On a Hot Night in Bangkok, a Dinner on the Sidewalk

The Bangkok-born, Paris-based chef Rose Chalalai Singh, 46, and the creative director Opas Chantkam, 58, who runs FV, a tea, juice and dessert shop in Bangkok’s Chinatown, met through a mutual friend more than 30 years ago. Having bonded over their shared sensibility — both “make an effort to see beauty” in their daily lives, says Singh — they’ve kept a running text thread about food. He’s always curious to hear what she’s making for an event at Rose Kitchen, her private-dining space in Paris’s 11th Arrondissement, and she’s used dried fruit from FV (which stands for “Fruits and Vegetables” and relies heavily on regeneratively grown local produce) in her desserts. They’d never hosted a meal together, however, until early May.

On a steaming hot night, the pair had eight friends join them for dinner just outside of FV for what was a collaborative affair: After welcoming their guests with cups of a sleeping grass tea that Chantkam had made from the leaves of mimosa pudica, an indigenous plant, everyone set to work.

The florist Gibb Susangkarakan, 37, finished arranging the fragrant tropical blooms (lotus flowers, fire orchids) that she and Chalalai Singh had chosen together the night before at the Pak Khlong Talat flower market. The artist Pinaree Sanpitak, 64, who’d arrived with pieces from Breast Stupa Cookery, her collection of plates, cups and platters that mimic the shape of breasts or stupas, began to set the table. Hanief Pittayasarn, 37 — who co-owns the restaurant Zao, which serves Isan dishes, or those from northeastern Thailand, in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area — tossed cubes of watermelon with a tamarind dressing, while Chalalai Singh made a garnish of coriander, toasted rice powder, lemon and fish sauce to sprinkle on top. Eventually, the group spilled out onto Song Wat Road and took their seats. “It’s a hot climate way of doing life,” Chalalai Singh said of placing the table outdoors. “Staying inside until the sun goes down and then being on the sidewalk, waving hello to people on the street.”

The attendees: In addition to Susangkarakan, Sanpitak and Pittayasarn, in attendance were Sanpitak’s son, the fashion designer Shone Puipia, 32; Kawinpat Sirithanaviriya, 44, who works at FV; Patipat Chaipukdee, 41, another fashion designer; the jewelry designer Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura, 35; and Klaomard Yipintsoi, 61, the director of Misiem’s, a nearby gallery and museum.

The table: One of the vintage cloths that Chantkam has collected — a swath of French linen in pale teal — covered the table. On top, Susangkarakan placed a series of vintage teak vases filled with her arrangements: She’d folded the lotus flowers’ pale pink petals inward, a traditional Thai technique, and mixed them with fire orchids, foxtails, bracts of heliconia and a few Thai eggplants and bitter bean pods.

The food: In addition to the watermelon, Pittayasarn brought ham steamed in banana leaves, a traditional Isan appetizer, which Chalalai Singh enhanced with chopped aromatics like lemongrass and coriander. For the main course, he made rice with local seafood — “a Thai risotto of sorts,” said Chalalai Singh, who acted as Pittayasarn’s sous chef. For dessert, Chantkam prepared four types of granitas — watermelon, mango, lotus root and water chestnut — balancing their sweet and savory elements. The watermelon variety was topped with dried fish and crispy shallots, for instance, while the vegetal flavors were sweetened with brown sugar. The icy treats were served with kleeb lamduan — traditional rice cookies shaped like lamduan flowers — that Chalalai Singh and Chantkam prepared together. After baking them, Chalalai Singh used a fragrant tian op candle made from beeswax and frankincense to infuse them with a smoky flavor.

The drinks: Guests started with mangosteen Bellinis seasoned with lime, then switched to Banibano, a natural Tunisian white wine harvested in 2023 and released by Jean Touitou, the founder of the French clothing line A.P.C. He’s a friend of Chalalai Singh’s and parted with four of his last bottles for the occasion.

The music: While Chalalai Singh loves music and even D.J.s at her friend’s bar in Bangkok on occasion, when it comes to mealtime, she thinks the focus should be on the food and doesn’t play any. “Eating is a ritual. The food is the master of the ritual and we are the audience,” she said.

The conversation: Everyone was eager to hear about the newly opened Misiem’s, half of which is dedicated to contemporary art while the other half displays works by Yipintsoi’s grandmother Misiem Yipintsoi, a major 20th-century Thai artist. The diners were also curious about the design of FV, inside of which is a wooden teahouse that was built using ancient joinery techniques in lieu of nails.

An entertaining tip: “Invite people who like to do things together,” said Chalalai Singh, and all the better if they’re willing to pitch in to tidy up. “If the cooking and cleaning are happening at the same time, you can sit down and spend the whole night with your guests without worrying about all that’s left to do in the morning.”