I worked at the River Cafe in its early days (front of house), for Ruthie and Rose - they were an incredible team, their food astonishingly simple and good, as food made from only the very ingredients would be. She was generous employer, probably still is, inviting us to her house for parties and taking an active interest in us all. The River Cafe was an extraordinary and magical place then, launching so many careers and fostering a real love and understanding of good food. Having said all that I’ve listened to a couple of the podcasts and find them unbelievably dull. They seem to be simply about adding another famous person to the ‘family’, all smugly lovey love lovey - I have literally no idea wtf this is for!
Oh I leapt for joy when I saw the title of this article and rushed to read it! Why? because I've literally thought the same words as I listen to the podcast, as well as questions like 'is this podcast even for the likes of me?' 'who is it meant for?', as the idea of ever dining at the River Cafe seems to slip further and further out of reach of my very ordinary hands and even more ordinary life! I am somehow still very drawn to it but inevitably draw away once I've had my fill. 'Smug and delicious' just describe the podcast perfectly. I want to dislike it, but I will not. Loved reading this article.
I have never got this 'inclusive family' narrative that TRC pushes. It's wildly expensive and exclusionary. Maybe a cult, but not a family.
My one trip to the River Cafe, I was young (maybe 22?), on someone else's expenses, fresh in London and this belonging narrative... well, no.
I felt guilty about the prices even though i wasn't spending my money, and ordered something at the cheaper end of the scale. It was salmon. It wasn't really cooked, or warm. I had no idea if this was right or wrong, so I said to the waiter... "this is... kind of cold. Is it meant to be?" He looked down at me, paused, sighed, and said, '........it's served *a tiède* and strode off".
I knew tiède meant warm so could pretend to be reassured and poke around in confidence at my wet cold salmon with no carbs, but obv most people don't know that. He made me feel so inferior and stupid. I never went on principle after that, even when someone else with more money than sense and a corporate credit card suggested it. I don't think I could bear to listen to their podcast, even ironically.
I've never heard of this podcast so reserve judgment but I have a genuine question: are the eating habits of the ultra-rich all that interesting?
I suppose it is mildly entertaining to hear what people spend on ridiculous ingredients or the latest diets (or, on the flip side, to hear them insist they are just like everyone else). But personally I'm much more interested in how people who work long hours eat after their shift, or get creative with their recipes to make the money stretch further. But I will have to check out the podcast to be proved wrong!
> are the eating habits of the ultra-rich all that interesting?
Shhh, there's an entire industry built around obsessing about a very wide range celebrity habits. Who are you to deny the masses their opportunity to envy the fabulous?
Waiting for someone to start a podcast from the OTHER River Cafe, though I'm not sure where in the alphabet their list of celebrity guests would sit. (Also, the recipe recitation bit sounds like Gob saying 'spicy club sauce' to Liza Minelli on Arrested Development).
I couldn't fit it into the piece but interestingly, E Pellici have also recently started a podcast, which also has celeb guests and a section on the guest's "home comfort" dish... https://www.youtube.com/@downthecaff
I can't believe I was unaware of this podcast (well, actually I can, I'm not really a podcast person) but I'm sold! I love funny little projects like this with an unclear audience and, of course, the River Cafe.
I loved this post. It is so true that you want to hate it but it is also strangely and irresistibly compelling. One that was recorded outside The River Cafe was with Massimo Bottura to launch 'Slow Food, Fast Cars' at Reffetorio Felix. There is quite a retinue of tech people/camera people, not in the least a homespun chat as Ruthie likes to imply. It was extra amusing as Massimo barely let her get a word in edgeways. And, yep, the last time I ate at River Cafe was about 20 years ago as a treat from my former mother-in-law. I cook from their books sometimes, but the prices are off-the-scale, ludicrously so, even considering the most discerning quality of ingredients. Do I start a better foodie competitor?!
I worked at the River Cafe in its early days (front of house), for Ruthie and Rose - they were an incredible team, their food astonishingly simple and good, as food made from only the very ingredients would be. She was generous employer, probably still is, inviting us to her house for parties and taking an active interest in us all. The River Cafe was an extraordinary and magical place then, launching so many careers and fostering a real love and understanding of good food. Having said all that I’ve listened to a couple of the podcasts and find them unbelievably dull. They seem to be simply about adding another famous person to the ‘family’, all smugly lovey love lovey - I have literally no idea wtf this is for!
Oh I leapt for joy when I saw the title of this article and rushed to read it! Why? because I've literally thought the same words as I listen to the podcast, as well as questions like 'is this podcast even for the likes of me?' 'who is it meant for?', as the idea of ever dining at the River Cafe seems to slip further and further out of reach of my very ordinary hands and even more ordinary life! I am somehow still very drawn to it but inevitably draw away once I've had my fill. 'Smug and delicious' just describe the podcast perfectly. I want to dislike it, but I will not. Loved reading this article.
I have never got this 'inclusive family' narrative that TRC pushes. It's wildly expensive and exclusionary. Maybe a cult, but not a family.
My one trip to the River Cafe, I was young (maybe 22?), on someone else's expenses, fresh in London and this belonging narrative... well, no.
I felt guilty about the prices even though i wasn't spending my money, and ordered something at the cheaper end of the scale. It was salmon. It wasn't really cooked, or warm. I had no idea if this was right or wrong, so I said to the waiter... "this is... kind of cold. Is it meant to be?" He looked down at me, paused, sighed, and said, '........it's served *a tiède* and strode off".
I knew tiède meant warm so could pretend to be reassured and poke around in confidence at my wet cold salmon with no carbs, but obv most people don't know that. He made me feel so inferior and stupid. I never went on principle after that, even when someone else with more money than sense and a corporate credit card suggested it. I don't think I could bear to listen to their podcast, even ironically.
I've never heard of this podcast so reserve judgment but I have a genuine question: are the eating habits of the ultra-rich all that interesting?
I suppose it is mildly entertaining to hear what people spend on ridiculous ingredients or the latest diets (or, on the flip side, to hear them insist they are just like everyone else). But personally I'm much more interested in how people who work long hours eat after their shift, or get creative with their recipes to make the money stretch further. But I will have to check out the podcast to be proved wrong!
> are the eating habits of the ultra-rich all that interesting?
Shhh, there's an entire industry built around obsessing about a very wide range celebrity habits. Who are you to deny the masses their opportunity to envy the fabulous?
😉
I don’t know, this kind of sounds hateful. The bit about all the celebrities being best friends sounds nauseating as hell.
I love the River Cafe and I love Ruthie's podcast, so I guess the answer to the question "who the fuck is it for" is... people like me? :)
Waiting for someone to start a podcast from the OTHER River Cafe, though I'm not sure where in the alphabet their list of celebrity guests would sit. (Also, the recipe recitation bit sounds like Gob saying 'spicy club sauce' to Liza Minelli on Arrested Development).
I couldn't fit it into the piece but interestingly, E Pellici have also recently started a podcast, which also has celeb guests and a section on the guest's "home comfort" dish... https://www.youtube.com/@downthecaff
I can't believe I was unaware of this podcast (well, actually I can, I'm not really a podcast person) but I'm sold! I love funny little projects like this with an unclear audience and, of course, the River Cafe.
I loved this post. It is so true that you want to hate it but it is also strangely and irresistibly compelling. One that was recorded outside The River Cafe was with Massimo Bottura to launch 'Slow Food, Fast Cars' at Reffetorio Felix. There is quite a retinue of tech people/camera people, not in the least a homespun chat as Ruthie likes to imply. It was extra amusing as Massimo barely let her get a word in edgeways. And, yep, the last time I ate at River Cafe was about 20 years ago as a treat from my former mother-in-law. I cook from their books sometimes, but the prices are off-the-scale, ludicrously so, even considering the most discerning quality of ingredients. Do I start a better foodie competitor?!
Absolutely loved this - off to listen to all the episodes now...
Is there his where Jamie Oliver started?