Chefs Rose Gray, Ruth Rogers and The River Cafe

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The River Café is one of the most popular restaurants in London. It specializes in Italian cuisine and it is run by the famous chefs Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. The restaurant has been around for more than two decades. It first opened its doors to the public in 1987 and it has been able to sustain its clients all these years.

Located on the Thames River’s north bank, the restaurant used to be an oil storage facility. The old building was renovated by Ruth Roger’s husband, Lord Rogers, an architect. Now, the restaurant overlooks a garden which offers a beautiful view of the River Thames.

Over the years, Chefs Gray and Rogers have brought to London the exquisite flavors of Italian cooking. The restaurant also offers an innovative kitchen and dining room open plan. The atmosphere is vibrant and powerful. The chefs are constantly demanding for the freshest ingredients. Things are sourced out if needed. Menus are constantly tweaked depending on the season. This allows the restaurant to offer only dishes made out of the finest ingredients. The restaurant’s signature dishes are absolutely wonderful. You should not miss their wild mushroom risotto, wood-smoked Dover sole and John Dory and the renowned chocolate “Nemesis” cake. The restaurant boasts of a Michelin star. People have high praises for The River Café; although admittedly, many people criticize the restaurant’s steep prices.

The Resurrection of The River Café

In April of 2008, the restaurant has just opened its doors to its first batch of customers when a fire broke out in the extractor system. By the time the fire was put out, the kitchen was already burnt and the dining area was blackened with soot. At that time, chefs Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers were not present. Needless to say, it was devastating for the ladies.

It took six months to rebuild the restaurant. It is now freshly painted and sunlight floods in through the huge window. Not only did they repair the damage caused by the fire, they also added a bar and a private dining room. They also introduced an open-kitchen plan.

The Women Chefs

The restaurant is managed by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. They have devoted their lives to creating and perfecting Italian dishes. They have played a part in reintroducing the nation’s palate to sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil. Ironically, they never trained to become professional chefs. And aside from being restaurateurs and chefs, they are also busy building their own respective families and rearing their own children. Despite their busy family lives, they have managed to build a very successful business. They also are the proud authors of six bestselling cookbooks including The London River Café Cookbook and the Italian Easy.

Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers’s Chocolate Nemesis Cake

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves Six

Ingredients:

12 ounces (340 g) dark baking chocolate, broken into small pieces

5 eggs

1 g cups (280 g) superfine sugar

2 sticks (225 g) softened unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (30 g) butter and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for the cake pan

Methods:

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line an 8-inch (26-cm) diameter shallow cake pan 2 inches (5 cm) deep with nonstick baking paper, then grease it with butter and sprinkle with flour. Beat the eggs with one third of the sugar until the mixture quadruples in volume (this operation will require beating for around 10 minutes with an electric beater).

Heat the rest of the sugar in a saucepan with 1 cup (250 ml) water until the sugar dissolves into a syrup. Add the chocolate pieces and the butter. Mix well. When smooth, remove from the heat and leave to cool. Pour the mixture over the eggs while it is still slightly warm and continue to beat gently until it is smooth (no more than 20 seconds). Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and place the pan in a roasting pan of hot water. The water must come right up to the top of the mold, so that the cooking is uniform.

Bake it for 30 minutes in the oven until it has set. Check for doneness by gently placing the palm of your hand on the surface. If it is not set, continue cooking. Cool the cake in the pan before turning upside down to unmold onto a cake plate.

Image Credit NPR

Image Credit and Recipe via Global Chefs

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