Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - S11 Ep 22: Jack and Clare Penate

Episode Date: June 9, 2021

To celebrate my new book, Omelette coming out tomorrow, we thought it only right to invite the original Friday Night Dinner guests at the Ware Household, musician Jack Peñate and his mum Clare Penate. We celebrate 25 years of friendship and meals together, our ‘silver anniversary’ and memories of 90s dinner parties, what Jack and I dined on whilst touring America back when I was his backing singer and I discover what Fray Bentos is! This is a special episode, with a special family and I hope you enjoy listening to it. Omelette is out tomorrow! Yikes! X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Table Manners. I'm Jessie Ware and I'm here with Lenny because I don't need to say my mum anymore because really, mum do you want to just start the intros now? Hello, welcome to Table Manners. I'm Lenny and I'm here with my co-host who helps out now and again, Jessie. And we're here for a special unorthodox episode of Table Manners. It's a very special episode because we haven't done one like this before. And apologies, it's centered around me and you a little bit. No, it's not centered around me. I've not even got the bloody book.

Oh, OK. So listen, my book Omelette is coming out tomorrow, Thursday, the 10th of June. It's a food memoir. If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you'll realise that I ask everybody else about their food memories. We kind of interject with some of our memories, but this book is basically putting all my food memories in one place. And we thought we'd celebrate the release of the book by inviting two of the central characters of the book, two people that are very, very important to us, dear dear dear friends who feature in the book a lot

but also were the people that really when we talk about starting table manners and talking about these friday night dinners that were fun with our friends and they wouldn't be particularly religious it was about us eating dancing drinking having great company these were the two people that were the guests at those fr Friday night dinners so we are having my two favorite people really next to my family and Dan Levy and Dan Levy and David Schwimmer but the wonderful Claire Pignate and her son Jack so Jack Pignate is a musician that everyone will know about and I actually started my singing career by being a backing singer for him but our relationship starts before me being a backing

singer for Jack who was touring all over the world and doing amazing things. We met on the first day of secondary school and became best mates and then I met his mum who is quite frankly the best storyteller that I've ever ever met in my life and so when I thought about all these food memories we've gone on family holidays together we've eaten so many meals together we've shared every birthday together you know it felt only right for these two to come here and celebrate the release of the book but also to kind of take it back to a very long time ago and talking about some of our shared food memories together. It's our silver anniversary, darling.

Muzzletoff. Yeah, 25 years of knowing. Oh my God, that's amazing. So, Mum, what's on the menu tonight? I've done Lebanese lamb. You've done lamb because Claire loves lamb. But she won't be happy because it's not slow cooked. But I've done broccoli with anchovy.

I've done Yotam's rice with lentils, where you have to fry onions for about half an hour. And I've done some hispy cabbage. But you won't tell Claire that, will you, that you've had to fry them? Of course I will. Okay, fine. And you've done hispy cabbage, which is like your new thing, Mum thing yeah and what's for food um a pavlova i've just learned how to make pavlova really after years and years everyone gets is getting pavlova different versions of it but i put rhubarb and ginger on it lovely because rhubarb's just coming to an end

now stem ginger yeah and then you've got this really very you were very excited about it's strawberry dust strawberry dust i don't think it's going to come out as because it's on the pavlo it's on the top yeah but i couldn't put it on the top of the rhubarb because it would have melted in but i did well it looks amazing good so yes it's a busy week i've not only got my book coming out, but I also have the deluxe version of What's Your Pleasure coming out the next day. So listen. And you're 100 weeks pregnant.

I don't ask much, but you know, you listen to us on a Wednesday. Thursday, buy the book. Then Friday, listen to the new record. So yeah, the deluxe record is What's Your Pleasure, the Platinum Pleasure edition, I think it's called. Wow. Because I really think I should do a condom range with that. Don't you think? Platinum Pleasure Edition I think it's called. Wow. Because I really think I should do a condom range with that. Don't you think? Platinum Pleasure, yeah.

Absolutely, darling. I feel like it's maybe my merch for the next tour. My other suggestion by my fans was Poppers, which just says everything that you need to know about the fans that are buying this record. Anyway, Claire Pignate and Jack Pignate coming up on a very

very special Table Manners. Okay, so around the dinner table, this is a very unorthodox table manners. We have Claire Piñate and Jack Piñate. Now, everyone knows Jack Piñate, but lots of people don't know about Claire Piñate. And actually, these two are the reason that table manners was kind of birthed because it was our memories of Friday night dinners together. Yeah. That we'd go, well, we'd be here, they'd come over.

Jack and I were obviously very uncool that we didn't need we'd be here they'd come over jack and i were obviously very uncool that we didn't need to be anywhere else honestly i thought about that the whole time being with the young people oh that's because claire thinks that she is the youngest of everybody she's like it's mum and Claire. They always want to be on the kids table or kids. I mean, the teenagers table at a wedding because they always think that's far more fun

than being with the adults. So thank you for doing this. Great pleasure. Claire is very nervous, which makes me laugh because Claire is the best at telling stories in the whole world. So don't worry, Claire, it's going to be fine. And Jack, obviously the reason I'm a singer is because it's going to be fine um and jack obviously the reason

i'm a singer is because jack asked me to be a backing singer for him and then subsequently i became a singer up from being his backing singer so then i moved from the back but i had a lovely backside to look at and a wiggling backside who's the best showman ever and also we've eaten a lot of shit on tour haven't we this is the i can't believe you've already brought this up should we just get into it i was thinking about it we went across america and we both got i mean i'd say i definitely know i did a little bit bigger oh due due to only eating mcdonald's every single day because service stations are the same you don't have m&s you don't have m&S in America.

You've got a choice between a Popeyes or a McDonald's. So then I had this combination of things which was I would take these pills called Ali. We were collectively buying them. You still got them in the drawer. Which made you thin. They're supposed to bind the fat. Honestly we'd all be comparing our stools because appalling behavior it was when third pounders i actually forgot to put this in the book um third pounders weren't a thing i don't they never came to the uk third pounders are bigger than a quarter pounder obviously yeah yeah and they're delicious they're unbelievable yeah and we were kind of backing two a day two a day on the whole fatties on the whole massive got absolutely huge and then i

i added to that uh valium as well so it was you did congratulations you were shitting calmly and i called it my valley alley little valley alley little journeys it was brilliant times but the alley i love it that like rock and roll band and we're all popping a diet pill whilst ordering our third pounder large meal with large fries and a milkshake. Who ate the most on tour? I'd say probably me or you. Yeah, I mean, we really have always given it. It's always down to me or you. Sadly, I think that's why we got close at the beginning.

Can you pull up for those chips, please? beginning yeah can you pull up those chips please let's go back to the beginning because the reason i've invited jack and claire here is because of that fact that it felt only right to have them when we're celebrating you know table manners and my book coming out and it being all about food memories now we've had some amazing memories together as families and jack and i met at secondary school first day and we kind, we did bond over musical theatre. Come on, man. You're already putting me in it, man. Come on.

And everyone, Jack is single and ready to mingle. So Jack and I were friends and we made friends. And it's in the book, but we, I just remember that first meal that when you invited mum and I over to Claire's. What happened was that it was Elaine's parents. We'd met already. Yeah, but very briefly. Yeah.

At Pepe's house, actually, to say hello to the parents. I thought, what is this school? You opened the door. Because I was there with my friend Carla. And I thought, I've chosen the right school. They said, hello. How completely friendly. Went in, met lots of people.

And then a week later, I was in Sainsbury's Lee Green. Yeah. And Lenny was in there. What were you doing in a Lee Green Sainsbury's? I don't know, but that is the one you were in. Because I used to go around everywhere for work. That's what it was. And sometimes I'd go to Sainsbury's at Lee Green because you could park easily.

And it was quite a nice Sainsbury's. Yes, and then we said, let's meet up. But every time Jack tried to ring your house, it was always engaged, do you remember? Well, the same with you. Oh, really? Yes. Scarlett, older sister Scarlett.

Was she ever on the phone? No, never off the phone. Of course, that was it. Anyway, so I thought, no, I'm going to, you said let's meet up. I thought, do you know what? I'm going to actually invite someone I don't know at all to dinner. And you came, the two of you came. You made moussaka.

Did I? Yeah. You made moussaka and you did mousse in cocktail glasses. Oh, no. It was so come down. No, it was come down with me, but the best kind of come down with me. And it was so exciting. And you can read more about it in the book.

But anyway, it was just kind of, it cemented our relationship. And at that first dinner, mum invited you to Skopelos, which we talk about on the podcast a lot, our place in Greece. And you said yes. Yes. And we went that summer. And we committed to each other for the rest of our lives. Tommy just wasn't there that year, was he?

No, and Titus is Jack's older brother. Just for context, Titus is the elder brother and Scarlett is the elder sister. But Jack and Claire... No, we just came. It was just us, wasn't it? And you stayed at 39 Steps, do you remember? Oh my God.

Yeah. Yes, completely. Because it was the only place you could get into in town and it was that humid. And it was just the two of us. It was quite romantic, completely. Because it was the only place you could get into in town and it was that humid. And it was just the two of us. It was quite romantic. And I remember it was romantic, only I think Jack thought,

bloody hell, I thought romance wasn't going to be with my mother. Oh, yes. Let's go back to Friday night dinners. Yes. What you remember of a Friday night dinner at the Wares. Right. So you'd come back from school, wouldn't you?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we'd sort of have a bath. I mean, it was nearly every Friday night, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah. We'd get ready. I mean, I've got to say that also it was mugging night, wasn't it? I think there was a lot of that going on that's probably why we stayed in a lot and i you know i've got to be honest you know my gang days were

few and far between but my my getting mugged days were yeah yeah frequent so um yeah i think we would come over and oh god it was i remember getting i always remember i'd be kind of getting dressed up and for i don't to see no one i'd be coming over here but we wouldn't go i'd be putting on a white pair of iceberg jeans and a paul and a patrick yeah and a patrick cox wallabies to come to your house which was lovely but it's because titus was working at paul smith yeah it was like the coolest job titus was an art student yeah um and he was working at paul sm Smith and it was like the coolest job. Titus was an art student and he was working at Paul Smith and it was totally the iceberg jeans and the Patrick

Cox. You didn't look like an 11 year old. No you really didn't. But I was also about 6 footer. I was taller then than I am now. Do you remember? I had a hairy chest at 12. That's why I didn't like going to swimming classes.

I might open it up. So you'd come over all spruced up. And then there would be some sort of wonderful smell going on in the kitchen. And we'd sit and then Hannah was often here. She was usually here and so was Alex. I remember also just kind of from our perspective it felt very civil and calm Comparatively. Our house was pretty constant. You had lots of people in there now.

Yeah but I'd say it was pretty similar here as well. I'd say it was also that here but there was like a cosiness. Not that ours wasn't cosy. It felt terribly grown up here yeah absolutely you know grown up well i guess i different vegetables yes yeah exactly yes well i guess when you're doing yeah and the friday night dinner was very much like you'd always get the chicken liver pate yeah and no we had we, we had. We had masses of different things, actually. Really?

I do remember that. Yeah. And the reason I remember it is because today, which is not going to be when this will probably come out, but today is 50 years of what's going on being released. Oh, really? Yeah. And I remember Marvin Gaye was always being played here.

Yeah. It took me back. We were always listening to Marvin Gaye. always being played here it took me back we were always listening to Marvin Gaye we were always listening to the I was also thinking of other ones, the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack, radiohead track and all those amazing songs and then that love me, love me

the cardigans the cardigans, all of that I then went on this kind of mad little journey today thinking about there was a lot of that like sweet those sweet tunes being played here Then we'd all go in there and dance and didn't think it was peculiar No we really enjoyed each other's company

Two mums, two twelve year olds a little brother and big sister all dancing I know And then the bell would go and some weirdo would be standing there. Asking for money. Asking for money. Saying, my mother's in hospital.

I can't get there. And Lenny would say, I'll drive you. I love crime. So some of those dishes that mum was making, do you remember any of them? For me, I remember the Jewish meals, the matzo balls. Yeah, because it was the first time I'd had those. Yeah. Matzo balls, the soups, chicken.

Yeah, that was the stuff that I was trying to remember. For me, it was all just incredibly, like, warm and cosy cooking, which it always has been. And slimming. And very slimming. The four puddings that come out. slimming. And then the puddings. Oh my God, the puddings. Last time, hold on, when was the last time we were here?

A few months ago and I left and just, I'd eaten about five helpings of that chocolate thing you'd done. I had to snooze after. I had to take myself home. It was about four in the afternoon. I had two hours off every time I come here. I don't know. One of those puddings

oh and alex's lemon ice cream oh my god i know or also his coffee one yes he hasn't done that for ages he's not done bugger all for ages he doesn't do it i agree with you jack it was all it was very very cozy terribly organized things sort of popping out and going into separate little dishes as you say. I do also, I've got to say there was a lot of fighting as well between... Oh no. No, no, no, just a little bit between the siblings. Did you listen to Brutacart? Yes. And us two smuggies sitting there. We don't argue.

We might drag a client to the pub. I think it's time we got home. Something that reminds me of the pinates is slow-cooked lamb. It's Claire's ultimate meal. Yeah. You do it really well. Thank you. I just remember us going to this taverna that isn't there there anymore and he was called spiros yeah i completely remember and you

get those lemony waxy potatoes yes yeah he spilt the lamb and all the fat went on the potatoes and then we'd head over to international cafe for a ice cream yeah yeah after and mum you've never thought it was very cool international we love but we love it yeah but and claire and mum would would you be on the brandy alexanders as well you'd be quancho we'd be ice creams yeah and yes go on say it claire just say it let's just say it i know the most enormous ice cream I've ever seen. It was a sundae. It was a sundae. Yeah.

And then she was trying to get the attention of the waiter. Why? I wonder what she's... And she came over and she said, a little more cream, please, just a little more. I thought the cream went up my foot. I love whipped cream. In hindsight, in retrospect, it was unnecessary.

Yeah, but I remember you saying, as I was happily just about to go and get an ice cream at Alkistis, and you said to me, and I'd never heard the expression before, something on your lips, a lifetime on your hips. Oh, yeah. I think I got that from Birds of a Feather. Oh, did you? A moment on the lips, a lifetime on your hips oh yeah i think i got that from birds of a feather oh did you a moment on the lips a lifetime on the hips i thought it was kate moss close yeah i yeah i i like my cream on my eyes too right too right No shaming about that. But anyway, back to Lenny on a Friday.

There'd be a great big meal. It was not some little snack one we're coming for. But she definitely made you know she worked hard. I'm here, darling. You knew she didn't make out that it was an effortless meal, did she? I've always wanted to be one of those cooks who says, oh, come in, I've just put something together. But I can't, I have to plan it two years in advance.

But will they lie in then, are they? No, I'm sure you can make a good cacio e pepe if you're... Which I don't even know what a cacio e pepe... You know what it is. It's pasta with emulsified parmesan and pepper. Cheesy pasta with a bit of pepper. It's cheesy pasta, but someone just kind of moves it round. You just think about Ottolenghi in this situation,

where when we went for a brunch with him, he prepped everything, so then he was just stirring effortlessly. No, no, no, to be fair to him, when I said to him, Yotam, because I know him quite well, I said to him, Yotam, if I did this, I'd have been up at three o'clock in the morning. He said, to be honest,

I prepared it all yesterday. And I was very pleased he said that. Yeah. Something I remember of Claire's cooking, and always kind of, I'd always end up back at Jack's after a party, and Claire would want the debrief of the night. So she'd make food.

So she'd be up, and she'd be sitting in her kind of chinoise. Yeah, like a cigarette. I think you're the only person that still buys Canderel. Yes, I bought some yesterday. I found it so difficult to find and I found one

and it was a great big one that size. Oh, I'm so happy for you, Claire. Is it bad then? It's not great for you at all. No, no, no. I've been telling you that for 10 years. You love it. Yes, I know,

but how come I'm never at the doctor? And all the people I know who are endlessly telling me what I shouldn't do are non-stop at the doctor. Hey, listen, if Candarella is listening, we've got your new ambassador right here. She's keeping, it's preserving Claire's life. Yes. And cigarette time.

But I think the one thing you've missed out talking about is Claire's legendary fish pie, where she puts hard-boiled eggs in. I've never had your fish pie. How about you? Never. It's the best fish pie. I'll make you one.

I've had your cauliflower cheese, which is... Your roasts. Her roasts are fabulous. Your roasts are great too. Yes, her roasts are fantastic. You've inherited that. I really appreciate that. Your Christmas dinners are amazing.

Thank you. I also feel like it's really important to point out that Claire Pignate was the first person to combine Marmite and peanut butter. And cheese, cheddar. And the cheddar and cheese is just like the important topping. But you were the person that started it. Really?

You started that trend. What, do other people do it now? You're joking! Marmite do a tub of mixed peanut butter and marmite. No. Whilst you're searching for your canderels. They're all overtaking you, Claire. Claire, yes.

Do you know, my poor mother, there used to be a soap called Cadam. C-A-D-A-M. Cadam, yeah. So my mother, when she was a little girl... There was Camé and Cadam. Yes, Cadam. So my mother, when she was a little girl... There was CAME and CADAM. Yes, CADAM. So my mother, when she was a little girl, wrote to CADAM saying,

I've got this wonderful idea. Why don't you call it CADAM for Madam? They never answered. About six months later, CADAM for Madam is the answer. Are they still alive, these people? Do they still do CADAM? Is it around? Don't think so, no.

What were you thinking about? I was thinking about taking the lawyers to them. Yeah. We've talked about Jack and I meeting on first day of secondary school and us becoming great friends but before that, Claire, you have a really interesting family. Very bohemian. You grew up in Chelsea

to two artists and what was food like on the King's Road in 60s or the yeah right okay so there was the chelsea kitchen yeah which only so sadly left about five six years ago something which everybody went to because it was like two and sixpence so you've got all the old aristocrat ladies with no money going in having their, and that was it for the time. So there was that. There were all the pubs that you got food in.

But I was thinking about it on the bus here and thinking about what I had at home. And this peculiar thing where everybody was sort of so thin, and yet every two days we got a new cake that my mother would make. So you'd get... So she was a big baker? A big baker. So you'd get us a chocolate cake, and that would be finished by the five of us,

and then two days later you'd get lemon cake, two days later. And she was a great, what's it called? Kneader? No, pastry cook. And so she'd always be making things like trica pudding and steak and kidney pies and all that. And then she'd be there banging this pastry on a board.

And I'd say, God, Mum, you know, you're so clever. And she'd say, I know, I know, darling. She'd say, thing is, in life, you know, you either have it or you don't. You know, rather like other things in life, I know, I know, darling. She'd say, thing is, in life, you know, you either have it or you don't. You know, rather like other things in life, I have it. But she was beautiful, wasn't she? She was very beautiful, but a really good cook. But I didn't like her posh stuff.

So on my wedding day, she made a cheese souffle. And I thought I was going to be sick. I don't want this posh stuff. I can't stand it. What time of year did you get married? October. Okay, so cheese souffle and then she'd make gazpacho, which I also couldn't stand.

I have to say that is something I try to avoid. I would have thought you'd like that. I love it. Cold soup. I can't stand it. Cold tomato soup. I don't know. However, a friend of mine did do a good one last summer because they brought it over and I was like, this is actually quite delicious.

Jack, when you got signed, I mean, that was when labels were still whining and dining artists. Do you remember any really memorable meals of going out? I mean, that was when, like, labels were still whining and dining artists. Do you remember any really memorable meals of going out? Like, you've travelled so much with touring. You went to Japan, you went to Australia, you went everywhere. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is there any really memorable meals?

I think, actually, you brought up Japan. I think the first time we got to Japan, it was my birthday. The label at the time decided to take us out, and they us to this place that obviously as you walked in you realized it was like a seriously nice spot yeah it was beautiful in that in tokyo in tokyo that like utterly chic like just like a kind of um minimalist dream you know and you walked in and then we got taken into a private room they opened up these kind of paper walls and you just saw this table on the floor and that was it and then you said you've got to take your shoes off and then put your legs underneath i'm sure you've done that so you're like sat at eye level with you know almost with the floor then they pulled another contraption and they just had a big bowl of water and then it was shabu shabu which is shabu it's

like they get the best beef in the world whether it's kobe you can i remember when you and joel porter were obsessed with kobe yeah we were obsessed by the way did you put your feet in this so shabu shabu you they it is the word for the movement of how you move the beef around and then the the water you put when beef around and then this the the water you put when you're putting continually this beef in gets basically turned into it almost like a stew or a broth and then you throw vegetables in it and then by the end you have the broth that you've cooked all the food and it's beautiful it's the most amazing way to eat. How long do you have to wait till you eat the broth?

Until you finish all the beef. Oh okay fine but yeah but I mean like do you have to wait till you eat the broth more until you finish all the beef oh okay fine but yeah but i mean like do you have to let that cook for a while to get yeah is it raw the beef no yeah it's raw when it goes in yeah and then you are cooking it as it goes you're doing it all you're doing it no you live it you're doing it all and they bring these beautiful plates of these incredible peculiar mushrooms and all these Japanese... Do you like Japanese food? I love it. I love it. But I'm trying not to eat... You don't like it, Lenny?

Are you trying not to eat meat and fish? I haven't eaten meat for a bit. Shit, I've done lamb tonight. That's fine. But you know what you get when you come to the West. Of course. But that's chill. I don't mind.

Are you sure? Yeah, of course. I'm just not a very good vegetarian cook. You're not understanding. I think the moment you think you're doing vegetarian, you're no good. But when you forget you're doing it. Yeah, you're right. You're absolutely fine.

You suddenly realise you're eating something with no meat or fish in it. Yeah, possibly. Do you feel better now you're veggie? I don't, to be honest. You're missing those third pounders i'm really missing them burgers were why i stopped is it to save the world because i was eating about five burgers a week still were you really where were you getting them from i was getting them from all over the shop i was going to nice places then i'd get a dirty little dirty burger

and then i'd go to and then i'd go to the walsley and do a posh burger it was all of them but why is that the thing that you will always order on a menu well not anymore no well you can get a beyond burger now i do get those and there's a place in brixton honest burger do a really good one there's this place called owie burger in brixton that's that's pretty delicious is it yeah i'm getting behind that so why have you given up meat i'm not even joking it's because of bob so bob is this dog that we love just walking about just to get to get on the podcast he just wants to be literally desperate and where did you get bob from all right so i was i went out to sicily to see a friend to go and see some friends out there and the first day i got there my friend's

girlfriend jade found this puppy in the middle of the road and he walked in and i fell deeply and he pooed on the floor and i thought that's my kind of guy i can relate i can deeply relate with this. And then brought him back. He's amazing. But I don't know why he made me do it, but I suppose that affiliation with an animal all of a sudden gets deepened. Well, that's what Paul McCartney said too.

He said when he was on the farm, he saw lambs playing and he was like, you just change things for them. I saw lambs recently. I was in Ireland. Speaking of lambs, we're having lambs tonight. You could have told me that there was

oh please I stopped you mum are you veggie Jessie now as well no I no we eat quite veggie at home but

Alex is for leeching I love your veg your veg is good yeah yeah hope so yeah yeah it is it's great but I wonder whether

the burger love came from your mum working at Hard Rock Cafe being the first waitress like hold on did you like how i segued that i like that um but like maybe because did you go to hard rock cafe a lot after your mum stopped working there i think i definitely remember being taken there most

birthdays yeah i remember i was still working there annie yeah yeah annie so we'd go there and it would be an incredible experience because I'd be able to go and see Bo Diddley's guitar and Jimi Hendrix's jacket and walk around. I remember that being such a incredibly exciting thing

for when you're, what, seven, eight, nine. I mean, but to put, like, Claire, it was the coolest place to work, right? In London. It really was. And I started working there about two weeks after it opened.

Yeah. And there were something like 14 waitresses hired, seven for the night, seven for the day. And it was the most exciting place in London to work. Absolutely. So who came in? Yeah. Every, every person.

Give me names. All right. So Little Feet would come in. Wicked, right, bigger names. And I'd recognise, All right, so Little Feet would come in. Wicked, right, bigger names. And we, I'd recognise, I'd know who Little Feet were. Yeah, I know. And they didn't know we knew. Yeah, yeah.

And so they'd say things like, God, I need a Little Feet. Oh, God, they'd ask for her in music. So we'd put that on. Then the wonderful actor from The Godfather, I can never remember the name of. Al Pacino? Oh, no, the brother, his brother.

His brother. Well, there are a lot of brothers. Yeah. James Caan. Yes. Oh, so James Caan's Jaws. James Caan's Jaws as well. Exactly. Well for instance James Caan would give me £20 tip for a 10p cup of coffee. Shut up. Yeah. And what year was this?

So this would have been about 74. 73, 74. About 73. What big rock stars? Every single one you could think of, all of the who. So it was every single film director, pop star. Scott Sazey. And the stars of the show were not them. It was you.

It was the waitresses, completely, yeah. And that's why Claire is just easing into this podcast ever so gently yeah yeah poor lass she's a quiet one I remember one

one birthday of yours it was the year that and Diana Diana we went we went there it was quite a sad birthday

poor Jack always got nobody there because everyone was still on summer holidays. That's right. The 2nd of September. All of a sudden, most amount of people in the First World War

died on my birthday. Oh, really? Yeah. All sorts of things happened on September 2nd. So we... Basically, we went to Hard Rock. Annie served us. Annie served us, yeah. And then we went over to give Annie served us Annie served us Yeah

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It was a It was a It was a It was so, I don't know. Did it look stupid on me? No, it looked adorable, but you were so proud of this cap. What was it? Like a new one? Like a Kangol? Was it a Kangol with a flat cap? Yes, it was the flat cap Kangol. A brown one.

I remember I had that brown one. I wore that all the time with a little jumper. Big looks. So we're going to eat in a sec, but if we were doing, because this is table manners, if we were doing a last supper that was involving all of us, where do you think we would start with the starter, the main, the pud and the drink? What food do you think we'd have? What food would you choose?

It doesn't have to be mum's cooking, whether it's memories that we've had together, whether it's dishes we've tasted could you put a meal together out of the times that we've been here that's a really good question starter I'm stumped on for me personally those gyros from the square

Platanos Square Platanos Square that'll always be the food that I think of when I think of us lot because I don't think i've ever experienced such joy oh my god they're unbelievable with that fried bread the fried bread and the the aioli kind of thing that they have don't have like it's it's unbelievable so that would be my mate for me that'd be my main that'd be your main course i can't think of what my start would be but it'd probably would probably be either maybe one of yours

and then pudding I'd go for Lenny's. Yes, I can't think of a good starter of mine at all. I'm not hopeless at all. Well, why don't we put the gear on? Oh. No, no. I've never seen you do a porn cocktail. No, no, I'm not a starter person.

That's not really a foodie. Are you not? You're not? I'm not really interested, no. Aren't you? Not terribly. So when your mum was, like like cooking these, baking these cakes. Yeah, but my dad never ate anything.

I mean, what I mean is that he had, I mean, nil interested food. So his idea was cracking an egg and eating it raw in the morning. Oh, wow. And then the fat from something on two bits of bread sloughed together. But that is, you know what actually. And it was about three stone. When I think about how you eat

and what you eat, quite a lot of the like, think they're simple and it's almost comfort for you to eat. Yes, it wears the tears actually. You like a good cheddar cheese. Yes, exactly.

You like a good piece of bread. Big crunchy stuff. Anything crunchy with a bit of, a lot of heart in it. I'm not interested in sophisticated food in the slightest.

Sorry. No, it's not. I just have no interest in it. I'm really sorry then sophisticated food in the slightest, sorry. No, it's nice. I just have no interest in it. I'm really sorry then. Sorry. Sorry about this meal that you're about to have. But you've always been a very appreciative guest, even though you're not interested.

You are a very good guest. It's kind of like you don't not try anything. I try everything. And Jack tries everything. Yeah, I'm the absolute opposite yeah you don't even you don't like traveling either no i have no i always find that quite interesting that yeah none of none of my family really want to go anywhere outside the south circular was a bit of a nightmare to be honest perfectly i literally the moment I get anywhere, however much I'm enjoying it, I'm counting the days till I get going. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whereas

I, you know, drop me in the middle. I genuinely want to be somewhere where no one's been except maybe me and a kind of hermit. Yeah. So the food would be simple. You'd stay in Battersea. You'd be happier. And you'd have a good book I absolutely have to have a book, I mean if I'm having a book I just want to die so maybe we, ok so this is this is not working out

as well as I thought with the Last Supper but that's ok, maybe you should have a starter and a put of books instead, no I'll tell you what it is is that it's the company so much more than the food. I'm just, I would not leave tonight saying so that lamb was absolutely wonderful. I would say that but I'd be much more talking about what the conversation had been about. Food is not, it doesn't terribly interest me. Mum you've wasted all those years! Doing all those small bowls!

Could have just done a fray bentos in the old days. Oh, to me a fray bentos was to take to the bakery. What's a fray bentos? I lived on fray bentos. Don't talk to me about fray bentos. What is it? It's like a pie in a tin, which is pretty much what I ate from three without...

Where'd you get it from? Oh, everywhere. Well everywhere she means any newsagent. from three where do you get it from? everywhere is it a brand? I think it's like a can drill mum has to search high and low to get these bad boys it's a can that you take the top off you've never heard of a frame

it rises like magic. What the hell? And you have it with mashed potatoes and baked beans. Frayed bentos, man. Bless your heart, that first time that we came round you completely fooled us. No but I've got a good cook weirdly. Here.

Oh god blimey, Lenny, what's that? This is rice with lentils. That looks great. You sit there, darling. Don't move. Sorry. It was quite 1950s at our house for food-wise. Yeah, it was. Yeah, a piece of toast.

Did you know this about your friend, Mum? What? Of course I do. Freaking out. She's not a sophisticated eater. I'm not a sophisticated eater. When we go for many things. No, you are sophisticated in many, many ways.

Maybe not eating. That's okay. And that's okay. But now, I kind of want to try for a bit. When we used to go out for, if we go out for dinner, Claire would say, I'd love a dessert. And I'd say, I'll share with you. And she'd say, no, no, no, I like it to myself. She'll go through the whole list.

I think I have the ice cream. Yeah, yeah. And it's literally the Neapolitan ice cream with the pink and the brown that you could cut off. Mum is serving out a, what is it? Rhubarb Pavlova. You never really discuss your puddings, but they are, to me, the thing of your day. But Claire, Mum's not a pudding person.

No, she's not really. She doesn't really like sweet things, does she? No, she doesn't like sweet things. I never... she always says that. Makes five puddings. I'm not really keen. Yes, I'll have the thing with me. Just a taste, I just want a taste.

Yeah. And mum, you haven't told them what else you've put on there. Ginger. No. A little strawberry dust. Oh, look at that. Oh. Yeah.

Jess? Yeah, a little less. Mum, less. Ware puddings are the best. I've just eaten a whole lamb though, mum. Do you think this works? Oh, my God. Mum, I've got to say, I've nearly finished it.

It's unbelievable, Lenny. It is good, Mum. And your pavlovas have got that chew now. I've learned how to make them. Whose recipe? Come on, give her a shout-out. Lisa Faulkner. Lisa Faulkner.

John Troad's wife. And I've got to say shout out to Steve from Ginger Pig every week I go to Ginger Pig to get the meat yeah they generously give us the meat and he said who've you got on tonight then Helena and I say so whoever it is so he started doing this when I said Michael McIntyre and he said tell him Steve senses love and I said Michael McIntyre. And he said, tell him Steve sends his love. And I said, do you know him? He said, no.

So today, he said, who have you got on? So we've got Jack Pignati, who's a musician, a rock star. And I said, and his mom, Claire Pignati. I know his mom. I said, do you? He said, no. Jack and Claire, thank you very much. We have a karaoke song.

We ask all of our guests. Well, firstly, do you have good table manners? Claire Pignate in Jackson. Yes, I do have very good table manners, yeah. I think so too. And what's your worst table manner in somebody else? For me, it's knives and forks the wrong way round. And the wrong hands.

Oh, my God, that's what my husband does. I think he's dyslexic, darling. No, but Mum, he's, like, really athletically, like, capable. He can catch a ball. But he is dyslexic, darling. But nobody has ever looked and said, wrong ones. I don't know how that happens, does it? Well, he was in a commune, darling.

But maybe it isn't wrong. Well, people talking with their mouth open obviously the only thing I think is incredibly rude is when the hostess and all the other people start doing their own food

before the guests I think I did my broccoli before everybody tonight of course you did just sorry because you feel like you're a guest darling that's how it is here

in the city oh okay yeah that's true then I'm fine yeah I've got quite a few I've got quite a yeah they keep on flowing don't they what else you got yeah um i mean look i i almost did it but you know obviously it's very obvious but phones like people texting while you're at dinner yeah you try not to but sometimes it's so difficult it's so difficult that's such a new one isn it, that I don't even think about that. Karaoke Jack.

Do you ever do it? I do, actually. I love it. I actually really enjoy it. I had a flat at one point where I set up a whole karaoke deal and had friends come round. And not that place in West London. Really?

Yeah. So what was your, like... I think I did a lot of ballads. I'm a big ballad guy, maybe a kind of... Like Whitney. I mean, Whitney... All the Whitney? Exactly, exactly, exactly. A bit Celine Dion? I was going to say that. I was going to say a bit of Shania Twain, maybe. Oh, still the one I run to. Yeah, the one that I run to. that's a good one so glad we made it

look how far we've come now baby we might have took the long way that's really that's a great song come on she's 19

I would never have picked her that's always fun are you not no that's always fun I did you know what I did actually

I had a great time at a party of a rapper. Who's? Puffy's? No. No, it wasn't. It was an English rapper. Begin with S. Santander?

Close, though. Santander? No, no, no. Santander! Bavier. Skepta. Oh, Skepta. Skepta.

Yeah, come on then. Yeah. Ended up at one of his Yeah Ended up at one of his Birthday And it was karaoke Birthday You see Jesse You're out of step

If anyone does know Who he is There's a guy called Jammer Yeah Who's the Merkle man Yeah Who's a brilliant

Brilliant One of the And we did Wonderwall together Oh wow Oh my god And it was One of the most beautiful experiences of my life

that I got to share that moment. Were you Noel or Liam? I would like to say I was... Oh, God, that's a hard one. I ask the hard questions. You do? Noel. Oh.

I think I'd probably take Noel's stance. I hope Liam doesn't hear this. Songwriter take Noel's stance songwriter also you were Noel in the school concert with you and Felix there we go so this is a theme Felix White and you did Roll With It no no no you didn't we did Cigarettes With Uncle

Claire have you decided on this well I think it's one that Hannah said the other day she'd rung me from LA you all rang me from LA to say oh my god we've got this new singer that's so wonderful you've got to hear her One that Hannah said the other day that she'd rung me from LA, you all rang me from LA, to say, oh my God, we've got this new singer that's so wonderful, you've got to hear her. And it was I Try. Oh, Macy Gray. Macy Gray.

And I said to Hannah the other day, it reminds me of you so much. Yeah. How did it start? How did it start? Game, game, game. For the man, for the man. What can I do from here? It's the most terrible stuff. Um, er... Game, James Bond, Wild Candle Door from the Lord. It's so good.

Stop! Stop! La-de-la-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de- away and you'll stumble though you're not a dry and dead dearly my world's a little bigger than you it's a great song where is she she's having a lovely time I think I think she's out and about vibing, loving life

Jack and Claire Pignate thank you for coming on and chatting all things about what a treat about our food experiences together absolutely wonderful thank you so things about what a treat about well our food experiences together absolutely beautiful thank you jack what's happening with music i think i just finished another one another album i think so i'm excited only took 10 years for the last one and now you're prolific five months so yeah that is good so yeah i think we finished that okay amazing so people will be able to hear it soon at some point yeah hopefully

let me know if you need me back again always so usually we do the outro when the guests have left, but this is the thing about Jack and Claire. They don't leave. So they're here for the outro. They could contribute a little. Claire's having a fag in the background.

Bobby's trying to find some food. And Jack is being really sweet. God, Jessie, I can see your greys. Oh, piss off. Yeah. Sorry, darling. Too much time spent with you. I speak the truth. sweet and god Jessie I can see your greys oh piss off yeah sorry darling too much time spent with you I speak the truth

but listen we've we are platinum up there we're gonna go put on bloody Marvin Gaye and Whitney Houston now so there you go

resurrect the old times thank you so much for listening I hope you've enjoyed this and yeah omelette's out tomorrow and there's plenty more memories

from childhood from touring from touring from breastfeeding and from we should have had Sam on this one too

I know my husband he features a lot in it and Nando's features quite a lot in it if you fancy it

it's called Omelette and go and get it now thanks so much for listening.