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For Chef Rose Chalalai Singh, change is important. When she is not traveling, Rose walks every day from her home in Paris’ 2nd arrondissement to her newly-opened lab kitchen and private dining space. In her walk, she likes discovering how the city is evolving: from her light, airy, classic Parisian apartment in the middle of a busy street, to the quiet, vine-covered cobblestone courtyard in the bohemian neighborhood of Bastille.

Having moved from Thailand to Paris with her son Gabriel more than a decade ago, Rose made a name for herself within the city’s fashion and art circles with her two restaurants Ya Lamaï and Rose Kitchen. After years of working in restaurants, the non-stop schedule made her feel something was missing. Despite its overwhelming success, last year, she decided to close Rose Kitchen to reconnect with her love for hosting.

This love is reflected in her new space – both eclectic and calm. Floor-to-ceiling shelves fill the central space, showcasing colorful pottery and glassware collected from her trips. A long, communal table with fresh flowers extends into the open kitchen. Inside, you can often find Rose – gravitating between cooking and talking with her guests.

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How is your relationship to Paris?

I love Paris. My son and my friends are here. I would say nowadays, Paris is the best place to live in Europe. Every day, things are happening – so many different people, so many restaurants – there is always something new to try. It is so beautiful. I live right in the center of Paris, in the 2nd arrondissement. It only takes a ten-minute walk, and I am crossing the Seine. I step out of my door and can walk in front of the Louvre – it is magical somehow. For me, just that is already kind of a holiday. My lab kitchen is in Bastille, a popular area with fewer tourists – it is very residential and bohemian. I have both worlds.

Rose Chalalai “I would say nowadays, Paris is the best place to live in Europe. Every day, things are happening, so many different people, so many restaurants – there is always something new to try.”

Tell me about the house you live in

I love this apartment. Before living here, I lived in the heart of Le Marais for seven years, and now I live in the 2nd arrondissement - which is a completely different area. It is very touristy but with charm – old but still kind of sophisticated. You are near places like the Palais Royale, the Louvre, and Opera. There is an interesting mix in this neighborhood. You can find amazing Japanese food next to a traditional restaurant like Chez George. It is an old area, but very international at the same time. It is not residential, and it is not quiet – which is what I love. I can see so many things going on in one day.

Rose Chalalai “In Paris, I walk a lot, I like walking and seeing how things are changing.”

How did your lab kitchen come to be?

My lifestyle changed a lot this past year. I used to have a restaurant, Rose Kitchen. It was a big hit when we opened, and we always had a lot of people coming. When I started it, I thought I would love it and could do it forever. But after a while, I began feeling I was missing something outside the restaurant, and over time, I realized it was not what I wanted to do. So, after working in the restaurant industry for ten years, I decided to give up. We closed Rose Kitchen a year ago. It was sad, many people complained. But I felt I was choosing my freedom, and freedom is something nobody and nothing can take away from you.

Rose Chalalai “It's exciting, I found the luxury and freedom to do what I really love to do.”

After the closure, and with my son getting older, I had more time and was able to take on more international projects. I began traveling, cooking everywhere, and meeting so many people around food. I decided to have a lab kitchen in Paris–in Bastille–where I know I can always go to experiment and cook. It is also a private kitchen. We can host dinners there too. It's exciting. I now have the luxury and freedom to do what I love. I'm very lucky to be able to do that. Right now, I feel I am entering a new chapter and that I'm just getting started.

Rose Chalalai “I decided to have a lab kitchen in Paris–in Bastille–a place where I know I can always go to, a place to experiment and cook.”

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Where did your passion for cooking begin?

When I moved to Paris because of my son Gabriel, I thought, if I was going to live here, I needed something to do. I always had a connection with food and cooking through my family, so I asked a Thai chef who lives in Paris to work with me. I learned a lot from him and started to cook every day, and then I just kept doing it. I love cooking and bringing people together. It is unexpected and challenging at the same time. In cooking, you always have the risk of making mistakes, but an accident can become something great. It is exciting, and you have a great time. I like cooking and entertaining because it is fun. I host all the time - it's what I do.

Rose Chalalai “I love cooking and bringing people together. It is unexpected and challenging at the same time.”

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How do you choose the pieces that you live with, both at home and at your lab?

I like to find things. I love objects and crafts, so whenever I travel, I go looking for them - especially ceramics and glass. I've been collecting things for years and years. Some of the ceramics I have belonged to my grandmother, and I kept them. Little by little, you collect, and one day you see it has become a lot. You don't need to buy all the things and get everything at the same time. They just come.

Rose Chalalai “I like to find things. I love objects and crafts, so whenever I travel, I just go looking for them, especially ceramics and glass.”

Do you have any hosting rituals?

Going to the market. I like to go and see what is happening, and then bring it back. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes I just cook Thai curry with rice. It depends on what I feel like. There's no recipe, no menu - I go with the flow. In autumn, I can cook only mushrooms for two months if it feels right.