Rose Chalalai Singh

The first thing Rose Chalalai Singh does when hosting a dinner party—be it a 200-person affair for an art world client or a small, private event—is get the table ready. Only when that’s out of the way will she be able to focus on the actual food. No wonder, perhaps, since much of the chef’s childhood took place around a table that was always set for guests. Growing up, she lived in Bangkok with her grandmother, a mother of 11 children.¹ Singh would help cook up feasts for the constant stream of family members filling the house. 

Today, Singh’s cooking is still family-style, it’s just the crowd eating it that has changed. Almost overnight, her two Parisian eateries—Ya Lamaï and the recently closed Rose Kitchen—became favorites among the city’s art, design and fashion ...