The chef behind the Michelin-starred River Cafe in London has gone digital with her hugely successful Ruthie’s Table 4 podcast. Tina Fey, Austin Butler, and Paul McCartney have all joined to parse their lives through food—revelations compiled in her new book, Table 4 at The River Cafe.
Where do you feel most at home?
In the River Cafe. Walking through the front door, I feel surrounded by family.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in your field?
I’d be the president of the United States—or a singer at Café Carlyle. I love to sing and I love those old movies from the ’40s with scenes in a nightclub. As for being president, social progress informs my life. I grew up in a socially and politically active family. If you’re going to have an aspiration, you might as well look to the top.
Name an influence of yours that might surprise people.
James Baldwin. To know why, watch the debate in Cambridge with William F. Buckley Jr. His radical politics are so relevant. They were relevant then and still are now.
What do you think is your biggest contribution to culture?
Feeding the artists who create culture. For our River Cafe 30 book we asked artists who come to the restaurant to do menus. It all began with Cy Twombly doing drawings on the back of two menus that I kept; Ellsworth Kelly did a self-portrait. The book features Brice Marden, Damien Hirst, Ed Ruscha, Peter Doig, Susan Elias, and more.
Who do you call the most?
I’m the last of the callers. When a good friend told me his phone died, I asked him if other people complained. He said, “Ruthie, you’re the only person who still calls.”
What keeps you up at night?
Nothing. I sleep really well. I try to deal with my anxieties during the day.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Two weeks ago I would’ve said winning the midterms. Now I’m hoping the world survives.
What question do you ask yourself most often while you’re making work?
It used to be, Are my kids home from school yet? I was always working during the day, and there was always a button in my body and I would look at the clock and wonder if they were back yet.
What’s been the hardest part of your career so far?
The passing of my partner, Rose, in 2010. We opened the River Cafe in 1987 and we had 23 amazing years together.
To read more from the 2026 CULT100 honorees, see the full list here.
in your life?
