Carole Bamford Interviews Ruth Rogers
‘Ruth Rogers is owner of the Michelin starred Italian restaurant The River Café in Hammersmith – here she shares her love of food and her experience as a female in the restaurant business.’
WHERE DOES YOUR PASSION FOR FOOD AND COOKING STEM FROM?
I grew up in a house in upstate New York and, while the food wasn’t fancy, it was always good quality and full of flavour. We ate seasonally and my parents bought vegetables that had been grown locally. My grandmother is Hungarian and so I learned a lot about cooking from her, but it was when I met my husband Richard, whose family is Italian, that my passion for food and cooking really began to grow and develop.
YOU’VE BEEN A CHAMPION OF EATING SEASONALLY AND SOURCING AS LOCALLY AS POSSIBLE SINCE YOU AND ROSE OPENED THE RIVER CAFÉ – WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO YOU TO COOK AND EAT THIS WAY?
Firstly, it simply tastes better. Anything that’s been picked as recently as possible – from your garden or from a local farmer – is of course going to taste better than something that’s been stored and flown halfway around the world. Raspberries that have been flown into the UK from New Zealand are as jet-lagged as we would be so they won’t be tasting fresh. And, of course, there is the sustainability element; it’s far more ecological to source produce as near to your home or restaurant as you can.
AT DAYLESFORD OUR MARKET GARDEN IS THE BEATING HEART OF OUR FARM AND DRIVES SO MUCH OF WHAT WE DO. FOR ME, THAT PROXIMITY TO INGREDIENTS IS VITAL, BOTH AS INSPIRATION FOR OUR CHEFS AND SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT GOES INTO PRODUCING THEM. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR OWN CHEFS TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THEIR INGREDIENTS?
We also have our own garden which reflects the seasons and allows the chefs at THE RIVER CAFÉ to be in close contact with the ingredients we use and are interested in – we’ve even managed to grow our own borlotti beans in Hammersmith. They learn to understand the seasons and the excitement of each new ingredient’s arrival. But they’re also the first to look at the produce that we source at the market in Milan; they then compile the day’s menu from it. It’s all about being resourceful and thinking about how to combine what they’ve been given.
WHAT PRODUCE ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT WORKING WITH AS WE COME INTO WINTER?
Porcini and white truffles in October and November are very special; then there’s the wonderful cicoria (chicory) which we’ll use in a winter salad with other Italian greens like puntarelle. And olive oil is the most exciting ingredient of all; there will be the new season’s oil. We have our own branded bottles at the River Café that we source from 3–4 producers in Tuscany and we’ll do tasting trips to try them.
AND WHICH INGREDIENTS DO YOU CONSIDER STAPLES – THE THINGS YOU ALWAYS HAVE IN YOUR CUPBOARDS OR FRIDGE?
Tins of salted anchovies, dried chillies, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, beans (both fresh and dried), polenta, pasta and risotto rice.
ITALY’S CUISINE VARIES ENORMOUSLY ACROSS ITS REGIONS – IS THERE A PARTICULAR REGION YOU’RE DRAWN TOWARDS OR A DISH YOU PARTICULARLY LOVE?
The River Cafe opened in 1987 and at the beginning there was a very Tuscan influence – Richard’s family are from Tuscany and I fell in love with its food; Rose had also lived there. So at the start we had a lot of traditional thick soups like ribollita and salads made with tomatoes and stale bread, but that’s evolved and now we cover all the Italian regions.
YOUR PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO A GRUELLING SCHEDULE AND DEMANDING JOB ARE QUALITIES I ADMIRE ENORMOUSLY – WHAT DO YOU DO TO MAINTAIN BALANCE AND SWITCH OFF FROM THE DEMANDS OF YOUR WORK LIFE?
Firstly, I think that everyone works hard – the schedule and demands on a chef are not necessarily any greater than in other professions. We all take time out to sit down to lunch together and as the owner, it’s about the atmosphere I create – I want to have an environment that isn’t stressful; for people to really love coming to work. But in terms of how I take time out, I have a large family so I love spending time with my children and grandchildren. I’m quite sporty and Richard and I love tennis and skiing; we travel, and I’ve also just started piano lessons.
THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY IS A NOTORIOUSLY TOUGH ONE FOR WOMEN, BUT I KNOW FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL HURDLES THAT COME WITH RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS AS A FEMALE. DP YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR WOMEN THINKING ABOUT STARTING UP A BUSINESS IN THE FOOD OR RESTAURANT INDUSTRY?
Times are definitely changing in that respect, but it’s up to us to continue to insist change happens: to be demanding about being treated with respect and equality. We need to be active and not accept inappropriate behaviour – whether that’s a bank manager denying you a loan because you’re a woman or customers being rude to you. What helped me was starting small and growing the business slowly. When we opened the River Cafe it was tiny – we had six tables, and we’ve let that grow and evolve very naturally. It’s allowed us to keep tight control.