Ruthie Rogers and the River Cafe have been at the epicenter of the London culinary scene since its opening, in 1987.

Acquired Taste

The granddaughter of the River Cafe’s Ruthie Rogers discovers the thrill of cooking, one page at a time

By Ruby Rogers

There’s always something special about a grandparent’s cooking, but I am especially fortunate to have Ruthie Rogers, Michelin-starred owner of the River Cafe in London, as my grandma. I remember opening the refrigerator during visits to her house when I was eight or nine years old to find it full of bresaola, mozzarella di bufala, Datterini tomatoes, borlotti beans, and braised cavolo nero. There’s nothing to eat!, I would think to myself, crinkling my nose.

The truth is, back then the only thing I would eat was plain pasta with butter and salt. Yes, although Ruthie was poised to cook me the best of Italian meals with exceptional ingredients, the only thing that I would allow my grandmother to cook for me was De Cecco star pasta with butter and salt (hold the 30-year-aged Parmigiano Reggiano, please). Embarrassing as it may be, I didn’t really start to appreciate food until recently.