Ruth Rogers' dishes up her Chelsea tips
When our friend Ruthie opened the River Café in a Thames-side former warehouse in 1987, it was the staff canteen of her husband Sir Richard Roger’s architecture practice. Today it’s one of the most influential restaurants in the world, spawning not just chefs that are household names (Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall) but legions of fans who clamour for the perfect crab linguine and legendary chocolate nemesis cake. For more insider guides to London neighbourhoods check out gloobles the LONDON guide.
"My husband Richard and I moved to Chelsea in 1976. We had been living in Paris, where Richard and Renzo Piano designed the Centre Pompidou together. We wanted a home with large spaces and light, where our children could ride a small bike or build a train track from one end to another. Eventually, we found two houses that had been converted into one. Someone in the planning department said, with very good humour, as long as you don’t put pipes on the outside, you can do what you like.
"Chelsea is a beautiful place to live. You can walk to the Thames, to Battersea Park, to the Everyman Cinema on the King’s Road, to the Royal Hospital and the Chelsea Physic Garden. Nowadays, I go to Hagen for coffee in the morning and I shop at Andreas on Chelsea Green for the best fruit and vegetables. I’ve known Andreas since the early days of the River Café; he supplied us with in-season cherries, wild mushrooms and the best melons from Italy. For lunch, I like Lebanese at Ranoush on the King’s Road or sister restaurant Maroush on Beauchamp Place.
"Hemisphere Gallery has incredible mid-century design and furniture. John Sandoe is the best independent bookstore. My grandchildren come often and we go for ice creams at Venchi and clothes shopping at their favourite places.
I’m lucky to have Royal Court as my local theatre. And best of all, my close friends Kadee Robbins, Caroline Michel and Josh Berger live five minutes away. Family, friends, history and fun. What more could one wish for?"
Fiona Kerr
