Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - S15 Ep 21: Raven Smith

Episode Date: July 12, 2023

Our latest guest Raven Smith is a writer, columnist, best selling author, man about town and a meme king. This week he popped round for dinner, I barbecued some pink sea bream, we got a special ���Hot Jessie’ pizza delivery from Dinner For One Hundred & we topped the whole evening off with an array of Gengelly's delicious desserts. Raven brought us a bottle of his very own Top Cuvee collab rosé, we swapped stories about drinking Cosmos and making the ultimate trifle, he shared tales about his Dad’s Jamaican cooking and we hear about his book ‘Raven Smith’s Men’. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Table Manners, I'm Jessie Ware. I'm drinking a glass of wine because I'm feeling stressed mum. We lost all the bloody microphones. They are somewhere in London. Potentially somewhere in my house. Potentially. But thank God for music producers that live nearby. Thank God.

And we do have three microphones, but you'd think after five years we'd have a professional set-up. How is everyone? How are you, Mum? I'm okay. You're quite rested. Because I haven't had to do the cooking.

You know what? Although I was almost at your house when I was told to go back home to look for microphones. Do you think the Buddha's got them in the... The Buddha? The Buddha might have taken them. Well, yes, I am on meal duty.

Yeah. Now we've got quite a foodie coming over. Have we? Is he a foodie and a whiny? A whiny? Not a whiny. I hope he doesn't whine. Well, he likes wine.

He's had wine named after him. Has he? Yes, and I've drunk it before. I wonder if he's going to bring a bottle. Well, he likes wine. He's had wine named after him. Has he? Yes. And I've drunk it before. I wonder if he's going to bring a bottle. Of his wine? Maybe. He's also had pickles. I don't really understand the pickles thing.

Oh, I do because he had a big pickle in the first book that he did. He got in a pickle. Oh, he likes pickles. Yeah. I've seen a picture of him eating a cucumber or a pickle. A pickle. Anyway, we've got raven smith coming on who is somebody that i've known for over 15 years how we used to see each other at raves he used to wear a jaunty hat and we were

at raves in east london and he was always with the cool girls he was quite cool too and we couldn't forget him as well because i didn't know many Ravens, you know. It's a great name. Great name. And he has become one of the most popular voices on Instagram. He is a writer, a journalist. He is very funny. And he is coming over to talk about his new book. Oh, wow.

He's had two books. He's had Raven Smith's Trivial Pursuits, which was a Sunday Times bestseller. And he's had Raven Smith's Men, which is out in paperback in July. So we're going to talk about that. But he is a married man, isn't he? He is a married man.

Very handsome husband. So I've got a very lovely thing happening. At seven o'clock in about 20 minutes, Mum. What, darling? We've got people that listened thing happening at 7 o'clock in about 20 minutes mum what darling we've got people that listen to the John Batiste episode firstly

everyone was so enthusiastic about that episode it was a joy to meet him right a huge talent and we were talking

about pizza and him and John was saying how he loves a little bit of honey on his pizza and I talked about dinner for 100 my favorite local spot up

the hill yeah I bought the children pizza they were thrilled so thrilled in fact they decided to dedicate a pizza for the next two weeks to me now when you're listening to this it'll be one weekend and it will already already be a bestseller no doubt I said of course. But it has to be called the hot Jessie. So it's called the hot Jessie because it's Nduja. It's honey. Whipped feta or goat's cheese. I'm not sure which one. And we've put a bit of rocket on there and pine nuts.

You are making such a face, mum. I can't imagine honey. Well, you're about to have it in 20 minutes. I don't like Nduja. I'll squidge the Nduja off. You're going to eat the whole bloody thing. Me and your daughter like pepperoni. Well, Ndouja's like that. No, it's not. It's hotter. Is it Ndouja or Ndouja? Is that like me going, Chia Bada? Yeah, it is. I would say Ndouja. Okay, anyway, you're lucky enough where does anduja come from spain yeah i think you squeeze it out like toothpaste stop well it's supposed to be a sausage but you squeeze it yeah delicious fab don't like squeezing my sausages anyway we've got that so the boys are bringing it over you can meet

jacob everyone i'm sure is oh daniel's son our osteopath son yes it's a family affair on the hill now i've been given the task of the meal yeah i've gone for a summery evening meal i've got two pink sea breams that i got from sopers in nunhead great great fishmonger and i said why are we getting the pink ones he said they're only in season for 10 weeks of the year little pink sea sweet little pink sea bream i'm going to eat you up tonight now there's a guy that i follow on instagram because that's where i always get my meals now he's called lauren degane and he did something whilst in greece which just looked fantastic his fish was very big and he did a

fennel and citrus salad so I'm doing sea bream on the barbecue it's a gas barbecue because I don't have time to deal with coal um it's got thyme and rosemary in it um red onion salt and olive oil and we're going to put that on the barbie and then i've done a salad which has fennel red onion green beans very thinly sized all thinly sized orange segments with the juice and the little persian cucumbers or lebanese cucumbers the beautiful sweet ones um some basil i don't have white balsamic vinegar so i'm going to use rice wine vinegar instead and then i've got some roast new potatoes in the oven because fabulous and so it And so it's very simple. Now, we're very excited on the hill that there's a new pub. And by the way, I'm not getting paid for any of these sponsored... These are not sponsored posts.

This is just pure enthusiasm. For your community. For my community, which I love. There's a new pub called Earl of Derby. We all thought it was going to get changed into flats. It's been made into a pub. It's a really lovely... Fabulous restaurant.

Well, there's these guys called Larry and George. They used to cook at another... Oh, they sound like Gilbert and George. Yeah, Larry and George. They are called Gengeli. Gengeli. Gengeli is their surnames put together. Okay.

They used to cook at Good as Gold, which is a really good coffee spot in Broccoli. They have taken over the kitchen in the earl of derby and what's it like it was so delicious i went there twice because i was so enthusiastic about it last week went there what was the most like they're not doing roast yet but they did a brilliant chicken ham hot pie fantastic however the puddings were so sensational that I because you know I don't do puddings very well everyone that listens to this knows I can't be arsed I like to apply the Nora Ephron method to hosting now what did Rita Wilson say when she was on she said Nora Ephron would always recommend that you get something from the store so I've got the puddings that I

adored that I ate at the weekend for pudding. And you're all going to thank me. Good. So simple, simple. Looking forward to it. On the dinner front. Gorgeous pudding. Sadness, darling. Raven Smith coming up. I'll take a moment. Raven Smith has come over for dinner

and we're going to... I feel like you and Lenny are about to hit it off. I hope so. I'm ravenous. I bought some wine. Oh, thank God for that. Please tell me you bought the right... I bought my own wine. So excited.

I love... Thank you. You know what? I was going to try and bring... What's it called? Summer... Summer wine. Oh, that's nice. Strawberries, cherries and an angel's kiss in spring. Thank you. You know what? I was going to try and bring... What's it called? Summer... Summer wine. Oh, that's nice. Strawberries, cherries, and an angel's kiss in spring.

Summer wine. How the hell does Raven Smith get a wine? And us table manners people who've been talking about food and wine for five years, how do you get a rosé with top cuvee? I can't remember. We just talked about it. Do you have to be an alcoholic? You have to enjoy wine a lot.

I've got a house near where they harvest the grapes. Darling. Job done. So you were picking the grapes got a house near where they harvest the grapes. Darling. Job done. So you were picking the grapes, yeah? I was out picking the grapes on summer and I thought... Slush the road. Yeah.

I mean, they're miles away but they do same day delivery so get mining. I'd love this. Well, listen, we may as well open it. How sick of your rose are you? I've had a lot of it.

Okay, he doesn't want that. Should you save it? Save it. I feel like you should save it yeah okay something really special thank you

it's just you that's me in my speedos drinking my summer wine wow is that what you wear Don the illustrator had

really didn't enjoy the rounds of notes he was like enough I was like three stripes on the speedos please it's for the Adidas deal that's incoming, yeah?

Sure, yeah. Adidas love a wine merch moment. So I have a white wine. Do you want a white wine? Lovely, very nice. Thank you. Raven, I know that you're a pescatarian. I am.

I have to celebrate the moment. I've got a pizza special. Okay. Called the Hot Jesse coming. Cause you have your wine, i have my indusia pizza so sweet jacob have you ever tried dinner from 100 at the top no it's the pizza it's amazing we love it it's the wrong way for me i'm too far into camberwell you are far deep into camberwell and you have great food places there oh yeah the best but you used to come here when you had

sweet hayley here and you used to kind of do birthday parties here. We used to sit in the Parker Lodge in Covid. Covid, God. It's so legal. Yeah. Terrible. Not a great time. Not a great time.

But anyway, so Sweet Jacob is coming. Did he start the pizza place during Covid? He did. Yeah, he started it later. And tell Raven White's call. Cheers. Thank you for being here. Tell him why it's called Dinner for 100.

It sounds charitable. It is. Social enterprise. I can hear that in the name. He wanted to kind of have intergenerational pizza. Pizza. I think. Anyway, they're lovely.

They're bringing a hot Jesse. Great. Are you the only person that they've named a pizza after? I feel like it's better than the Larry David sandwich. Okay okay because larry didn't like his sandwich i love my pizza i don't think i'm the first okay i think i'm the first pop star they've had okay that's that's cool yeah yeah that's actually pretty legit let's talk about raven smith raven smith is incredible but has the greatest shirts always always yeah I love a nice shirt. I love something that feels like no one else has it.

And I feel like this, whoever else bought the tablecloth, I think only one shirt was made from it. So it feels like its own thing. So where did you buy that? There's a company called Bodie and they do a lot of, they do a lot of like, they buy a lot of stock of stuff and make lots of shirts. And then they have a few like.

That is gorgeous. Harry Styles wears Bodie a lot, doesn't stuff and make lots of shirts and then they have a few like... That is gorgeous. Harry Styles wears Bodhi a lot, doesn't he? Yeah, he is. Raven and Harry. A good friend of mine has her. Just Mel Mucker has. It's a great brand. Is he your friend?

No. No, I feel like his energy is very strong. Oh my goodness, this is a pizza. This is a pizza, but I am feeding you. Would you like to be his friend, do you think? He seems like the kind of person, I've heard he's got that energy that's like magnetic in a room. I've heard Bill Clinton has the same thing,

but it's like pure charisma. That's how he does it then. And everyone in the room is like, oh. Everyone, this is Jacob. Hi. Oh, hi, Jacob. Come and sit. Okay.

So I'm sharing, but sweet Jacob has supplied pizzas to us for over two years. Mum knows your dad because he's everyone's favourite osteopath. And Jacob, kindly, after hearing our episode with John Batiste, decided to approach me about maybe having a special. Yes, exactly. That's why we have the hot Jessie right here. Because what's hotter than Jessie? Thank you very much, Jacob.

So how are we doing? It's the first hour of sales. Has anyone bought a hot Jessie? Sales are flying. Records are broken. Oh my God. It's becoming a permanent menu item at 100%. Great, great.

That's all she wants. That's all I care about. Awesome. I always need to win, Jacob. She's told all the parents in the school to care about. I always need to win, Jacob. She's told all the parents in the school to buy it. So you keep it on the menu. Okay, okay, okay. You're all going to hold me to that.

I know you will. But no, it's going to change the game. Tell everybody who has heard me talking about your pizzas for many years what Dinner for 100 stands for and what you're about. Oh, okay. Well, thanks for having me. I'll keep it really brief. But basically, Dinner for 100 was all about bringing people together around the table and we used to mix young and old people together this was before covid and then obviously covid happened

and myself and my partner jake we were passionate about bringing people together we still wanted to find ways of doing it and obviously we couldn't do the events and then we struck gold we started selling pizzas in my mum's front garden just the one street parallel from here yeah jake's an amazing pizza chef he's been in the pizza game for like 10 years he's about five so he started young he started young it's the dinner for 100 philosophy um mum's garden style pizza yeah we got a pop-up at the top of Telegraph Hill. It turned into a permanent site. We turned an abandoned substation

into a kitchen. And now we've got a thriving pizzeria in the hills. We're opening a bar in Nunhead. Are you kidding? Now, you definitely don't eat sausage even when it's a hot jessie. Even on a hot jessie. Mum was not excited about this. I'm not excited about the squeezy sausage. Now, you definitely don't eat sausage even when it's a hot jessie. Even on a hot jessie. Even on a hot jessie.

Taste that. Mum was not excited about this. I'm not excited about the squeezy sausage. Interesting. Interesting. What do you think? It smells delicious. Actually, it was really good. Is it hot honey?

This actually isn't hot honey. The other pizza that inspired this on the Baptiste episode was the MacGyver pizza. That's hot honey. That's whipped feta. So that's sort of where this came from. But instead of whipped feta, it's whipped goat's cheese. And instead of hot honey, it's normal honey. This is delicious.

I'm glad you like it. You guys are smoking hot. Thank you. I'm hot now. So, mum, you were unsure, however. Unsure. I love it absolutely love it

Wow I mean I'm burning up over here So am I Have you got fire extinguishers in the building? No Thank you Jacob

Guys This is amazing Heroic Well you're amazing Thanks for having me Great to meet you guys Thank you Enjoy the pizza

When does the bar open? We're opening first week of August at the Soft Launch, second week of August we're going. So you can come get our pizzas. We're gonna be trying a few other bits of foods, cocktails. What's it called? It's gonna be called Bar D for 100. Okay. Okay. You can remember that. Yeah.

And you're all invited, so. Brilliant. It could also, I'm just thinking now that it doesn't have the den it could be like dick for 100 as well

has that ever been thought about many things have been thought about we welcome the contributions so keep them

coming nice to meet you guys bye darling thanks babe cheers thank you darling

thank you what a charming young man I can't wait to get a pizza named after myself. So what's your little drink, a little snifter of an evening? I like a Campari Spritz. I find Aperol just too sweet.

You know, there's that bit in Sex and the City where she drinks a Cosmopolitan and she's like, why did we stop drinking these? And Samantha says, because everyone else started. I've never stopped. That's how I feel. Well, I've never stopped drinking Cosmos. No, but I mean, I love a Cosmo.

There's no other cocktail that's as good as a Cosmo. No, it's true. In my honest opinion. And it's a silly colour and it feels fun. It's pink, it's wonderful. Yeah. And you feel luxurious. Yeah, I had a campaign for about three years trying to bring them back and I was like ordering rounds of them and no one really tipped into them.

I've even got them going in Greece where they don't even have cranberries so I don't know what the bloody hell they put in there. Yeah, I went to something in, I went to like a beach club in Crete and I was getting them ordered under the parasol. I mean, a Cosmo by the sea. A Cosmo under a parasol. It's perfect. So I like, I do love a Cosmo and I like a Campari spritz.

Anything red, really. I like, do you know Montenegro? Yeah. That as a spritz is a great one. Yeah. No, I know the place. I don't know where it's at. Oh, right.

It's like a, it's an Amaro, but it's like 20 different flavours. You see, I like Campari with fresh orange juice. Yeah, that's nice. Has that got a name? Is that like a Campari sunrise? I don't know. I mean, that's what I would call it. That would be a good name.

Do you... When do you have that? If I'm away and I fancy a Campari, I really like the orange juice. If I'm not having vodka... Before Cosmo. Before my Cosmo. Just mix it in one I just love Cosmos

the best Cosmo is the Carlisle Hotel in New York okay okay I'm actually having a dinner there next week

oh my god it's my favourite favourite snacks are off the wall okay okay you do pay about £300 for the Cosmo

but you get great snacks yeah they're putting us up. We're not staying there, but they're putting on a dinner for me. It's the most beautiful. For the book launching in America. How fabulous. So we've got like 20 people coming.

It's the most beautiful place on earth. Have you been before? We went once, and I think we sat at the bar for ages, and I fell completely in love with the idea of sitting at a bar. The black and white floor. Beautiful. And then you see elderly people who live in the Carlisle. Yeah, that's the coolest thing about hotels in New York.

I mean, Stritch used to come down. Yeah. And I remember we were there and there was this elderly couple and he said, I'll have the same as I had yesterday. Great. He could barely walk, but he could drink a cocktail. I love that people live in the hotels in New York. And it's dark and it's kind of the jazz is playing

Woody Allen plays yeah the walls are amazing that amazing sort of like silk like illustrated silk it's the one it's just beautiful

so we're doing a dinner there next week you're so lucky I know Jesse the Carlisle for dinner oh he's a big deal I didn't realise

you were such a big deal so I'm launching my book in the States and that is like the kind of it's like 10 days before it launches. Is this the men book? Men is out in the...

American men, but not what it's called, but men in America in two weeks. And the paperback's coming out. The paperback came out in the UK, so the American launch is 18th of July. So are you trying to break America, Raven Smith? I mean, I guess. I have no profile there,

but the Carlisle said yes, so that is the first step. That is fabulous. The ball is rolling. I would invite Carrie. Yeah. the Carlisle said yes. So that is the first step. That is fabulous. The ball is rolling. I would invite Carrie. Yeah. Oh, I mean, imagine. Can you imagine?

Don't have her number. You know who I feel like you should invite? Who? Who is kind of a similar voice to you online. He doesn't want a similar person. No, the New York Evan Roskatz. Oh, yeah. That's actually a really good shout.

You should, because he's wonderful. He, much like you, kind of pop culture, fashion. A lot of TV stuff. TV he does. Making his own memes. Yeah, he's kind of. He's great. You should invite him.

If you want me to connect you, let me know. That's actually a really good shout. So exactly what do you do besides writing books? No, good question. And get wine and like, you know, you have your own wine, you write books. The wine is so silly.

The wine is amazing and I don't know whether... I'm a bit jealous. Such a silly wine. It's so silly to have a wine. They were like, do you want a new wine? I was like,

100%. Yeah, I'd love to do a wine. It's just, it was like in kind of COVID-y times so I hadn't been out, I hadn't been drinking and I went to see them

and we had like six glasses of wine and I just rolled home and then went next day went on two hour walk but top cuvee really fun they're the best it was a great day they are really the best and they are fast their ideas are really good their marketing's great like they're always doing stuff that's really fun they do that easter egg easter wine hunt at easter no-er. So tell mum what you do. Well, I do. What do I do? I would say I'm a writer. I mean, it took me a long time to say that,

but I guess my first book was a bestseller. I'm a bestselling author. I know that. I have to say, I have to admit I'm a writer. So you're not an imposter? No. Well, I mean, yes and no. Do you have imposter syndrome?

No. The thing is, I always just find, I always know wherever I go, I'm going to get on with people. That is my skill. You're lovely. Thank you. Yeah, you are very warm and lovely and I feel I've known you forever. Good, thanks. And I feel we could chat forever about everything.

We're not going anywhere. Tell me, where did you grow up? So I grew up in Brighton and thenon. And then I came here for university. But my dad lived here, so I was up here every weekend when I was growing up. Where did you go to university? London College of Printing, it was at the time. Oh, down at Elephant. Is it LCC now?

Yeah. When printing was still a medium to be played with. Now it's London College of Communication. But it's like art school, wasn't it? Yeah, it was definitely art school. It was like, so i did a photography degree yeah yeah so i did like fine art photography and you know talked about the importance of depth of field so did we show up in the meaning of an image a lot of that did your

mum cook at home my mum i love my mum and she's going to listen to this she's not a chef chef what does that mean i think she's really confident cooking for kids. So she's really good at like jacket potato and beans and lasagna. Like she makes a few core things really, really well.

She does an amazing blueberry cheesecake and she does an amazing trifle at Christmas. So she has like her like stable. What's her trifle at Christmas? Like what's...

My husband does not believe it's Christmas until he's had it. He's... And so even in COVID, we got sent some. Is she a jelly in her trifle or not? Yeah, it's jelly at the bottom. Oh, you see, not us. Oh, she's... And no hundreds and thousands, I don't think.

I think, I know. Almonds? Almonds. We have almonds. And we have like the flavour in the bottom. I actually don't know how she makes it. Is the custard hard or is it thick? It's quite hard

And I was like how do you make it thick And she's like I do the thick way And that is all I know of it You just put extra Less milk, extra powder Same thing So not that fancy like No it's not fancy

It's like birds You also love trifle That's what we love And it's not in a glass thing So you just only see the custard at the top It's like in a bowl from my gran, RIP. And then mandarin oranges. We get those on the top.

It's really quite 70s. So what is the fruit in your trifle? At the bottom, it's like red jelly. Oh, okay. And some jam with the fingers. Then it's the layer of whatever. Custard. Custard.

And then the cream. And then we have mandarin oranges on the top with hundreds and thousands. No hundreds and thousands. No hundreds and thousands. Just the mandarin. Or quite pure. Oh, wow. It's sort of... No hundreds and thousands, Jess, just the mandarin oranges. Can I just apologise?

Because my fish basket was supposed to arrive. What's happened? A fish basket. A fish basket is so that you can turn your fish over without messing up the skin. So the fish basket did not arrive. What's happened? A fish basket. A fish basket is so that you can turn your fish without messing up the skin. The fish basket did not arrive. Therefore... I said put it in tinfoil, darling.

Okay, and I didn't. It could possibly be too late for that. What did you do? It's too late. Is the fish on the coals? The fish is not on the coals. The fish is still there, but the skin is gone. Yeah, it's dancing around the skin. I'm sorry, and the presentation is not great, and I'm angry and I'm blaming Amazon for not sending my fish basket quick enough.

It's going to ding-dong in a fucking minute, isn't it? Time to shove his fish basket where the... I'm really gutted because I was really excited about using that bit of equipment on the barbecue. Yeah, it sounds... I thought you were going to use your thingy there. My thingy? You said one of the tops of the gr of the grill and then i forgot didn't i so let's not talk about that it's still gonna taste like fish it doesn't matter smells really good great and you know what it is it's pink seabreeze you can't see it's pink anymore because all the skin's

gone so only the skin was pink, so they are only in season. Really? For 10 weeks. Very chic. Very chic. I knew you would like that. Yeah, I love this. It would have been lovely to have seen it. I love this.

It's like the blossoms in Japan. Did you take a picture before you put it on? Sadly not. We can Google it. Yeah, we'll Google it. We can Google it. But anyway, it's a secret. Anyway, so my mum's cooking.

She gets nervous trying to cook new stuff. But I worked as a KP and I was a chef. KP for? Kitchen porter. Right. When I was 14, 15. Where? Oh, no, wait.

When can you legally work? 16. At a place called The Dorset, which is a fish restaurant in Brighton. In Brighton, it's a great place. Yeah, it's really famous. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I worked there cooking and I was on. One day I noticed that no one had cooked any new baguettes for the baguettes and i said to the chef shall i put some more baguettes

on and i was marked myself out as like a i don't know an upstart yes uh so i became a chef almost immediately the same week and i did puddings salads and like sandwiches so i did like blts all days on saturday so i was just cooking, cooking, cooking. So I'm really confident with like salads, sandwiches and puddings. I'm just like, just chuck, I don't need a recipe. I don't need to think. I'm just like, I will just go with my guts and things work out really well.

So you know how to cook? Yeah, I do. And I really like follow, I do like recipes and I really like to bake as well. Darling, I'm calculating all the things you've done. You're not still 21. I've been... You're at least 25.

I've been 32. Like I said in my book, I've been 32 a couple of times. A couple of times. Yeah. Give or take. Did you have a big 30th? No, I actually don't like my birthday. Really?

Do you know what I love? Oh, that's so kind. Other people's birthdays are their best. They're like the best one ever. Actually, you know what? I have been at a birthday party with you. It's just, I love other people's birthdays are their best they're like the best one ever you know what I have been at a birthday party with you I love other people's birthdays and you and Dickie you don't stop dancing no no no

you dance but my party trick is stamina that is what I do I just never stop I'll be the last one on the dance floor at any party I love a wedding before it's a party or do you go into training uh no my training is just hydrating hydration that is what

you need to go into and come out of a party fairly unscathed but I when you were young did you have parties that involved dancing yeah I always love other people's parties and I always feel like I want the energy to be like, let's all get on the table rather than I'm on the table doing a performance. Can you sign? I'm funny about parties. I'm very sociable. Yeah.

But I like parties where I know people rather than parties where I don't know people. Oh, I love not knowing anyone. Oh, shit. Oh, wow. Okay. Do you see what I mean? Okay.

Do you see what I mean? so what's the first what's the first question you to meet people when you're at a party oh well what's a good way to break the ice they say the thing you should say is how do you know so and so the person who's giving the party yeah that's supposed to be the first thing you ask i don't really know you just dance well i just feel like like i really like going to weddings. I don't care if I hardly know anyone. I will be on the dance floor. I'll be chatting to everyone.

It's going to be a good night. Yeah, because especially once you're married, other people's weddings are like, you're so full of joy because you know how they feel getting married. Everyone being, everyone in the room where was your love is happy for you it's like the best feeling ever wedding um rich and i got married at the end of our road at camberwell registry office yeah with our mums as our witnesses to just the four of us and then we took lunch at rochelle canteen oh nice that was a bit of a schlep uh it was a schlep

it's worth it it was we'd only just recently moved south. So most of our friends were east. We got a cab. My parents and my in-laws got lost in their cab. And they'd never met before. And I think they had, I don't know if they had the best fun. They were all just very stressed. Thought they were missing the wedding.

Okay. I didn't tell Rochelle it was a wedding. I just said, oh, can I book for lunch on a Wednesday? 40 people. And they were like, well, that's capacity. And they were like, yeah, come on a Wednesday and they were like well that's capacity and they're like yeah come on a Wednesday and then showed up with a cake and did you choose the menu beforehand yeah it's like fish or chicken I think that was it it was really good like uh we really underplanned our wedding it was cheap as chips really and all the things that

could have gone wrong didn't it was fine and that iske. What did you wear? I wore a black suit that I bought like the year before. And my husband already had the same suit in navy. So we wore matching suits. Please help yourself. Okay. But I'm good luck. It looks amazing. Well, I don't.

It doesn't look amazing, Raven. Let's be honest. What's in the salad? The salad is fennel. Love fennel. Orange segments. Lebanese cucumbers, onion, basil, olive oil, salt. Do you want me to try and help you? With the fish, yes.

Or can you do it yourself? No, go on, you do the fish. You know why it's quite a light supper? Yeah. Why? Because we've got the greatest pudding. Oh, okay. No spoilers?

Or you're going to tell me? I don't know. This is exactly how I'm answered. I'm like, toy you going to tell me? I don't know. This is exactly how I'm answered. I'm like toy with me. Okay I'll toy with you. You just have it later. Fine. Thank you. It looks great. Oh good. A bit more darling. Yes I will. Yes thank you. And these are potatoes that I was going to do a potato salad and then I roasted them and I put a bit of muscatel sherry vinegar on them. So a bit like salt and vinegar crisps. Oh, that is ideal. Yeah.

And you know where the idea of that from? Nigella. Well, yes, Nigella does do it. Nigella famously does a salt and vinegar potato. But also Jolene does it. You know, Nigella always like replies to people's tweets and I wrote one. She's the sweet wheelhead on the puck. I did salt and vinegar potatoes and tweeted and she didn't reply.

I know. Someone told me the key is to make up a problem with the meal. She's so... It doesn't taste quite salty enough. What should I do? And then she replies. Amazing.

They were like, give her a problem to solve. She's a really lovely person. They're great to salt and vinegar potatoes. Yeah, if you need a little bit extra. Thank you.

You just let me know. Yeah, this is a light supper. And let's talk about Camberwell. Yeah. Because Camberwell's got... Can you help yourself to some more, if you will? Can I have a bit more, please, Mum? Darling, help yourself here. Camberwell's got such good food spots.

Yeah. The best... What's my favourite? I have my fourth back, darling. Have you been to Toad Bakery? Yeah. Richard will march me down there. It's like not that near us

and we will march to Toad. And what's your order at Toad Bakery? Oh, I like the sandwiches but I'm a real... I really love nipping out for a sandwich. So the sandwiches

at Groveling Deli. At where? Groveling Deli. So at the bottom of Groveling. Right next to Theo's. That nice deli. Yeah. The sandwiches at Italo are just delicious. Where's that?

What is it called? Italo. Italo. Where is it? Italo. Where is it? It's Jackson's dad's place. Oh, right.

In Bonington Square. It's called Italo. Italo. Italo. Italo. Now I'm not sure. Very good sandwiches there. Jackson Boxer.

40 Maltby Street. So I will do the 40 minute walk there and back for a sandwich at 40 Maltby Street. Because it's delicious. It's always the best sandwich you've ever had. I love that. Hold on. Have you had a Dusty Knuckles sandwich? No.

Because every time I try to go there, they're like, we are closing in one minute. Please don't come. Like it's so, it's like the one, right? It's amazing. Have you tried a Mondo sandwich? No. Which one's Mondo? Where is Mondo? That's incredible, babe. Where is Mondo? I found them on Instagram. Okay. like the one right it's amazing have you tried a mondo sandwich no which one's where is where is

mondo i found them on instagram okay they were in a pub and then they did deliveries oh yes the hefty sandwich okay that's next on my list but i will i will travel far for a jesse this is delicious well apart from it it was supposed to be really crispy and when i have my fish basket it'll be i'll fucking change the game. Fresh. Easy. Really good. Boom. I wish I'd made an aioli with it, but never mind.

It's great. Great. Good. I like this salad, actually. I haven't done this salad before. I like the cucumbers. Yeah. Well, they're the little baby ones that are sweeter and nicer.

Do you know what else I like in Camberwell? Camberwell Arms. I like it too. Just the best. The best. It's so good. I like it because they do like brussels sprouts with pickled onions as a starter in the winter they just really hit it the dishes really hit

it i actually really like sitting at the counter and just having a quick dinner with my husband and walking home raiden you've mentioned your mum yeah she does a mean trifle who was cooking around the dinner table and was cooking round the dinner table and who's round the dinner table when you were a young boy? Me and my mum. Are you an only child? I'm an only child, single parent, mother, and I'm gay. So it was very close.

We were tight for a really long time. She met my stepdad when I was about 14. So I just passed the age of wanting a father figure. I found him quite annoying coming into the picture. Right. For the first time ever when I was about 14. So I just passed the age of wanting a father figure. Found him quite annoying coming into the picture. For the first time ever, there was like traditions. But when it's just the two of you, you're just like, whatever, what are we doing? And he was like, we're just going to have a roast on a Sunday. And we were both like, okay.

And then it was like, oh, how nice. We had a lot of sort of, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It morphed slowly over time into something that's like really close i don't know when i realized it was like my relationship with him isn't dependent on him on my mum at all it's like he's my dad that's it so that's really nice and he cooks he is a real cook and is a real one for like i think like me he quite likes going to the fridge and just looking what's in it and making a meal out of it,

rather than thinking about following a recipe or cooking. Did you know your real dad? Mm-hmm. He lives in Brixton still. See him very occasionally. He really can cook a really mean chicken. And, well, I don't really eat that much rice. He used to do me, like, Jamaican chicken and pasta.

I was growing up. Hold on. You don't really eat that much rice. She used to do me, like, Jamaican chicken and pasta. I was growing up. Hold on. Like, N.A. You don't like rice? When I was young, I was like, I just don't get it. And now I'm like, yeah, sure. I would never cook it. So what would you cook for a dinner party?

Oh, that's such a good question. We're coming over. Yeah. Got the wine sorted. Okay. In the summer, the winter Oh that's so tricky I really like cooking a dal And I know that's not very exciting

I admire you Anyone who can cook Indian food Love a dal I can't do it And I like all the bits that come with it And doing a nice radish That has rice babe Would you have the rice or would you just have breads

At home during the week I wouldn't have any have the rice or would you just have like breads and rotis? Yeah, I wouldn't. At home, like during the week, I wouldn't have any of the breads. I wouldn't have any rice. I'd just have the dal. The lentils are enough. But then in the winter, I really like a gratin. I really like eating... What is it I really like?

What's the one where you put salmon on crout? That's the one. That's the crout. Rich. Mmm. Really? Delish. Yeah. I used to make this like meatballs. That's very one. That's the king. Rich. Mmm. Really? Delish, yeah. I used to make this like meatballs.

That's very retro. Yeah, I know, but I quite like, because I didn't... Have the trifle after. Yeah, I know, because I didn't have many traditional things when I was growing up. I'm quite drawn to like traditional British fare. I find it quite exciting. How have you and Richard made traditions yourself? Like maybe through food?

Good question. Well, we just, I mean, my husband loves a snack. He's always got a snack. Also, his love language, if you want to call it that, is like buying sweet carbs. So I know that he, like, would you like some cake? Or like, I've got you a treat. And I was like, is it sweet bread? And he was like, yeah.

That's really nice. I used to be really into like cooking a dinner every night. And I think that's fallen away into the pandemic and back out again. I think during the pandemic, I was cooking a lot. I was quite excited about getting a box of food and making lots of different stuff. It really occupied my time. Making a lot of nice like rhubarb cakes and stuff like that. And I think it becomes so

convenient in the last couple of years i wish i actually wish i was cooking more but we get a veg box every week so so you're quite veggie throughout the week we get a veg box every week i quite like that it has stuff i wouldn't pick up in the supermarket so then it's like oh i have to do something with this beetroot and then it means we eat more varied stuff. But I feel like you're a man about town. Like you're always out, Raven. I love being out. I am a real homebody.

When I'm out, I'm out. People always say to me, like, how are you? I'm like, I'm good. Because if I'm not good, then I just go home. Like I don't really push myself to be out when I don't want to be. I'm like, oh, I'll just be at home. I spend a lot more push myself to be out when I don't want to be. I'm like, oh, I'll just be at home.

I spend a lot more time at home during the day now I'm freelance which used to, which when I first went freelance and I was still looking for like lots of work, it was like four days a week just at home.

Just like mooching, like worrying about making some money and now it's like if I get a day at home it's heaven. It's like heaven on earth. What's your favourite hotel

in London oh Hazlitt's have you stayed there oh in Soho it's really small yeah we stayed there on our wedding night

we stayed there on our first ever Valentine's Day need I say more we stayed there on a few birthdays I've always had this romantic idea

of living in Soho and the one time we did it wasn't great but I still think of it as like a great thing to do well it's really if you just want to get to the tube it's like 20 minutes walking through people yeah but if you just want to pot around it's really nice and it's less a square tube it's not great is it it's a bit stressy yeah also they clean the streets five times a day because it's so filthy the dirtiest place on earth

but also the cleanest at the same time but you get the best food you get to go to Dumplings Legend like every night it's great you know Dumplings Legend

I kind of want no a white room loads of white tables and it's like dim sum but it's really really good oh I love dim sum

yeah it's really really good always over order they do have a spinning table so you can just just like eat if you can just just like eat it and you're like have some of this

I think I want your life dumplings legend it's really good there's some more fish on there there is do you want some there you go you can see a little bit

of the pink there yeah it's positively rosy it's making me a bit sad oh mum please look at it it's little teeth oh shut up no Amy

I didn't mean that wasn't meant to put you off That wasn't meant To put you off That wasn't meant To put you off No there isn't No there isn't I'm afraid We'll just have to

Go on to the pudding Your cats Will be happy You'd have a Suck on the grill I'm sure there's some there Yeah Do you like to eat the eye

No Oh do you know We had this fellow round Yeah Andrew Wong Who's got that restaurant Yeah Michelin star chef

A Wong A Wong He A Wong. He came round and he had the eye. Yeah, great. Oh, my God. That feels like a challenge. I don't know how to give him that. If you give me the eye.

Would you? No. No, don't. Neither of you are telling me to. Do it, do it. Would you eat it? No, don't. I wouldn't eat it.

And it pops. If I give you another glass of wine. No, do not give him the eye. He wants to fucking do it. I wouldn't eat it. And it pops. If I give you another glass of wine. No, do not give him the eye. He wants to fucking do it. He's thinking about it. He might have seen something bad. I'm thinking about this purely because I'm trying to say yes to new things. No, don't do it.

Do you want to eat the eye? No, thanks. Okay. So, Raven, we ask everybody our last supper. Okay, okay, okay. Starter, main, pud, drink of choice. This is really tough because there's a bit in my book where i talk about what i would have for my dream meal has it changed probably because in my dream meal

in the book it is a small creme brulee a savory creme brulee a normal creme brulee at the end uh what would i have for my perfect meal my most favorite thing to eat is like french bread and salted butter like i just can't the french salty yeah yeah yeah so that is one of my most favourite thing to eat is like French bread and salted butter. Like I just can't. The French salted butter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that is one of my most favourite things to eat. Where do you get your bread from? Well, the boulangerie by my house in France does a pretty mean baguette. So I would get, if it was my dream, it would be from there.

Okay. And that butter with the crystals. You clearly don't have veneers. I've got the butter with the crystals here. I can't eat them anymore. Oh, right, because they're toughies. Yeah, and it brings off my veneers. You know what I've learned, though, what you're supposed to do?

You turn the baguette upside down so you bite with the hard thing underneath. That doesn't matter, Jess. What I do is break it up and put it in the back of my mouth. I'm storing it for winter. Like a little squirrel. The squirrels put nuts in their cheeks. Yeah. Yeah, interesting.

Only when they're gathering them and then they put them down somewhere. For winter. Yeah. Do you have any animals? Got a cat called Hastings. Of course you have. I read about this. He's the best.

How old is Hastings? Oh, he's 10. Younger than you? Younger than me. He's 10, so halfway. My husband said he's not young anymore, and I started crying. Like, I can't deal with the cat not being around. There forever.

This would be a bad fight. Would you like my cat? I've gone off my cat. How young is the cat? My cat's 15. I need a long innings. My cat's 15. It's like needing euthanasia.

Yeah, okay. We haven't finished your last supper. Oh, okay, the main. I want, like, lobster maybe? What was your starter? The bread and butter... French bread. French bread?

Is that enough? Are you going to have some... I love a prawn cocktail. Oh, have one. Yeah. I think it's coming back, prawn cocktail. Oh, it better be. Yeah.

We should do a dinner. It's like Cosmos and cocktail. Crayfish, yeah. Crayfish cocktail, I think they do. Yeah, delicious. No, prawn cocktail is the best. Yeah. We should do a dinner. It's like Cosmos and cocktail. Yeah, crayfish cocktail. Yeah, delicious. Prawn cocktail is the best. Yeah. What I like to do, when I went to Scott's,

I had like a really fancy like tiger prawn fancy thing. And then I just had fish and chips for my main. So I'd probably have fish and chips for my main. Mushy peas. Mushy peas. Maybe. Tartar sauce. Tartar tartar sauce 100% vinegar on your chips vinegar on my chips vinegar on my fish okay um do you like a good batter i like it when i don't i

really just like it when my lap is burning in the car and i'm eating fish and chips and it's like cold outside that is it there's two different puddings. Okay. Now, shall I explain the puddings? Yeah. I have not made them because I've gone for a Nora Ephron approach. Okay. Where you order in.

It's called Lazy. No, I haven't written about them. No, it's not called Lazy. It's Making People Happy and I know that you're going to leave really thrilled.

There is a new pub around the corner and they have a new restaurant. The pub's an old pub. It's an old pub that they've redone up we're thrilled that it's not luxury flats and there's these guys called ganglies who are fab and i went and i had their puddings at weekend and i thought i feel like you as a south london i will appreciate a really delicious pudding so'm something of a local pud myself so we've got

a lemon butter slice which is kind of like a lemon tart with some creme fraiche and lemon zest and then we've got Yorkshire tea ice cream oh

with a little biscuit crumble oh yum and a whiskey roux oh well done see I really thought about this I knew you would like this so you want a bit of everything on the plate well done. See? I really thought about this. I mean, I really thought about this. I knew you would like this.

So you want a bit of everything on the plate. Well, I'm just thinking, should I just do two plates and then we do spoons and fit in? Or would you like your own lemon size? I would prefer to dig in with the spoon. Okay, fine. Just needed to check that. Table manner. Mum, I feel like you're already having a loving with Raven's gift card.

I'm having a good time. I love him. We're having a good time. So what else? Your dad cooks. Do you go around there? My dad did cook a lot. He used to cook really good Jamaican food.

And I went a couple of years ago. What's your heritage? My dad's Jamaican and my mum's from North London. North, North London. I loved my dad's food But I couldn't tell you If it was good on the scale Of like how other

Jamaican people cook food Like it It was delicious Jerk Jerk chicken We used to have a lot of like Really long cooked Chicken

We used to have Plantain Did you know his family? Like his Yeah but we didn't I don't remember eating With them ever Okay And I remember him always saying You should have a hot breakfast So he would do hot milk Did you know his family? Yeah, but we didn't, I don't remember eating with them ever. Okay.

And I remember him always saying you should have a hot breakfast. So we'd do hot milk on Weetabix. That was a major thing. Did he come to the wedding? No. Just your two months? I raised, this is so like therapy, but like just before, when Arthur Richard proposed, I was like, I should probably make contact with my dad.

And I did, and it was really nice. And I was like, but I don't need to invite him to my, like, I should probably make contact with my dad. And I did. And it was really nice. And I was like, but I don't need to invite him to my, like, I didn't feel bad. So you're not close, closer to your stepdad.

Oh yeah, man. He's like my dad. Like if my mum died, he'd like, we'd have this exact same relationship. Like it's not a contingent on my mum at all. He's great.

There's a whole chapter about him in my book. What does he do? It's a lot of people's favourite chapter because it talks about how masculinity that isn't like overbearing but is like

long term caring is like really powerful. And that's what he is to me. And what does he work? He retired a couple of years ago. He was a civil engineer so he's used to

building stuff. Yeah. And he makes your mum happy? Oh my god. She's sublimely happy. It's a little bit annoying. This looks so good. It does, doesn't it?

I'm just trying to get a photo of it. What's the cream? So the cream is, which I thought was really clever. It's a whiskey roux. So it's like a white sauce that they've made with a little bit of whiskey. There you go. Ask any of our family about sharing with Jessie. How does it go let it doesn't

go well so i'm gonna step away right now oh oh let you have a few bites she eats everything before you've even started okay i had a boyfriend like that once did you not anymore yeah you have to to get rid of the ones that eat most. This is great. Mm. Nice, right? Yeah. Really good. Yum. Really yummy. And the whiskey. See, I'm not good at pudding,

so why would I give you? Ooh. Whiskey roux. Is it called whiskey roux? Yeah. I wouldn't be able to tell that was tea. No, I know, but that's what's quite clever about it, right? Getting tea.

I know what you mean. I like that. It's like tea and biscuits. Mmm I prefer the lemon. I'm going to have a bit of lemon. We like that because it's closer to a crème brûlée. Yeah. I like a lemon tart. Mmm.

I feel like pastry is a lot of hard work. Oh yeah. Really hard work. Do you make your own pastry? No. I avoid pastry dishes. I love a cake. Are you making rhubarb tarts, babe? I did an Alison Roman rhubarb cake,

which is basically like butter and sugar in a blender, poured over rhubarb. I mean, that's literally it. Is that her galette? I don't know. She was like, when I met with her, she was like, you're an old, old, old school fan. And I was like, yeah. That lemon her, she was like, that's like, you're an old, old, old school fan. And I was like, yeah.

That lemon is bloody good, isn't it? I think the ice cream needs to defrost a bit. I think it's too hard at the moment. I don't even know what that is or how she's made it. He calls it his Nana's, his Nan's lemon butter slice. So there's a lot of butter, a lot of lemon and eggs. It's got a real school fate feeling. I like it.

So Raven, I feel like you have given us so much food, so much indulgence, so much pleasure. Cocktails. Cocktails. Have you got good table manners? Yes. Oh my God, was it on the table as you asked me? Everyone says exactly that every time.

But that's the main one, isn't it? And isn't that really not a bad one? I don't think it's the end of the world. What is next for Raven Smith, apart from conquering America and maybe getting a chilled red on the old summer wine selection? What is next for you? I'm thinking about my next book. I'm really hoping to have a summer of very little

and then I'm going to Egypt in in november why it's my birthday so we're it must be happy birthday must be 32 again uh so that's it work for me just like suddenly it appears out of nowhere and i'm like let's go let's talk about the book men yes people in the uk that listen to this can already get it but in the states it's coming out in the states it's out july 18th is it about all the men in your life yeah it's a memoir told through the men in my life and the man i've been at different stages uh but it also i think is funny and has good crack i mean i fake an orgasm in the first chapter on a beach you and you and meg what's her name yeah uh so it's got it's got good

stories from things that have happened to me but it is also i've found that in the pandemic i was stuck at home with all of my thoughts and feelings remembering my history and i realized how much of them are caught up with like my relationship with men so i just that is the kind of framework that tells the memoir but i work in a kitchen i work all over the place lived in new york for a bit so that lots of different stuff happens so people that haven't read men go and read it otherwise they can read your column in vogue yep uh american vogue columnist weekly column heart of the internet and i write about american vogue too american American Vogue. Why not British Vogue?

I feel like I have to always put American in there. Yeah. I was at British Vogue for a bit. Left was at the Sunday Times and then did an interview about my first book. And then I was like, I should get a column there. And I basically just didn't stop.

I kept being like, I think this is a really good idea. They were like, we're not sure. And I was like, let's just try. Let's just try. So we tried it. Do you think you could be the next editor of Vogue? No.

You're essentially Carrie Bradshaw then. Are you sure? I don't think Carrie Bradshaw could edit Vogue. Has the editor just gone? Anna Wintour? Edward in the UK has just gone. Has he? Yes. He's moved into like a bigger global role. So there will be a new editor of British Folk.

Where I don't work. We're all part of the same folk community. No, we are. It doesn't matter. We are, but my editors are in the States. Do you know who it's going to be? There's always rumours. And it's always a surprise and not a surprise when you find out.

Why don't you do it? Why don't you go for it? Do you have to be more fashion? I think your desire to talk, to tell good stories is also alongside managing the expectations of a lot of people. And that's not... I've been really lucky in the last five or six years where I get to do things that I really want to do.

I'm very, like, sit on my own and write the story I want to write rather than get someone to help me do this, this, this, this. I've become very independent in how I work. I have always said no, and now I'm... And then I had dinner with a friend of mine. I had lunch at Quo Vadis with a friend who's a novelist, and she was like, just write it. And I was like, yeah, maybe.

Like, I just feel very differently about it suddenly. But if you can write, you can write. I also think it's just... It's just, what's the story? Not that I don't have a story to tell. I think something will happen. What normally happens to me is I'm like, have a moment of not working and my head is clear.

And then I'm like, this is what I want to do next. Raven Smith, you have been a treat. Thank you so much for coming on. Actually, I feel like this is the most kind of comprehensive conversation me and you have ever really had. That might be true. Well, Mum, have you got a new friend to go to the theatre with? It's my cosmo partner, darling.

He was absolutely lovely. What people didn't hear is when Raven was getting his cab, Mum shouted to him, when you drink a Cosmo, think of me. I hope I haven't sport Cosmos for him forever. I don't think that'll be awful. I don't think you're the first thing on his mind as a gay man. A 70-year-old woman, 71-year-old, comes to mind when you have a Cosmo.

Thank you to Raven Smith. His book is out now. But if you're in America, then it's coming out for you at the end of July. It's called Men. And you can also read his column or follow him on Instagram. He's very funny on Instagram. He knows everybody. He does.

Well connected, we say. And also, very good food anecdotes. Very. Mum, how was the food? It was delicious. The fish was gorgeous. The thing is about fish on the bone. You never fucking get anything.

You don't get anything. What is it? I know. You're best with a fillet. Or are we greedy? No, darling, that was... I'm so sad my basket didn't come. It was a mouthful at the back of your tongue.

Honestly, it was not a lot of fish i have to say my salt and vinegar potatoes were really yummy tonight and they were very crispy and hard well you know what i boiled them first thinking i was going to do a potato salad yeah and i thought that just depresses me yeah this was delicious that salad was quite nice too delicious how did you like your pudding? Delicious. Everything was great. That was so lemony. I know. It was like a lemon meringue.

It was like a lemon tart. So it was like a very... Like a... No, it was like a lemon meringue pie almost. But you know what I liked? The pastry was quite thick. And chewy. It was yummy anyway gengalees go check it out telegraph hill new crossgate

in the island of derby what a delight jacob is oh see do you see why i put on like two stones since living in a new crossgate he's an entrepreneurial gem what a guy what a lovely boy but what about the hot jesseie? You even liked Indusia. I don't think I did. Did you lie to Jake then? I thought it was delicious. I wasn't sure about the honey, to be perfectly honest. What are you talking about?

You shoved that in your mouth. And that is why you've got it on your chest, mum. Dolly, I got it on my chest because you didn't give me a napkin. And it was dripping down us. You had it dripping. Delicious. The hot jessie is out for another week, unless you make it your firm favourite. And it stays dripping down us. You had it dripping. Delicious. The Hot Jessie is out for another week, unless you make it your firm favourite.

And it stays on the menu. Raven Spitz book's out very soon, but it's available now in the UK. And, oh yeah, I have an album called That Feels Good that came out two months ago. Shove it in there too as well. You can go and buy that too. Oh shit, I forgot to give him a dishcloth.

A dishcloth? Who am I? An American? A tablecloth. We'll send him one. He'll probably make a shirt out of it.