Ruthie's Table 4

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For nearly forty years, The River Cafe in London has been a home-from-home for artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists and politicians. It is also the home of its co-founder, Ruthie Rogers — restaurateur, cookbook author, podcast host and one of the most influential figures in British food.

On Ruthie’s Table 4, Ruthie invites her guests — many of them friends and longtime restaurant regulars — to The River Cafe for a journey through food and memory.

In each episode, Ruthie uses the lens of food to unlock stories and personal histories from an extraordinary range of guests, including Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Michael Caine, Dame Tracey Emin, Sir Elton John, Kamala Harris, David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, Sir Ian McKellen, Greta Gerwig, Gordon Brown, Tina Fey, Dame Judi Dench, Yotam Ottolenghi, Wyclef Jean, Mel Brooks, Al Gore, Nancy Pelosi, Jony Ive, Sarah Jessica Parker and many others.

As part of their visit, each guest is invited to choose and read a River Cafe recipe. In a weekly bonus episode, Ruthie and her executive chefs unpack the recipe — exploring its ingredients and origins, sharing the secrets of how they make it at the world-famous restaurant, and offering advice for listeners cooking it at home.

So take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation.

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30 episodes
weekly
Avg 26 min
English

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Monday · 32 min
From the Archive: Gary Lineker on Goals, Gnocchi, and Refusing to Stay Silent
This week, we’re looking back at Gary Lineker’s visit to The River Cafe. Over the table, we travelled from his childhood in Leicester and the food of his mother’s kitchen to the football pitches of Barcelona. We talked about fame, family, and the importance of speaking out for refugees and compassion. Gary made potato gnocchi with tomato sauce alongside our chef Joseph Trivelli, and revealed his love of cottage pie. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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October 5 · 33 min
From the Archive: Cate Blanchett on growing her own food, multiculturalism, and a disastrous Christmas dinner
This week, we’re looking back to the summer morning we shared with Cate Blanchett, who joined me at The River Cafe after her run in Thomas Ostermeier’s The Seagull. We talked about the pleasures of touring a play, growing up between American and Australian food traditions, silent meals after losing her father, teenage dinner parties inspired by a Salvador Dalí cookbook, the joys of growing food, and her love of sake. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 28 · 43 min
From the Archives: Sarah Jessica Parker on the importance of food in Sex and the City, cooking with her husband, and pork chops.
This week, we’re revisiting our live episode with Sarah Jessica Parker. And what a guest she was. Sarah has always had a deep love of food, so we had plenty to talk about: from the role of food in Sex and the City, where so many memorable conversations unfolded around a meal, to growing up as one of eight children and cooking every night with Matthew Broderick. She cooked puntarelle in the kitchen with Sian Wyn Owen, took questions from our audience, shared her thoughts on airplane food, revealed her perfect pork chops, and her devotion to Burford eggs. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 21 · 34 min
From the Archive: Benedict Cumberbatch on Living with Wes Anderson, Imitating Ruthie & ‘Daddy Pancakes’
During our between-season break, we’re revisiting some of our favourite conversations from the Ruthie’s Table 4 archive. This week, we're looking back to when Benedict Cumberbatch joined me at The River Cafe to talk about Negronis with Wes Anderson, growing up in a theatrical family, body transformations, and cooking for his children. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com Credits Presented by Ruthie Rogers: instagram.com/ruthierogers Production Manager: Bella Salini YouTube Editor: Andrew Tsang Producers: Alex Bell & Robbie Hamilton Editors: Alex Bell and Julia Johnson Executive Producers: Ruthie Rogers, Zad Rogers Recorded at: River Café: https://www.rivercafe.co.uk/ Ruthie’s Table 4 is an Atomized Studios production: https://www.atomizedstudios.tv/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 15 · 49 min
From the Archive: Zoe Saldaña on Growing Up in Queens, Family Recipes & Why NYC Has the Best Pizza
As we look forward to Series 6 in October, we’re revisiting some of our favourite episodes of Ruthie’s Table 4. Zoe Saldaña was a force from the moment she entered the restaurant back in 2025. She told us stories about her grandmother’s coconut desserts, how her family dances through life, and what it was like growing up in Queens. We talked about Caribbean soups, Dominican cooking and New York pizza — and by the end of the episode, we were all ready to eat. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com Recorded at: River Café: https://www.rivercafe.co.uk/ Ruthie’s Table 4 is an Atomized Studios production: https://www.atomizedstudios.tv/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E46
September 7 · 21 min
How Food Shapes Our Work… Gayle King, Mark Ronson, Graham Norton, Emerald Fennell, and Patrick Radden Keefe.
Whether in film, music, books or television, food can be a source of inspiration or integral to the way we work. In this special compilation episode of Ruthie's Table 4, we're talking about the shared ingredients of what we do, with Gayle King, Mark Ronson, Graham Norton, Emerald Fennell – the director of Wuthering Heights, and Patrick Radden Keefe – the author of London Falling. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com Credits Presented by Ruthie Rogers: instagram.com/ruthierogers Production Manager: Bella Salini YouTube Editor: Andrew Tsang Producers: Alex Bell & Robbie Hamilton Editors: Alex Bell and Julia Johnson Executive Producers: Ruthie Rogers, Zad Rogers Recorded at: River Café: https://www.rivercafe.co.uk/ Ruthie’s Table 4 is an Atomized Studios production: https://www.atomizedstudios.tv/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E45
August 31 · 27 min
Where Food Meets Politics… Jacinda Ardern, Andrew Jarecki, Erin Lyall, Hilton Als, Annie Leibovitz, Kamala Harris
I've always thought we judge a culture by the way we feed our poor, our sick and our prisoners. In this special compilation episode of Ruthie's Table 4, we're talking about food and politics, in conversation with Jacinda Ardern, documentary filmmaker Andrew Jarecki, CBS conflict producer Erin Lyall, writer and critic Hilton Als, Annie Leibovitz, and Kamala Harris. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com Credits Presented by Ruthie Rogers: instagram.com/ruthierogers Production Manager: Bella Salini YouTube Editor: Andrew Tsang Producers: Alex Bell & Robbie Hamilton Editors: Alex Bell and Julia Johnson Executive Producers: Ruthie Rogers, Zad Rogers Recorded at: River Café: https://www.rivercafe.co.uk/ Ruthie’s Table 4 is an Atomized Studios production: https://www.atomizedstudios.tv/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E44
August 24 · 24 min
Why Restaurants Matter… Jamie Oliver, Piers Morgan, Marina Hyde & Richard Osman, Tracey Emin & Dara Khosrowshahi
It may come as no surprise that I have a special interest in restaurants. The River Café is where I work, where I record this podcast, and where I spend so much of my life. In this special compilation episode of Ruthie’s Table 4, we’re talking about restaurants—how to run them and why they matter—with stories and memories from Piers Morgan, Jamie Oliver, Marina Hyde and Richard Osman, Tracey Emin, and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com Credits Presented by Ruthie Rogers: instagram.com/ruthierogers Production Manager: Bella Salini YouTube Editor: Andrew Tsang Producers: Alex Bell & Robbie Hamilton Editors: Alex Bell and Julia Johnson Executive Producers: Ruthie Rogers, Zad Rogers Recorded at: River Café: https://www.rivercafe.co.uk/ Ruthie’s Table 4 is an Atomized Studios production: https://www.atomizedstudios.tv/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E43
August 17 · 16 min
The Food That Shaped Us… Kamala Harris, Sadiq Khan, Ab Rogers, Marina Hyde and Richard Osman, and Rashida Jones.
Childhood kitchens, our parents' cooking—the food we eat when we're young stays with us for life. This special compilation of Ruthie's Table 4 celebrates food and childhood, featuring memories from Kamala Harris, Mayor Sadiq Khan, architect Ab Rogers, Marina Hyde and Richard Osman, and Rashida Jones. Hit FOLLOW to make sure you never miss an episode, and join the Ruthie’s Table 4 community on social. ⁠Instagram: instagram.com/ruthiestable4 TikTok: tiktok.com/@ruthiestable4 YouTube: youtube.com/@RuthiesTable4Pod Shop River Café Books and more… www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk Contact us: ⁠Ruthiestable4pod@gmail.com Credits Presented by Ruthie Rogers: instagram.com/ruthierogers Production Manager: Bella Salini YouTube Editor: Andrew Tsang Producers: Alex Bell & Robbie Hamilton Editors: Alex Bell and Julia Johnson Executive Producers: Ruthie Rogers, Zad Rogers Recorded at: River Café: https://www.rivercafe.co.uk/ Ruthie’s Table 4 is an Atomized Studios production: https://www.atomizedstudios.tv/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E42
August 10 · 40 min
If You Can't Take the Heat… How Does a Restaurant Handle a Roasting Summer?
As a farewell to series 5, I'm joined by Sian Wyn Owen to take you behind the scenes at The River Café during the recent heatwaves this summer—what we cooked and how we served. And Season 6 is on the way, starting off with the stars of Only Murders in the Building, Steve Martin and Martin Short, in an episode full of laughter, food memories, and banjo playing. See you in October! Order Table 4 at The River Cafe—the star-studded, food-filled book inspired by the beloved podcast: https://bit.ly/Table4AtRiverCafeBook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E41
August 3 · 20 min
Dorothée Boissier on Designing Restaurants, Paris, and Creative Partnership
Dorothée Boissier is an interior designer and co-founder of the Gilles & Boissier studio. Together with her husband, Patrick Gilles, she creates exquisite architecture and interiors around the world. Today, we're at Moncler's beautiful flagship store on the Champs-Élysées, designed by Dorothée and Patrick. We'll talk about Paris, food, their creative partnership, and the art of designing restaurants. Order Table 4 at The River Cafe—the star-studded, food-filled book inspired by the beloved podcast: https://bit.ly/Table4AtRiverCafeBook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E40
July 27 · 34 min
Clare Hornby, Founder and CEO of ME+EM
Good food and good clothes should do the same thing: make you feel instantly comfortable, confident, and completely at home. In this episode Ruthie sits down with Clare Hornby, the visionary entrepreneur founder and CEO of ME+EM. Clare has built the UK's fastest-growing luxury label by mastering "intelligent style" -creating crafted, functional wardrobes for women. Bound by a shared love for exceptional ingredients in food and fashion, Ruthie and Clare talk about friendship, building a business from scratch, the food memories that shape them, and much much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 23 · 19 min
Bonus: Michael Elias on his new book, Bender's LA
Ruthie speaks to her brother, screenwriter and author Michael Elias, about his latest novel, Bender's LA. In the coke-dusted canyons and deal-making rooms of 1970s Los Angeles, writer David Bender sets out to remake his life - romantically, professionally, and spiritually - after his wife walks out in Puerto Vallarta with a single sentence and a suitcase. Order a copy now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Benders-L-Michael-Elias/dp/B0GWC41TVM See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E39
July 20 · 21 min
In Conversation With Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist
Zanny Minton Beddoes and I have different professions, and different workplaces. As editor-in-chief of The Economist, hers is in the newsroom mine is the kitchen. But we have much in common, sharing a message of honesty - me with ingredients, Zanny with words. And we both have time limits - in the case of this conversation, just 20 minutes which we recorded live onstage at the Google Zeitgeist conference. In this brief time, we explored her work and life through the lens of food. And what a life it is. Order Table 4 at The River Cafe—the star-studded, food-filled book inspired by the beloved podcast: https://bit.ly/Table4AtRiverCafeBook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 17 · 6 min
Bonus: Wine with Ab Rogers
Ab Rogers explains his fascination with wine and why he prefers grapes that have had to fight for their survival. Order Table 4 at The River Cafe—the star-studded, food-filled book inspired by the beloved podcast: https://bit.ly/Table4AtRiverCafeBook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E38
July 13 · 35 min
Ab Rogers, Designer
Ab Rogers is a visionary designer. He is also my stepson. For over 50 years, we’ve been side by side, taking adventures together. Today, we’re together in the River Cafe to share stories - memories of his father and my husband Richard Rogers - travels, families, work and food. We will also talk about five women who inspired the way he cooks, and the creative methods he uses to bring ingredients together, creating some of the most delicious food I’ve eaten in my life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 10 · 7 min
Bonus: Erin Lyall on Eating With Soldiers
Erin Lyall, a conflict producer for CBS News, reveals what it's like to eat with soldiers, how an army feeds itself, and how she personally recovers after the strain of working in a war zone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5 · E37
July 6 · 39 min
Erin Lyall, Conflict Producer For CBS News
As a conflict producer for CBS News, Erin Lyall has eaten with Ukrainian soldiers on the freezing front line, cooked with families in their homes in Gaza, and shared meals on the battlefields of Syria and Iraq with bullets sounding in the distance. From these experiences in the field, Erin created Food Under Fire, a unique food blog featuring recipes, anecdotes, and portraits of the people she's met on her journalistic travels. Today, we're together in the safety of the River Café to talk about how food can bring us together, both in war and in peace. Order Table 4 at The River Cafe—the star-studded, food-filled book inspired by the beloved podcast: https://bit.ly/Table4AtRiverCafeBook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 3 · 5 min
Bonus: Graham Norton on why you should work in a restaurant
Graham Norton reveals what he learned from working in restaurants, what he noticed about tricky customers, and why he would recommend the experience to everyone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 2 · 19 min
Mel Brooks Turns 100
This week marks a very special occasion. My friend, Mel Brooks, is turning 100. For the best part of a century, he has lit up the world with his warmth and humour, delighting audiences as a writer, director, actor and comedian. From The Producers and Blazing Saddles to Young Frankenstein, his unique talents have left an indelible mark on film, television and theatre. To celebrate Mel, we're going to revisit some of the best moments from his wonderful appearance on Ruthie's Table 4, back in 2023 - one of my favourite ever episodes. We talk about the food of his childhood in Brooklyn, keeping carp in the bathtub, eating in the army, his friendship with Cary Grant, his uncanny impression of a cat, and many more memories from one of the greatest storytellers of our time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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