Well-travelled chef Ed Baillieu, previously executive chef of the Pelican in Notting Hill and the Hero in Maida Vale, has opened his first venue in London – close to where he grew up in Putney. Ruth’s, a neighbourhood restaurant and bar, has taken over a corner spot on the Lower Richmond Road occupied for 40 years by Italian restaurant Blades.
Ed (blue cap in picture) has teamed up for the project with Callum Ross (white trousers), former general manager of the Camberwell Arms and Forza Wine at the National Theatre. The pair first worked together in Callum’s native New Zealand, where Ed lived for 10 years.
Ruth’s is named in honour of Ed’s grandmother, an inspirational figure to him. “She had a difficult life, but was a wonderful person who never complained. She would to say: ‘Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it true?’ That’s the mantra we want to go by.”
With a bar at the front which takes no bookings and a cosy dining area at the back, Ruth’s serves a ‘British bistro’ menu using high-quality produce from throughout the British Isles – cheeses from Somerset, fish from Cornwall, langoustines from Scotland, Irish oysters: “Good ingredients you don’t need to do anything crazy with”, says Ed. “We want to be a really nice neighbourhood restaurant serving the sort of food we like to eat.”
There is also a distinctly Antipodean flavour to what he calls the “relaxed but highly knowledgeable service” – and on Callum’s wine list, which features some distinctive bottles from the Man O’ War winery on Waiheke Island, near Auckland.
Ruth’s is open from 5pm Tues-Wed and from 12 noon Thurs-Sun (last booking on Sunday at 4pm).
