In our conversation with Simonetta Wenkert, she shared her inspiring journey of merging her two passions—writing and the culinary arts.
“It all started as a year-long experiment,” she recounted. “Opening the restaurant was my husband Avi’s dream, not mine. As a busy novelist and mother of three, I could hardly manage another distraction from my writing. But when Avi lost his uninspiring IT job in 2006, I felt it was my duty to help turn his dream into a reality.”
Reflecting on the challenges of the restaurant industry, Simonetta recalled Anthony Bourdain’s take on the desire to be a restaurateur: “He called it ‘a strange and terrible affliction.’ Thankfully, I didn’t suffer from that. Nevertheless, I’ve always been a food lover, and I appreciated the elegance of Italian cuisine, which leaves no room for dishonest cooks.”
Her childhood in London during the ’70s was shaped by her restless Tuscan mother, who didn’t hold cooking in high regard, which made for less-than-ideal family meals. It wasn’t until she moved to Rome in her twenties and met Avi that she discovered the joy of sharing meals around a table. “While watching dishes emerge from my future mother-in-law Ida’s galley kitchen, I often wondered, ‘Why go to such lengths just for family?’ Yet, every simple lunch there somehow felt like a special occasion.”
At her mother-in-law’s home, meals like vincisgrassi, a time-consuming lasagna from Marche, and delicious local produce became not just meals, but experiences steeped in love and conversation. “The women in Avi’s family spoke about food like it was a language of affection,” Simonetta explained, highlighting how they envisioned capturing that spirit in the restaurant they named after Ida, despite her skepticism about food prepared outside her home.
Ida’s culinary skills were legendary, her well-used copy of Ada Boni’s cookbook, a wedding gift, served as a testament to her expertise. “Ida’s life changed dramatically after the war when she reunited with her long-lost fiancé, Bernardo Reichenbach, and eventually, they moved to Israel. I can picture her rolling tagliatelle in Haifa, missing her hometown of Cupramontana,” Simonetta reflected.
Despite their best efforts, the couple faced steep learning curves. “When we first opened, serving just 50 customers in a night felt overwhelming, and every misstep could impact our reputation. We were told that London was a tough market for restaurants—19 out of 20 fail within a year. With no experience in hospitality, we had to learn quickly,” she admitted.
As they juggled the demands of the restaurant and family life, things became chaotic. “Home started to feel like another battleground. Avi and I were running on adrenaline, and our kids, once our pride and joy, felt like logistical puzzles to solve.”
Over time, they adapted to their new lives. “The restaurant became a second home. Our children often joined for family meals, and my mother helped out in the evenings. Managing Ida enriched my writing in unexpected ways. Running a restaurant was like being a taxi driver in London—you never knew who would walk through the door. It sparked my imagination, allowing me to eavesdrop on stories and conversations that ignited my creativity.”
However, the initial success of their restaurant came with its own challenges. “We were packed every night, with little time for reflection,” Simonetta said. “And when the 2008 recession hit, we were blindsided. Bookings dropped overnight, and we sometimes found ourselves empty-handed in terms of reservations.”
Despite the financial stress, Simonetta realized she couldn’t walk away. “What was intended to be a year-long commitment evolved into something I felt deeply responsible for. I believed in what we were building and knew that if we worked through our debts, we could bring Ida back to life.”
The community support during the 2020 pandemic reaffirmed their mission. “We teamed up with a charity to deliver hot meals to vulnerable neighbors, many of whom were our loyal customers. Our crowdfunding campaign raised an incredible £26,000 in just 72 hours, helping us weather the lockdowns,” Simonetta shared.
Originally, she envisioned “Ida at My Table” as a simple cookbook filled with stories about Ida’s life. But she quickly realized the narrative needed to be broader. “A typical cookbook wouldn’t capture the experience of being a restaurateur, especially someone who doesn’t cook, or the ongoing influence of a woman like Ida,” she explained.
While running the restaurant pulled her away from writing, it also added color and excitement to her life. “We planted deep roots in a rapidly changing city. Our children had grown up within those walls, and they adapted alongside us—becoming resilient problem-solvers as we faced the challenges of the recession and pandemic. I often wonder how Ida would have reacted to all of this. I hope she would feel proud.”
“Ida at My Table: A Story of Food, Family, and Finding Home” by Simonetta Wenkert is available from Bedford Square for £20, or for £18 at guardianbookshop.com.
