Ana Cuba/The New York Times: Jessica Ware

British singer-songwriter and now podcaster, Jessica Ware is best known for her hits Spotlight and Say You Love Me. The down-to-earth and brazenly funny star has since become the author of a best-selling cookbook,Table Manners, and co-host of a podcast by the same name.

Matthew Shave: Jessica Ware with her mother, Lennie

Ware’s hilarious mother, Lennie, joins the podcast as they talk about food, family, and everything under the sun. With guests like Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Sadiq Khan, Cheryl Tweedy, and more, Lennie and Jessica have fed the finest!

Things don’t always go as planned, like when they cooked inedible ribs for George Ezra and ultimately had to serve takeout food. It’s all part of the show!

Surprisingly, music was never part of Ware’s life plan. She studied journalism in college and even considered becoming a lawyer, before finding herself performing in Glastonbury and Coachella. Her big break came with Say you Love Me, a power ballad with Ed Sheeran.

The pandemic has affected everyone, including musicians like Ware. Thankfully, she has Table Manners to fall back on.

The podcast was a natural development, considering mum Lennie (who is a social worker) loves to do big Jewish Friday suppers for her children’s friends. In 2017, the duo figured the homey vibe of their dinners would translate well into a podcast.

Lennie would cook up a storm, while Jessie would chat with one of her celebrity friends. Comfort food, wine, and candid conversations became the backbone of ‘Table Manners.’

With over 3.5 million listeners and an immediate 60,000 downloads per episode, it’s safe to say that people love this hilarious podcast.

Lennie’s amusing stories, like the time she couldn’t stop gushing about Bill Pullman, makes it all the more relatable. Plus, it’s always fun to listen to the banter of a mother and daughter.

Ware claims that people now recognize her more for her podcast than her music. She even credits the show for helping her move past a creative slump in her music career. Her new album What’s Your Pleasure re-imagines disco and is entirely different from her earlier works.

Ware feels like it’s a time where people need music to fantasize and move away from reality, and she has finally earned her place in the industry.

Table Manners has produced nine seasons and even been nominated for the British Podcast Awards. There’s something about the comedic double-act of this mother and daughter that makes it irresistible. Make sure you listen to it right now!