speaker 3: things that you ate when you when you were a child, 333 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 3: and and and a certain kind of regression, uh, momentary 334 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 3: regression which which makes you feel cozy and at. 335 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 4: Home and safe, Yeah, safe and comfort. Thank you, Danny. 336 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 4: Let's thank you so much. 337 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 2: To visit the online shop of The River Cafe, go 338 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 2: to shop the River Cafe dot co dot uk. 339 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: Rivercafe Table four is a production of iHeartRadio and Adamized Studios. 340 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 341 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.