For Max Rocha, opening his buzzy restaurant Café Cecilia in the Hackney neighborhood of London last February was very much a family effort. The name Cecilia is a tribute to his Chinese paternal grandmother. His father, fashion designer John Rocha, had a hand in the interiors. His older sister, fashion designer Simone Rocha, designed the staffers’ uniforms. Even his young niece, Valentine, contributed a drawing that’s on a wall. But it’s his mother, Odette Rocha, whose influence is most heavily celebrated when it comes to the Dublin-inspired menu. Many of the delightfully unfussy dishes — amongst them a homemade Guinness bread, a pork and apricot terrine, a sage and anchovy fritti, and a chocolate mousse — are versions of what Odette cooked for Max and Simone when they were growing up in Ireland.
After putting in kitchen hours at famed London establishments like The River Café, St John Bread & Wine, and Spring (and catering for a variety of art and fashion shoots), Rocha branched out as head chef of his own eatery by focusing on fresh, in-season produce and putting forth strong family vibes. It’s no wonder Café Cecilia has become much-adored — the restaurant’s DNA pulses with Rocha coolness that runs generations deep. Ahead, we catch up with Rocha on his approach to blending European cuisines, his love for Italian pasta, and his favorite spots for international food — that is, besides his own.
