The Oldest Fast Food Restaurant in London's East End 

I come back and watch this every few months to remind myself that I have no idea how soft he’s holding those pies

Dude is the living embodiment of the term “bloke”

You know, with all the talks of British food being bad, I can respect the passion and dedication in creating these food. Stereotypical British food leaves me an impression that it’s food for the common folks, easy to fill you up and doesn’t taste overly rich. Being East Asian myself we also have fish jelly and blood sausages. Some consider them disgusting but It’s food that people created when they have to make do with what they have.

I had the pleasure of eating here, it was the best pie, mash and liquor that I have ever had. The friendly customer service from Mrs Cooke was top notch too.

He's alive And we just cut behind the ears And Boom ees dead

4 years later and scientists still have no idea how gently he's holding these pies

7 years in and I still have no idea how gently he's holding those pies

As absolutely vile as jellied eels sound, watching Joe cook with such love makes me want to try this stuff out. If I ever go to London, I’m going to try it and report back

I thought I was the only one but after looking at comments I've realised basically everyone who's seen this video occasionally comes back for unknown reasons, guess we're not all so different

Fun fact: I don't have an Idea how soft he's holding those pies.

My grandad was from the east end of London he was born in 1925 & sadly is no longer around, he was also called Joe. Just watching this video reminds me of him he loved jellied eels, just the mannerisms and the way the people talk, it was so familiar. I haven't heard my gramps voice in years & it was like having him back for a bit 😊 I really miss him

3 years later and I still can't believe how softly he holds them pies

Most memorable person in England (Present day) 1. the Queen 2. This man

Japanese preparing eels: smooth delicate cuts East london: "across the belly, she's run away".

This is probably the most British thing I've ever seen and I love it. I wish all of England was more like this.

6 years later and i STILL can't understand how gently he's holding them pies!

Every couple months or so I rewatch this and I don't know why. I've never had this food. I'm not british. I don't know why the video is appealing at all. Yet here I am.

If London was a video game, he’s the Final Boss

It's a blessings that your customers are always there even 60 + years. Thats a certification of a chef and resto that their standard never go down. Love his passion for the food he cook. ❤️❤️❤️

I've been watching this video multiple times for the last 4 years. I just love to see the passion and love put into something so simple yet so traditional and full of history. I feel like I'm listening a man share his life story. Also the those pies 🥧

I wish I could find something I enjoyed doing as much as this man enjoys making running this restaurant

lol remember when we could actually go out to restaurants. Good times

I'm currently in London, and wanted to visit this restaurant ever since seeing this video years ago. I met Joe today and he came over and talked with me for about 45 minutes, amazing guy, and the food was fantastic!

After watching this clip for so many times, I finally made it there. The food and hospitality was great!!

I hope they're doing ok this year.

“Straight across and he’s ded”

I always get recommended this video every 6 months or just search it up. It’s such a joy to watch!

It’s weird how many many times I came back to this video, theres something so simple about their business but filled with passion

"Better than that it could go into your eye which is fearsome I tell ya. It stings like buggery." Thats the most English thing I've ever heard.

*You have no idea how gently I'm holding these pies*

This man is so genuinely wholesome! I cannot get enough! I want to fly across to world just to eat his food!!!❤

Saw this when it came out 6 years ago. Hoping to make it to London one of these days and actually partake in this before all of the classic places close down.

first time he met his wife he held her so softly she hardly knew he was holding her, thats when she fell ded over Eels for him.

Everyone protect this bloke, he's just too pure for this world

This is one of my comfort videos. Always a joy to watch food videos and even better, a jolly person in the video with a humor or a big smile 😀

I love this. Everyone needs a shop like this to go to. Spread love with comfort food.

It just occured to me. Joe's speech about basic good tasting food is the exact same ball park as Marco pierre white and his attitude towards perfection. Lots of little things done right is perfection.

Gordon Ramsey coming here to taste the food is the collab I demand to see

there's no secret in his way of cooking it's just how passionate and how he truly love what his doing💞

Every so often, it’s good for me, as a chef, to come back and watch this bloke make his pies. So simple, and yet it’s an art. Simple food is magnificent food. And I’m glad to be doing something more like this now than fine dining. ….id also love a pie now. Oooh there’s a craving. 🤤

Perhaps the most British thing I have ever seen

2:54 the way he shouts his employee over 😅 "UGLY!" "YO!" "HERE" 😂

It's great that canteens still exist, somewhere in the world. Here in Finland they are just memories. It's good to eat warm, tasty food in the mornings, this is how you get through the day's. Big thumbs up. The program reminds me of my childhood and shared moments with my father. Eel was one of my favorites at the time. It still is. Father used to take me to the market in Helsinki in the summertimes. He bought us smoked eel. In those early mornings we would sit side by side on the stone pier and enjoy salty fatty eel with bread. Can life get any better? Thanks for the great documentary, it brought back memories for an old man.

Met him yesterday. Nice food and family. Wishing all the best to the Cooke family and their costumers. 🌹

"The bone goes up your thumb, which is a lot of fun. But it does double as a wart, which is very handy."

R.I.P. Peggy. They closed the shop when she died. To memorialize her death and in honor of her going their since it opened, she was a fine woman and great friends with the family owners of the shop. (Edit, The shop only closed for A day after she died. And I believe the Original shop closed down cause of Covid related stuff. But they do have two or one other shop open around London.)

I must have watched this 10 times by now. I cant resist how great this man's character is.

Anyone else come back and watch this at least 2-3 times a year?

It becomes an aphrodisiac once you imagine you’re one of the pies being held softer than anyone can even comprehend.

my soul almost can't handle just how wholesome joe is

When you do it right, the people will come from far an wide. Keep doing what you're doing. From Australia with love and respect mate.

I just came back after 6years and i still dont know how gently he's holding those pies

As an East Londoner, I can confirm this shop and this man are the real deal. There's only a few decent Pie & Mash shops left around (This one. Manze's, Eel & Pie House, and a few scattered in east), But its good to see business is still going. Never liked Jellied Eels but pie and mash was a favourite of mine growing up. The two old dears are proper cockneys

OK RU-vid I FINALLY WATCHED IT

6 years later i still don't know how gently he's holding those pies

I always keep coming back to to this video.

Let's just hope 2021 treats us as gently as this man treats those pies

"You've got no idea how gently I'm holding these pies"

I'm not English and as a tourist it's places like this that I desire to visit. As much as I'm sure the country has many interesting locations and places. This is a relic of the past still living. History and something new to learn. At the very end of it all you get to enjoy a plate of that history and taste authenticity. Simply amazing.

this is the 11th time I watch this short documentary, it's fascinating to see a family business that runs trough ages

You can tell by the way he cuts the pies that he’s done it a million times lol

this old guy is fucking cool bruh

Dont know how many times ive watched this. Love it bruv

Had to come back after 7 years. He was right, I’ve got no idea how gently he is holding those pies

It’s tradition to always watch this when recommended

5:30 "roight if ye let me have a quick bob splosh" i think that's the most british thing i've ever heard

I've seen this video multiple times. And it's comforting and reassuring 😊

I come back to this video time to time

“ It stings like buggery “ is an underrated line.

"But it does... Double. as a wart. which is very handy"

This is a comfort video I keep returning to

Always great to see someone passionate for their craft.

"A quick bob splosh" is how I am going to refer to washing my hand from now on.

I've been there with a mate 3 years ago. We're both from Paris but we had to go to London for a friend's birthday, so we made sure to arrive in town early enough to try this gem. Joe was the nicest guy and took 5 minutes to sit with us as we were eating, and tell us how much he loves is job and food in general. He even told us that every once in a while he and his wife would take Eurostar to Paris, eat in a proper parisian restaurant, and go back to London by the evening hahaha ! Freaking legend this man I tell you

Its now March 2023 - and after years of re-watching this video - i still have no idea how gently he is holding those pies

You can really feel the passion he has for his food.

Admit it, everyone here comes back and rewatch this every once in awhile Edit: You see? Everyone here has great taste 👌💯

What wonderful workplace comradery: -Ugly! -yo -here Guy comes running, absolutely beautiful

Now here's a man that I'd love to share a pint with. I have immense respect for anybody who does their job with pride and care.

I know Joe and love his restaurant. Lovely family!

"stings like buggery" Well then...wouldn't know, but I imagine he's right.

I swear, he will never leave a fingerprint in a crime scene the way he holds the pies

The finished plate looks like something on the table during the dinner scene in RE7.

Always love this video. Hope theyre doing good

2:24 - "It stings like buggery". Probably the most British thing I've ever heard... XD XD

Everything presented in this video is so brutally British.

I still come back to this

Just went today. Pie was amazing. Proper full of flavour. It was immediately noticeable and I’m not even the type to notice stuff about food. Although I had to pay cash so bare in mind people. But you could see based on the customers, people had travelled to experience it. He’s a great guy too. Only £4.40 for a small pie and mash with parsley sauce (liquor). Lovely food.

"I've been coming here since he opened this place" Me: u were born in 1862?

Awesome to see Someone so committed to quality and tradition.

This is one of my favorite videos on youtube and I have no idea why.

"Jellied eel" are two words I thought I'd never hear next to each other

The food looks like someone sneezed on the plate but I know for a fact that the flavors are incredible. Mainly due to how gently he holds those pies.

i loved every bit of this video

This is my favorite food video on RU-vid. Watch it every time I need a pick me up.

This dude was the sole reason I wanted to go to London. I've watched this video more than 200 times, I told myself everyday that I'd visit his shop and eat the jellied eels. Too bad it wasn't open when I was actually in London. I had eels at the other place, it tasted terrible (just like I expected) I almost threw up. But I never regret a single thing about that experience. 10/10 would do it again. I liked the liquor tbh

Love this kind of thing from munchies

i have accidentally watched this vid every 1 or 2 years over the last 8 years because i haven't "liked" or added it to playlist... youtube just likes to suggest it to me and every time i see it i remember how wholesome and genuine it is...

This was so wholesome I am not even going to question why Jellied eels exist. I'm just accepting it and moving on.

Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy still working together!