The 75 Interview with Céline Chung
She's got great taste and strong opinions—from the most overrated French dish to the best dim sum in the 13th.
Red pendant lamps line the ceiling on the second floor of Gros Bao, a Chinese canteen in the 10th. The effect is a bit dizzying, a bit Kubrick-esque. Transportive, you could be anywhere in the world. But one wall of the massive room is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Canal Saint-Martin; you’re definitely in Paris.
The lamps were imported from Hong Kong, along with the light jade tables and even the architects, owner Céline Chung tells me. The result is kitschy, retro, and cool. She knew exactly what she wanted aesthetically when she opened Gros Bao, the second of her Chinese restaurants in Paris—the first being Petit Bao in Saint-Denis, an ode to Shanghai cuisine, bao, xiao long bao, and homemade wok-fried dishes. Céline, who grew up in the Marais, had a previous life in fashion—it’s obvious in the distinct point of view expressed in the space, which oozes style.
She spent six months in Shanghai to connect with her roots, and returned with a mission. Her idea, to show Parisians the breadth of Chinese cuisine, has blossomed into 14 spots across Paris, including, most recently, the Street Bangkok restaurants. (You can catch me at their party on February 5 to celebrate the reopening of Street Bangkok under new owners Céline and Billy Pham—snacks, rap, Thai boxing, tuk-tuk neighborhood tours included. I’m there.)
“I wake up with vertigo,” laughs Céline, when I ask her about running a restaurant empire. Her goal is to find balance between creating a lot, maintaining the quality, and preserving the soul of each address.
At Gros Bao, the setting is matched by excellent food. My friend Sulekha and I shared the glossy charsiu pork, Cantonese-style barbecued pork belly. For good measure, we added the Szechuan-style broccolini with black bean soy sauce and the chilled, garlicky, melty-soft eggplants rounded out with a creamy, tangy mango sago. That lunch made me want to immediately flag all of Céline’s restaurants on Google Maps.
When it comes to Paris dining, the Marais native has her go-tos. For her latest discovery, she shouts out A La Renaissance, an 11th arrondissement bistro dating back to 1919, recently revived by Carina Soto Velásquez and Joshua Fontaine of Le Mary Celeste fame. She loves the classic French food, the relaxed service, and the old-school menus. “I really enjoy the simple, good products,” she says.
For a wine bar, her pick is Billili, a 10th arrondissement spot with great wines, small plates, and charcuterie. Go early, she warns, as scoring a table can be tricky. Total scene.
When it comes to cocktails, Céline heads to The Cambridge in the Marais, where she collaborated with bartender Nicolas at Gros Bao. “He works with products from around the world, and has really mastered Asian spices,” she says.
For street food, Céline makes twice-monthly pilgrimages to Dong Huong in Belleville, a Vietnamese institution. The rice with green chicken and the pho are essentials, and she always orders the red bean with coconut milk. “It’s my comfort spot,” she says.
For boulangeries, she loves Miettes (which means crumbs!) in the 18th, close to her apartment and near L’Olive market. “I love the chou—the cream inside is always creative. Pistachio, praline… super good.”
Her favorites in Paris’ Chinatowns? For dim sum, New Hoa Khoan in the 13th arrondissement. In Belleville, for a traditional Chinese breakfast, it’s Best Tofu, where she gets the youtiao, the fried beignet, with soy milk.
Casa Pregonda is her pick for a splurge-worthy, cozy night. “It’s a beautiful place, the dishes are amazing—best Spanish tortilla I’ve had.” For a sexy date night, she recommends Soces in the 19th arrondissement. “Marius and Kevin will welcome you in the best way. The food is amazing. I love ordering oysters and white wine.”
And when Paris inevitably delivers a hangover, Céline hits up Dumbo. (Ed. note: BEST smashburgers in Paris.) Her order: cheeseburger and nuggets, no fries.
The one French dish she finds overrated? Confit de canard. “In China, we have canard pékinois, which is insane, so I’m sorry guys, but I can’t eat confit de canard.”