Here at Retropeepers we have some seriously cool customers who buy our glasses. We love getting to know you and seeing pictures of you rocking our specs and they don’t come much cooler than Becky Cummins and Tony Rodd.
You may recognise Tony from his appearance on Masterchef in 2015, when he wowed the judges and TV audiences with his delectable food and amazing moustache and funky glasses. He and his partner Becky now own a fabulous restaurant in the heart of Blackheath village in London, ‘Copper and Ink’ which is winning accolades for its delicious food and relaxed ambience. We find them both fascinating and know you will too, so we caught up with them to get to know them a bit better.
Tell us a bit about yourselves:
B: I’m a restauranteur, gluten-free baker, freelance writer and all-around good egg
T: I’m a chef, restauranteur and glasses-wearer.
Tell us about your style:
B: My style has a tendency to change, but I am definitely mainly routed in the 1950s with my attire. I guess I would class myself as a Rockabilly girl at heart, but there are times when only a 1930s frock or a 60s beatnik outfit will do!
T: I draw inspiration from various styles including 1920s dandies, 1950s greasers and the more recent Mods. I like blending many styles together to find my own identity.
What is it you love about vintage?
B: What don’t I love about vintage!? I am fascinated by vintage fashion, vintage film, vintage cars and, to a lesser degree, vintage values. There are elements of the past that I really cling to like respect for one’s elders and family, however, I’m definitely an independent woman and probably wouldn’t have done very well as a housewife in the 1950s!
T: Vintage style is beautiful to look at! We drive a 1950s Chevrolet, which next to a modern car, has beautiful curves and style. In fashion, you can create your own identity and really stand out from the rest of the population.
Is your home vintage style? If so, what is your favourite piece?
B: Our home has vintage-style accent pieces rather than being a completely vintage home.
T: Having a combination of modern and vintage or vintage-inspired pieces is a good balance between practicality, affordability and style. Although we would like an entirely vintage house, the reality is, it’s just not practical. My favourite pieces are our 50’s Chevrolet truck and anything wine-related.
B: I think we would disagree on what era to style our home in so having a completely vintage house would certainly be difficult! I definitely agree with Tony on the truck and wine glasses, but I also have a vintage Poole Pottery tea and coffee set which I absolutely love.
Do you have a particular favourite vintage find?
T: I love a pair of true vintage cat eye glasses that I found for Becky
B: I love those glasses! But I also love my tea set and I have a fantastic 60s Pan Am flight bag.
Why do you love Retropeepers?
B: I love that I can find a pair of vintage inspired glasses that I can get my hands on easily to help me live my vintage fantasy every day (whilst still being able to see!)
T: I love the range of frame styles and colours that feature vintage design but at an affordable price.
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Both of you own quite a few pairs of our glasses. Which is your favourite pair and why?
T: I love the Groucho! I really love that they come in a variety of colours, the small detail at the end of the arms and their clean lines
B: I adore Betty! She comes in heaps of different colours, has gorgeous accents on the brow wings and just makes me feel like a million bucks! I just wish they came in pink!!
Tell us about your career and Masterchef appearance:
T: Having reached the final on MasterChef in 2015, I swapped my career in architecture for the food world. In 2018, I opened Copper & Ink with Becky, which is a restaurant focussed on seasonal food at affordable prices, with a relaxed and informal dining experience. Over the years, I have worked on stage and screen and in numerous kitchens around the world and enjoy collaborating with chefs, producers and designers.
B: Before opening Copper & Ink with Tony, I was a PA working in the property sector, and had my own baking business focussed on gluten-free baking. I have written recipes for various magazines and suppliers and continue to demonstrate gluten-free baking on stage at food festivals around the country. I am a wine enthusiast and work closely with Tony to pair wines with the food he and the chefs at the restaurant create.
Have you any exciting plans for Copper & Ink? Both: We are really excited to be able to re-open following the Covid-19 closure, and as always we will have a seasonal menu, but as we aren’t currently sure of the conditions of which we will be able to re-open, we haven’t made any specific plans. However, we are currently in the process of developing a restaurant, lounge and bar for a new hotel opening in 2021 and will be announcing news in the near future. We will also be announcing Copper & Ink appearing on a TV show later this summer. All very exciting!
We really enjoyed chatting to Becky and Tony. To find out more about their fabulous restaurant, please follow Copper & Ink on Instagram: @copperandink. And to get Tony and Becky's look, check out our Betty and Groucho frames
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