Ruthie's Table 4
iHeartPodcasts
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home.
On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers.
Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks.
Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation.
For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/
Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/
Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers.
Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks.
Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation.
For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/
Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/
Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 28, 2025 • 25min
Mark Ronson
Mark is a musician, producer, DJ and now an author, with his memoir Night People: How to Be a DJ in 90s New York City, a moving account of his childhood and early days. He and Ruthie talk together about how DJ’ing a club night is like being a chef, how cooking a curry is like composing a track, how running a restaurant is like running a rave, and much much more. Ruthie’s Table 4, in collaboration with ME&EM - intelligent style for busy women.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 21, 2025 • 40min
From The Archive: Will Ferrell
When Will Ferrell said he'd be my guest on Ruthie's Table 4, I expected some laughs, some great stories, but not ‘Happy Birthday’ in Swedish. Everyone seems to love Will, whether they worked with him or, of course, watched him on screen in those classic comedies, Elf and Anchorman and many more. We do have a mutual friend, Saturday Night Live creator and producer Lorne Michaels, but we first met last spring when I was invited to a lunch. Now, walking into a lunch party late can be awkward—conversations stop, chairs are adjusted, introductions made. But there I was, seated next to Will and all was right with the world. He was here in London filming Barbie and I was just off to New York, but we promised to continue the conversation. And that’s what we’re doing today, on Table 4. Originally recorded in 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 13, 2025 • 35min
From The Archive: Adam Gopnik
Adam Gopnik is a brilliant mind. An acclaimed writer, essayist and commentator; he's authored nine books, and has written for The New Yorker for nearly forty years, to which he's contributed non-fiction, fiction, memoir and criticism. I've been lucky enough to share 34 years of friendship with Adam, and in that time, we've never stopped cooking, and sharing our passion for food. Today, we're talking about family, the world, and of course, eating. Originally recorded in 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 6, 2025 • 34min
From The Archive: Olivia Colman
I first met Olivia over food one night in The River Cafe, she was with Maggie Gyllenhaal and they had just wrapped filming for their movie The Lost Daughter in Greece. It is not an exaggeration to say they pretty much ordered everything on the menu. We immediately got into talking about feeding our kids, cooking, and inflicted distance from family when working. This was a conversation that could have lasted for hours, but I had to go back to the kitchen and she needed to finish her lemon pasta before it cooled down. Today we are here in The River Cafe and she is the one cooking the lemon pasta. We are going to pick up where we left off—a conversation with a woman I admire, respect and adore. Lucky me. Originally recorded in 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 29, 2025 • 9min
Bonus: Porcini Mushrooms
The mysterious world of professional foraging, roasting the perfect porcini, and our favourite dishes for newcomers to mushrooms. With Ruthie Rogers, Sian Owen and Joseph Trivelli. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 23, 2025 • 15min
Bonus: First Days At The River Cafe
Memories of disappearing croissants, covering up kitchen mistakes, and how good chefs 'dance' around the kitchen. With Ruthie Rogers, Sian Owen and Joseph Trivelli. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 15, 2025 • 37min
From The Archive: Keira Knightley & James Righton
...on how they met following a prophetic dream from Keira's agent, how dating Keira forced James to eat more adventurously, and the parallels between songwriting and winemaking. Originally recorded in 2024. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 8, 2025 • 29min
From The Archive: Frank Gehry
The architect describes keeping live carp in the bathtub for dinner, how fish influence his designs, and holding matzo brei 'bake-offs' with his friends. Originally recorded in 2023. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler. Thumbnail photograph: © Alexandra CabriSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 1, 2025 • 35min
From The Archive: Laura Dern
...on accidentally eating movie props, how food on film sets has changed, her passion for regenerative farming, and writing a book with her mother. Originally recorded in 2024. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 25, 2025 • 43min
From The Archive: Vivek Murthy
The former Surgeon General of the United States discusses how loneliness can be understood as a medical condition, and the hot sauce his father made which was so spicy it required a mask. Originally recorded in 2024. Ruthie's Table 4, made in partnership with Moncler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
