25 Years of Jorge Argolo

Jorge Argolo  Photo Matthew Donaldson

Of the 34 years The River Cafe has been open, Jorge Argolo has worked there for 25 of them. And it’s hard to imagine the restaurant without him as Kitchen Porter Manager. 

The River Cafe has great chefs cooking with the best ingredients. But those ingredients must be expertly prepped, and the kitchen sustainably stocked, organised, and cleaned.

Jorge teaches and leads his team in rotating the vegetables, prepping the squid and freshly-caught sole, arranges the fridges, and makes sure the kitchen is spotless. 

His chosen dishes from Shop The River Cafe are ones he has helped prepare —grilled squid with red chilli and rocket, roast turbot tranche with anchovy and rosemary.

“When I first started in 1997” Jorge says, “I saw Rose and Ruthie working so hard, and I thought to myself—'Why can’t I do that, as well?’”

Exactly what he’s been doing ever since.

Squid with Red Chilli and Rocket
Roast Turbot Tranche, Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce and Crushed Italian Fine Green Beans
Beef Fillet Wrapped in Coppa
Tuscan Roast Potatoes with Zucchini
Vanilla Ice Cream

Pannacotta with Gariguette Strawberries