1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Welcome back to season three of Ruthie's Table four. We've 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: got a great group of people ahead, and we're going 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: to start with my good friend with a great director, 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: a great eater of food, appreciator of food, Wes Anderson. 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: I have a few philosophies in life, one of which 6 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: is to always say yes to Wes Anderson, my really 7 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: good friend, Ruthie. Should we get a sheet from upstairs 8 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 1: cupboard and screen fantastic mister Fox outside in the garden tonight, Yes, Wes, Ruthie. 9 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: Shall we try again for the fourth time to make 10 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 1: a perfect Bellini? Yes, Wes, Ruthie. How about if we 11 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: invite all the kids and friends and watch Grand Budapest 12 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: Hotel before it opens in your living room in London. 13 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 2: Yes, Wes. 14 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: And most recently, Ruthie, I'd be happy to do podcast 15 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: with you. But could we do the interview by emailing 16 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: questions and answers back and forth to each other over 17 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: a few days or weeks, Yes, Wes. So here we 18 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 1: are Wes Anderson with Wes Anderson. A little strange, but 19 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: as always I said yes. 20 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 3: I'll just jump around with a few things. Maybe for 21 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 3: introducing myself. I don't know. If I'm responding to something 22 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 3: Ruthie is saying. Is Ruthie saying something at the beginning, 23 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 3: and then I'm chiming in. I'll wait to do that bit, 24 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 3: and then you can also anything you want me to 25 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 3: redo or add more. 26 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: I'll just give a few things to start. Maybe I'll 27 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: say I'll say hello, this is Wes Anderson. 28 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 3: I'm going to read you the recipe for the River 29 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 3: Cafe groast pigeon stuffed with kotaquino. This recipe serves six. 30 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 3: You'll need one small red onion, peeled and chopped, two 31 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 3: celery sticks chopped, two tablespoons of olive oil, plus twenty 32 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 3: five mili liters for the roasting tin to put that 33 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 3: on the side somewhere. You'll need one half ready cooked 34 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 3: cotaquino sausage, half a sausage, ten fresh sage leaves shredded, please, 35 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 3: five hundred milliters kianti. That's a more than a half bottle. 36 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 3: And finally you found it. You said it again, Where 37 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 3: did you find it? 38 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 2: Okay, I'll come see it in a moment. I'm just 39 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 2: going to finish this recipe. 40 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 3: Finally, perhaps most importantly, you'll need six breast pigeons. That's 41 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 3: six pigeons from the breast. I guess these are French pigeons. 42 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 3: Breast I think is near near Lyon, near Genevas, south 43 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 3: of must be almost Burgundy or next to Burgundy, or 44 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 3: in Burgundy. 45 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 2: I'm not sure. They may. 46 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: Just make sure they're plucked and cleaned. Now, preheat the 47 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 3: oven to two hundred and thirty degrees celsius to make 48 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 3: the stuffing Soften the onion and celery in the two 49 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 3: tablespoons of olive oil for ten minutes over a low heat. 50 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,679 Speaker 3: Small serpent, she says, remove the skin from the cotaquino 51 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 3: and crumble the meat with your hands. But this get 52 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 3: rid of this, put the skin somewhere else. Now, add 53 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: the cotaquino and sage to the onion and celery and 54 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 3: fry together for a few minutes. Then pour off the 55 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 3: fat from the pan and add two hundred and fifty 56 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 3: milli liters. 57 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 2: I'm going to continue. 58 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 3: Add two hundred and fifty mili liters red wine and 59 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 3: boiled to reduce by at least half season with black pepper, 60 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 3: and allow to cool before stuffing into the birds. Into 61 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 3: the six birds, heat the two hundred and fifty milli 62 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 3: liters of olive oil in a roasting tin over a 63 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 3: medium high heat. Then brown each bird all over, season 64 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 3: with sea salt and black pepper, and place the tin 65 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 3: in the top of the hot oven the upper shelf 66 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 3: inside the oven and roast for twenty minutes. Remove the 67 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 3: tin from the oven and take out the pigeons. 68 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 2: I'm not sure. 69 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 3: Maybe we cook them a bit more through I'm not 70 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 3: sure how they come out twenty minutes, keep them warm, 71 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 3: Pour any excess oil out of the tin. Then add 72 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 3: the remaining red wine over a high heat. Reduce us 73 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 3: we got half the wine still to go, I think yes, 74 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 3: over a high heat, and so their pigeons are not 75 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 3: in there anymore. So okay, over a high heat, reduce 76 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 3: the liquid by half. So cook it until half it 77 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 3: goes away. I think all of the people who cook 78 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 3: know this. 79 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 2: I don't know that. 80 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 3: Then season with sea salt and black pepper, and then 81 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 3: this is your sauce. Pour it over the pigeons to serve, 82 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 3: maybe with some peese or something like that. You've read 83 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 3: the recipe for a pigeon. Why have you chosen this recipe? 84 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 3: Do you cook it yourself? When did you last eat it? 85 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 3: Were there any memorable moments that you ate it? Well, 86 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 3: I have not cooked any pigeon ever. I haven't cooked 87 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 3: any bird. I can't really cook. I can cook a 88 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 3: few things, but I have chosen the recipe for no 89 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 3: reason other than the fact that anytime I see this 90 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 3: pigeon on the River Cafe menu, I immediately order it. 91 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 3: Pigeon is my favorite bird anyway, and it ruined. Fact 92 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 3: once told me about an occasion when he ate a 93 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: pigeon and he literally began to cry out of happiness. 94 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 2: Jaman saw the actual tears. See. I'm in the. 95 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 3: Room here at the Chateau La Coste, which is extremely comfortable. 96 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 3: It's a great place. So far, I have not been out. 97 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 3: I haven't seen Richard's gallery yet, which I'm going to 98 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 3: go do in about an hour. I've just been doing 99 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 3: my work here in the room, which is really all 100 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 3: I wanted to do except for go see Richard's building. 101 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 3: You know one thing I thought might be worth mentioning 102 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 3: is for years we do often the first premiere of 103 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,239 Speaker 3: a new movie I make ends up being one where 104 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 3: you're cooking at it at your house. We had the 105 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 3: first public screening of Grand Budapest hotel in Italy. Many 106 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 3: years ago we showed Fantastic Mister Fox on a sheet 107 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 3: and that was the first time anybody had seen it 108 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 3: outside of the production. We always plan to do one, 109 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 3: as you know, and we always eat very well afterwards. 110 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 3: Now I'm going to act like Ruthie's asked me about 111 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,159 Speaker 3: how do we eat on our movies. Well, you know, 112 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 3: on our movies, what we do during the day. We 113 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 3: actually I don't like to stop work in the day. 114 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 2: On movies. 115 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 3: Often you stop and that there's a very long break, 116 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 3: and then it takes even longer to get back from 117 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 3: the break. So the way we've been doing it is 118 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 3: we have these little tables. They're made to be folded 119 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 3: into suitcases, and we set them up on the right 120 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 3: on the side of the set. And the people who 121 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 3: are actually working on the set, which is kind of 122 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 3: a small group. Other people working building sets and things, 123 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 3: they have a different experience. But the group on the set, 124 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 3: we have our lunch there and it's brought out. And 125 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 3: for years I tried to make it just soup and 126 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 3: to convince everyone that we would just eat soup and 127 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 3: then get right back to work. 128 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 2: But we did have some very good soups. 129 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 3: In Germany, there was a shop across the street from 130 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 3: the hotel that we lived where they would make soups 131 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 3: for us every day, but. 132 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 2: Most people don't just want soup. Eventually there was a mutiny. 133 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 3: In particular our key grip Sanjay Sammy said you can't 134 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 3: push a dolly all day and just only eat a 135 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 3: thin soup. We started bringing sanch his own steaks and things. 136 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 3: But the thing we do also is when we finish 137 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 3: the shooting for the day, we always have a dinner 138 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 3: with the whole cast and the department heads. 139 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 2: That group. 140 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 3: We all live together in a small hotel usually, and 141 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 3: we have our own little dinner room and cook We 142 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 3: always have great dinners at the end of the day. 143 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 3: Almost invariably, everybody who's working in the cast and in 144 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 3: those departments is there for dinner. Our costume designer usually 145 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 3: shows up very late, sometimes close to midnight, but we 146 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 3: keep a plate for her and usually a plate for 147 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 3: the extremely large team of helpers who roll in. It 148 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 3: just reinforces how dedicated she is because she works into 149 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 3: the late out. You know, I've done a lot of 150 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 3: work in restaurants over the years with no Ah boundback 151 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 3: and we wrote a movie in Barpeiti in New York. 152 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 3: We were there for probably six hours a day for 153 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 3: a year, and we still go there of course in 154 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 3: New York. 155 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 2: That's our canteen. 156 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 3: Ruthie am I allowed to turn the tables for a 157 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 3: moment in this podcast and ask about Well, I've always 158 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 3: loved the history of the River Cafe, you know, I've 159 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 3: looked at the plans that show how it grew over 160 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,119 Speaker 3: the years from a little room which was a canteen 161 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 3: for Richard's firm, for Rogers, Sirk and Harbor. 162 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 2: Was it always called? 163 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: Was it? 164 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 2: Were those partners all there in the beginning? 165 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 3: Can I asked you to tell a bit about the 166 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 3: beginning of the River Cafe and what it was like 167 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 3: and who started coming there and was it only at 168 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 3: lunch at first? It reminds me of the commissaries of 169 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 3: the old studios, which used to be such busy places. 170 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 3: And I remember when Owen Wilson and I first went 171 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 3: to Los Angeles to go to work. Essentially we our 172 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 3: producers James L. Brooks and Polyplatt. They had their offices 173 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 3: were in the Sydney Poitier. 174 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 2: Building on the Columbia Lot, which was in Culver City. 175 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 3: And it was the which had been the MGM lot, 176 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 3: and the Commissary was still a busy place. I mean 177 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 3: there were sort of two, but I don't know how 178 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 3: much people use those anymore or if they're even there, 179 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 3: but they were play you know, when I'm. 180 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:50,319 Speaker 2: Doing a movie. 181 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 3: When I'm working on a movie, I try to have 182 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 3: the lunch be briefest experience it possibly can be. 183 00:10:57,720 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 2: We do it on the set. 184 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 3: We bring to tables onto the set itself, and the 185 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 3: people who are working on the set just have a 186 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 3: fifteen minutes or something like that. That's that's the way I. 187 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 2: Like to do it. 188 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 3: But I love to have a So I like the 189 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 3: idea of having the canteen right there in the workplace, 190 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 3: but then to have a canteen that grows into the 191 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 3: river cafe. 192 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 2: That's an unusual story. 193 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 3: Can I ask some nostalgic recollection of the beginnings of 194 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 3: it and the evolution of it? 195 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: Or I wes s it's Ruthie. I'm sitting here looking 196 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: at Santa Margharita. I'm watching you were here. It seems 197 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: wherever I go on holiday wish you were there, and 198 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: I can understand why. So it's interesting your question, and 199 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: I'm really happy to turn the table. Have you turned 200 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: the table on me? When Richard finished the Pompadou after 201 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: six years of living in Paris, working in Paris creating 202 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: that building, the view going back to London was to 203 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: create kind of almost like you were describing a studio 204 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: community with open space, with common rooms and a place 205 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 1: to eat, whether it was a commissary or canteen, that 206 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: there would be a place where people could meet and 207 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: talk of food. Very often what we did in Paris 208 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: in a cafe or a bar on the way to 209 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: the office or the way back. And I think what 210 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: he did not want was to be just an office 211 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: in a large building and then everybody disappeared at midday 212 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 1: and came back to work. So I think when they 213 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: found the warehouses on the Thames, it was completely ideal 214 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 1: because it wasn't out of the center, it was on 215 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:50,319 Speaker 1: the river. It had the possibility of a green space. 216 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,719 Speaker 1: He actually tore down a building that blocked the view 217 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: of the river and made that into a communal garden. 218 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: Because it was quite large, there were spaces taken by 219 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: other architectural firms. There was a space taken by a 220 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: set designer, there was one taken by a framer, and 221 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: so everybody was there doing different kind of creative things, 222 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: and then the challenge was where to eat, what to 223 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: do with that space. And I can remember very few 224 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 1: decisions or decisions I think that you can actually remember 225 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: being made in your life. But I do remember that 226 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: we were on a ski holiday in Switzerland and Richard 227 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: had sent out the office had sent out all sorts 228 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: of applications for people who might want to open a 229 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: restaurant or cafe, a canteen in the Thames Wharf. And 230 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: I turned to Richard and I said, you know, the 231 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 1: only thing worse not having a place to meet and 232 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: to eat, but to be have something mediocre. Maybe I'll 233 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: do it. And i'd come back from Paris. We had 234 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: just had bo who was by that time for where 235 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 1: as you know, was sort of fifteen with Jaman at 236 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: the American School, and so that's kind of how we 237 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: started the River Cafe. Rose and I knew that Rose 238 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: had worked with the McNally's in New York and she 239 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: was back in London really wanting to cook. And you know, 240 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: I was a domestic cook, so I knew nothing about 241 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: working in restaurants, but I always say also that restrictions 242 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: are sometimes the best things you can have, and we 243 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: definitely had restrictions. We had a very small space, we 244 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: had a very low budget of what we could create, 245 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: and we also had the council, which for some reason 246 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: really was against having anything in a residential area, so 247 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: they only allowed us to open to the people who 248 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: worked in the warehouses, and only at lunch. But then 249 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: as words spread that this was going on, that there 250 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: was a place in Hammersmith where you could go and 251 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: have aposta or a sandwich or Italian ingredients, that we 252 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: were starting to get Feimashler, in her first review of 253 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 1: The River Cafe wrote in The Evening Standard, I'm going 254 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: to tell you about a restaurant you cannot go to. 255 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: And of course it was a big struggle for us 256 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: because it was very hard to make money. We were 257 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: competing not against other restaurants or cafes, but against the 258 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: sandwich girl who would bring sandwiches on her bicycle. So really, 259 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: like your idea of the commissary in a film or 260 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: working in a film and having tables brought in was 261 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: exactly what Richard wanted to have a place where people 262 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: could work, eat, go over for a coffee talk about 263 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: a drawing. That's why we had the paper tablecloths, and 264 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: we still do, so that the architects could draw while 265 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: they sat there. We also wanted to be much more 266 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: cafe can to me, because if we had linen tablecloss 267 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: or no table class, it wouldn't be right. And in fact, 268 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: not long ago, the Michelin people came in and said, 269 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: you know, we could give you a second star, but 270 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: you've got to lose the paper. That is something we'd 271 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: rather have than a star. 272 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 3: I think that it's best to have paper tablecloths, not 273 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 3: just on every table everywhere, but on every surface everywhere, 274 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 3: because you never know, something always comes out of the 275 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 3: fact if you have a paper tablecloth and a pen, 276 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 3: this is always a great combination. Everybody's going to do something. 277 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 3: So here's me pretending we're having the conversation again. Well, 278 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 3: I live partly in Paris, and when we're in England, 279 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 3: where we partly live, we eat at home every night, 280 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 3: and when we're in Paris we go out to dinner 281 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 3: every night. 282 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 2: When I was first. 283 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 3: Kind of living in Paris or spending more time in Paris, 284 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 3: Juman and I, Juman, my wife, we used to try 285 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 3: new restaurants continuously and then over the years. The thing 286 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 3: I is my favorite kind of restaurant is a restaurant 287 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 3: where I've already been a restaurant where I know the place. 288 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 3: I I sort of know where I would like to 289 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 3: sit and what I want to order already. And in France, 290 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 3: I think it if you're a foreigner, it helps if 291 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 3: you're a familiar face in the restaurant, if you've been 292 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 3: there thirty times, that's a good way to. 293 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 2: Establish yourself there. 294 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 3: I will say in France, I have a tendency to 295 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 3: eat the now I wouldn't call them the healthiest dishes, 296 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 3: the confie of duck and quite a few lamb chops 297 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 3: and more pigeon. 298 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 2: You asked about bar Luce and Milan. 299 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 3: Well, you know, we made this sort of restaurant bar 300 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 3: bar Lucca in Milan. It's what Mutual Product wanted, something 301 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 3: like a kind of classic spot. 302 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 2: And the sandwiches are very good. They make extremely. 303 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 3: Good cocktails and things, and lots of sweets and things 304 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,479 Speaker 3: like that gelato. I guess I was trying to make 305 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 3: a place, try to draw on different places we love, 306 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 3: like a bit of Nino in Rome and a bit 307 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 3: of a place called New York burgher town. That's on 308 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 3: what is it forty third Street, fifty I can't even 309 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 3: remember where it is. Near Saint Piez. Is that the cathedral? Gosh, 310 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:19,959 Speaker 3: I can't remember where it is. They have these if 311 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 3: it's still there. They have these tables where you sit 312 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 3: more like desks with little arms to the tables, wondering 313 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 3: if there one is the one to mention in Paris 314 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 3: or Rome. In Rome, we like to go to Nino, 315 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 3: we like to go to Tulio, we like to go 316 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 3: to Pure Luigi. But maybe our other favorite place to 317 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 3: go eat in the world is Tokyo. Every now and 318 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 3: then we find ourselves in Japan and there as careful 319 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:54,680 Speaker 3: and interesting and inventive and perfectionist with with their cooking 320 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 3: as anyone in the world. Maybe I guess on some 321 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 3: level it's the Japanese food and the Italian food that 322 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 3: leads the way these days. I particularly love Japanese food. 323 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 3: But you know an interesting thing. The last time we 324 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 3: were in Japan, we were there for a couple of 325 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 3: weeks probably, and at the end of our stay, our 326 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 3: friend Con had been trying to convince us to go 327 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 3: to this Italian restaurant, and I was I don't want 328 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:31,720 Speaker 3: to go to Italian restaurant Signal Inoteca. The chef was 329 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 3: called Toshiji Tomori. Well, anyway, finally the last night we 330 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,639 Speaker 3: were there, we just went with going to the Italian place. Well, 331 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:44,360 Speaker 3: you would be very impressed because it would be one 332 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 3: of the better ones outside of Italy and the River Cafe. 333 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 3: I'll act like you asked about when we went on 334 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 3: the boat. Yes, we went on the Queen Mary too, 335 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 3: and we had a group with us Jason Schwarzman and 336 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 3: Roman and Roman's wife Jenny, and Tilda Swinton, Sandro cop 337 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 3: and me and my wife Juman and we really all 338 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,439 Speaker 3: had a great time. I mean when the boat arrived 339 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:16,959 Speaker 3: from New York to England, we tried to convince them 340 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 3: to let us sail on to Germany, but they had 341 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: to bump us out of our rooms. And we showed 342 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 3: our movies and things and did little talks during the journey. 343 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 3: One of the great things was we had this room 344 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 3: and it was on the opposite end of the boat 345 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,360 Speaker 3: from the kitchens. I mean there are probably many kitchens 346 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 3: on there, but we often arranged to have a curry 347 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 3: dinner that we watched them roll the cart down a 348 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:49,399 Speaker 3: corridor that's probably about a kilometer long, and it was 349 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 3: very good. 350 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:58,479 Speaker 2: We had very good dinners on that boat, all right. 351 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 1: So Wes Anderson, there was Wessa Anderson, Michael Caine, and 352 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: Jake John who are our first three podcasts, and when 353 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: we didn't really know what we were doing with thought 354 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: we might be just doing a recipe. So we asked 355 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,400 Speaker 1: Wes to choose a recipe, and he chose a recipe 356 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 1: from the Blue Book, which was published in nineteen ninety four, 357 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: soon to be thirty years old. And it has canty classico, 358 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 1: it's stuff with codaquino, and it's a breast pigeon, which, 359 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 1: coming up to Christmas is very christmasy. It's a bit 360 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: like the Blito misto using the kurdaquino kanti. What do 361 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: you think about that? 362 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 4: It's one of those dishes that people who have worked 363 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 4: in the River Cafe a long time ago come back 364 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 4: and eat and they're like, it's like the menu was 365 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 4: very from when I was here before, because it's one 366 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 4: of those dishes. It's timeless. It's a timeless dish, isn't it. 367 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 4: I remember when I learned to cook pigeon when I 368 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 4: was a young chef heir and how you guys would 369 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 4: would say, don't cook it, like if we're in rules 370 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 4: or a gentleman's dining club. It's not got to be 371 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 4: served so pink that it's ripping off the bone. It 372 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 4: can be cooked more like an a rosta misto and 373 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:11,160 Speaker 4: cooked so it's so it's maybe cooked a bit slower, 374 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 4: but so you can eat the whole. Yeah, pigeon. And 375 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 4: you know, Riches would literally the whole pigeon. 376 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,719 Speaker 1: You see him cutting off the legs and picking them up. 377 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: It's a great bird to have when we don't have 378 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: the game season, so when we don't have grouse or partridge, pheasant, 379 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: and then we can have pigeon, you know, all through 380 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: the other seasons. Now yeah, I mean as as an animal, 381 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: I might offend people, but I really have a real 382 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: version to pigeons. 383 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 4: Generally, maybe the Brits like the thought of eating them 384 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,199 Speaker 4: rather than have a sere. 385 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: I was trying to Danny about it, and he was saying, 386 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 1: you know, pigeon in a way, it's so rich. I 387 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: kind of can also almost taste like fois gras. 388 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's one of the ingredients that we can be 389 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 4: flamboyant with. I feel you can put things with it 390 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 4: that you think that I can do a really decadent 391 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 4: dish with this pigeon. Often you can put things like lardo, 392 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 4: fresh chestnuts, cook it in vincanto if you want to 393 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 4: be really swanky, and you can really change the dish 394 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 4: by just altering even the wine. 395 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I like doing it, so, especially when we do 396 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 1: velshin and red wine and you're thinking of using so 397 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: much red wine, and then you think about what we 398 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,879 Speaker 1: can use as a white wine, as you say, vincenta 399 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:28,160 Speaker 1: white wine. 400 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 4: But we do them on bread that we can do 401 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 4: them with briscatta, with cavaloneio. It's quite versatile ingredient. 402 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. And you can do them in the summer with 403 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: peas locally. 404 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 4: Yeah. Oh that's very nice and viols. 405 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. And so I think the recipe that he chose 406 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: it's a bit eccentric, and the way he reads it 407 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: is eccentric, but it's good. Well, let's hear what else 408 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 1: has to say about his memories of food growing up, 409 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: cooking and eating. 410 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 3: Can you describe a typical meal when you were a child? 411 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:58,360 Speaker 3: What was the food? Who cooked it? Can you paint 412 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,919 Speaker 3: a picture of a family meal. Well, when my parents 413 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 3: were together, I think it was more of a communal 414 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 3: type family meal. But most of my childhood my mother 415 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 3: was studying. After my parents had split, my mother decided 416 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 3: she would like to be an archaeologist. For ten years, 417 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 3: she was working on studying for her masters than her PhD. 418 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 3: And she did all this she was taking care of 419 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 3: three boys all the time. It was a little more 420 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 3: thrown together, and she was juggling a lot of things. 421 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 3: Wes As a young boy, what is your earliest food memory. 422 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,679 Speaker 3: I was known as the one who liked hamburgers. My 423 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 3: older brother was known as the one who liked hot dogs. 424 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:46,680 Speaker 3: I was Ernie, he was Burt. I drove the police car. 425 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:48,479 Speaker 2: He did the radio. 426 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,439 Speaker 3: I think for most things, anytime there was there were 427 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 3: there were two options. 428 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 2: We always shared that we did. We never competed for 429 00:24:57,800 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 2: the options. 430 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 3: We identified different ones, and that became part of our ritual. 431 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 2: There was nothing typical. 432 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 3: Every night was a different venue and a different situation, 433 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:16,160 Speaker 3: and I think possibly over the years this may lead 434 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 3: to why I've always liked to eat in restaurants. In fact, 435 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 3: I tend to if I'm not working on a film, 436 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 3: I tend to work at home and until the thing 437 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,399 Speaker 3: I do is to go out to dinner. That's the 438 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 3: main often I haven't left my residence until dinner. Now 439 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 3: you mentioned food in high school, Well, I went to 440 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 3: high schools. 441 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 2: First, a public high school. 442 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 3: There was a cafeteria in lunch, but I think I 443 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 3: brought my lunch in a sack, and I don't really 444 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:48,159 Speaker 3: remember much. But then I went to another school, the 445 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 3: school where we made Rushmore, and that school had a 446 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:55,200 Speaker 3: system that was a little more It wasn't like a. 447 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 2: Public school system. 448 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 3: It was a thing where they run you a tab 449 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 3: and they send the bill to your parents. There was 450 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,479 Speaker 3: much more freedom in what you could eat. It was 451 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 3: more like having a kind of canteen on the school campus, 452 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 3: which was new for me. But the food was not 453 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 3: memorable in either location really, although I was I don't 454 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 3: know if i'd even heard of bagels before going to 455 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 3: this school, and bagels did not become a huge part 456 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 3: of my life. But I guess I started to see 457 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 3: there was a lot out there that I didn't know 458 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 3: about in terms of things to eat. When did you 459 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 3: first meet Ruthie rough day place talking? 460 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 2: But do you remember what the event was? What you ate? 461 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:42,879 Speaker 3: Who else was there any colored to bring it to 462 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 3: life some storytelling. Well, you know, I first met Ruthie 463 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 3: in Italy. 464 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 2: I had met Ru already. 465 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 3: Rue is Juman's middle school friend and then life's long 466 00:26:55,800 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 3: friend since then, so I considered myself as of late arrival. Nevertheless, 467 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 3: I just insert myself into both families. We rented a 468 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,439 Speaker 3: house in Tuscany, which we thought was in the middle 469 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 3: of a vast empty countryside surrounded by vineyards, but it 470 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 3: was actually surrounded by several other houses connected to it, 471 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 3: all filled with families and busy. And then slowly we 472 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 3: began to hear a lot of noises and we realized 473 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 3: we weren't in an isolated place at all. 474 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 2: Then we got a call. 475 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 3: From Rue to go where they were, and we went 476 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,199 Speaker 3: down to your house, Ruthie, to where you were staying, 477 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 3: where you often have stayed and for many years, and 478 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 3: it was much better. We were much happier there. The 479 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:45,439 Speaker 3: people were very interesting and wonderful, and the food was 480 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,880 Speaker 3: wildly improved over what we were eating where we were. 481 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 3: And along with all that, while I met you, and 482 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,119 Speaker 3: also while who happened to be there at the time 483 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 3: was Rape Fines who I had met before, but who 484 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 3: on this occasion was preparing the earliest stages of his 485 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 3: adaptation of Coreolanis, and he showed me a little clip 486 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 3: he had made, but he also played. 487 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 2: I asked how. 488 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 3: He was going to do a certain speech, and he 489 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 3: did it for me in close quarters. He in fact, 490 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:25,679 Speaker 3: just a few inches away from me, and it was 491 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 3: extremely powerful. And in that moment I had the thought 492 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 3: that I particularly wanted to write a movie for Raife 493 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,239 Speaker 3: and my friend Hugo and I set to work on 494 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 3: that shortly there after, and we actually did the movie, 495 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 3: and Reefe actually played the part. 496 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 2: In some of your. 497 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 3: Films, you have starts, Lennon Waiter's got some phrases drinks 498 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 3: beautiful present as well. You know, that's a question about 499 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 3: food in relation to my own movies I've made, and 500 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 3: I can say two of them. One is in the 501 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 3: Grand Budapest Hotel. There's a dinner during which the whole 502 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 3: story of the movie is kind of told. And I've 503 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 3: always loved an old menu. I like seeing first what 504 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 3: they used to eat and what they have involved, what 505 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 3: we don't eat that people used to eat, how the 506 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 3: preparations and things have evolved, and as we know, often 507 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 3: a dinner in a luxurious restaurant used to involve many, many. 508 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 2: Courses and a lot more food. 509 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 3: And you know, I've always aj Leebling wrote about food 510 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 3: in a way. I have always that I think he's 511 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 3: the funniest writer about food. And we use some of 512 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 3: that in another movie, The French Dispatch, and that when 513 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 3: we do have a tray of drinks which shows everything 514 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 3: from the appartif that you would have three o'clock in 515 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 3: the afternoon to the strongest d just tief at the 516 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 3: very end of the night, all spinning on one round tray. 517 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 2: I mean we made our own versions of each. 518 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 3: I guess I think it will also in French this 519 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 3: but we have a cook, and we tell the whole 520 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 3: story of a cook, and we have some peculiar dishes 521 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 3: that he makes. In fact, pigeon I think we call 522 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 3: it a city park pigeon hash. His food is meant 523 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 3: to be specialized in a food for police working on locations, 524 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 3: on stakeouts and things like that, so it has some 525 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 3: special characteristics that make it more suited to that. So 526 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 3: that I've come to the end of the questions, Wes. 527 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: It's a few weeks later and we are almost done. 528 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: I'm in the edit with Willem and you've done a 529 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: brilliant podcast. I have to say it's ready to go. 530 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: But there is one question that I need to ask you, 531 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 1: because that's what I do for every single person who's 532 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 1: on the podcast, and that is what Wes Anderson is 533 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 1: your for. 534 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 3: Food, Ruthie, I'm answering your last message. 535 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 2: It now it's some weeks later. 536 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 3: I always liked the Italian hamburger, the ash dimonzo with 537 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 3: butter and sage. Sometimes that is one of my favorites, 538 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:24,360 Speaker 3: which you sometimes see on the menu here or there. 539 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 3: I would recommend it if somebody crosses paths with it. 540 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 3: Thank you, Ruthie, thank you for listening. 541 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 1: We're going to be back next week with another great guest. 542 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:42,719 Speaker 1: And meanwhile, we're here if you want to contact us, 543 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: if you have ideas, if you have thoughts, please let 544 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 1: us know. 545 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 2: Ruthie's Table Floor is produced by Atami Studios for iHeartRadio. 546 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 2: It's hosted by Ruthie Rodgers. It's produced by William Lenski. 547 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 3: Our executive producers are Zad Rodgers and Fay Stuart. 548 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:02,480 Speaker 2: Our production manager is Caitline Paramore. This episode has additional 549 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 2: contributions by Jean Renaul. Special thanks to everyone at the 550 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:06,680 Speaker 2: River Cafe.