River Cafe by Stuart Forbes & Richard Rogers

Stuart Forbes associates and Richard Rogers have redesigned the famous river cafe in London,UK.The redesign unites kitchen and dining room and features a large wood-fired oven.The restaurant, owned by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, temporarily closed earlier this year following a fire.

“The dynamic relationship between the chefs, the kitchen and the public is a focal point of the design” says Stuart Forbes.

Significant additions also include a kitchen table within the working kitchen zone and a glass enclosed cheese room based on a classic Italian design. The kitchen is now completely open to public view, enabling diners to observe chefs in action. A notable addition is a new wood burning oven, dominating the dining room and kitchen. Manufactured by the Italian firm of Valoriani, this type of oven – made in Reggello, in the hills of Tuscany 25 km southeast of Florence – is key to the preparation of The River Café’s many dishes.

Commenting on the re-design, Richard Rogers states: “Stuart and I set out to make distinctive but subtle changes – we have significantly remodeled The River Café while respecting its visual identity and retaining its original elegance.”