In my opinion, Robert Thompson is one of the best chefs on the Isle of Wight. When I started my career in food filmmaking and photography, the man at the top of my list to film and photograph was Robert Thompson, so I was delighted when an email came in asking to meet over a coffee. Naturally I was nervous meeting Rob, a man with an MBE and a string of Michelin stars. But if I had assumed he would be strict and uptight, I was completely wrong. The man I met was laid-back, kind and humble, and was seeking my advice.
Rob and I clicked straight away. He is a big-picture kind of guy, and so am I. From June 2025 we started working together on a retainer, and in August I pitched him my most ambitious food film yet: showing that his restaurant, RT Cafe Grill, could host someone for an entire day, told through a Wes Anderson-inspired film with three models delighting in the food.
To my surprise, Robert told me to make it happen, so that is exactly what I did. After it was edited, we were delighted to see this piece perform twice as well as anything else we put out. We enjoyed making it so much that we decided to make it a yearly event. We have now worked together for over a year, and the only thing changing is the workload, as we take on more and more projects together. Thanks Rob, for giving me a chance. I cannot wait for the next All Day Anderson.