MAison Ë Where do you like to start the day in Zurich?

Zineb hattab I love coffee, which is why I like to have breakfast at Bros Beans & Beats. In addition to specialty coffee there are a lot of plant-based options, from avocado toast to porridge. For matcha, I go to Omnia coffee, an Indonesian specialty coffee shop, that sometimes also offers sticky rice. It’s run by a woman, which I like to support. For vegan pastries I’d recommend Moon, a very cute shop that is part of the White Rabbit Bakery. Their sticky bun is really nice. 

M.Ë What restaurant would you recommend for an exquisite plant-based meal?

Z.H. In the evening I like to go to Barranco, a Peruvian restaurant with amazing food and always a few vegan options. They also have a beautiful terrace. For a nice dinner, I recommend the asian-inspired vegan tasting menu at Kin. And for something more easy going, I’d go for a seasonal sourdough pizza at Alba Pizza. I really don’t leave my neighborhood much (laughs).

M.Ë Do you have a favorite dish in autumn?

Z.H. When it gets cold, I’m a regular for lunch at Ooki, a Japanese Ramen place around the corner from KLE. Their vegan Tan Tan Ramen is very good. My favorite dish, however, would be Harira soup, which is used to break the fast during Ramadan; our guests at DAR love it. My favorite dinner is Pan con Tomate, which we serve at Cor with super crunchy Pa de Vidre. It’s hard to find outside Catalonia and makes me feel at home.

M.Ë What’s your go-to-place to meet friends for drinks?

Z.H. There is this restaurant called Silex, that has a nice bar area and good wines. I also like to go to Igniv by Andreas Caminada, because I enjoy seeing the people there and their bartender Sarah Madritsch makes great cocktails.   

MAison Ë Where would you recommend dining while in Bangkok?

Nilas Corneliussen If you want to really experience Thai culture, you’ll find it in the streets. There are two good areas for street food. First one is Chinatown and all its small connecting streets. Here you can find both distinctive Thai fare but also a lot of Thai-Chinese cuisine. I’d recommend strolling there once the sun has set. Guay Chap are rolled rice noodles in a broth with meat and offal, in two styles of thick soup and clear soup with pepper. One of the best and most legendary in Yaowarat is Nai Ek Roll Noodle. The other area is Thanon Nang Linchi, a road filled with hole-in-the-wall places, everything from authentic Southern cuisine to banging Khao Soi from the North. 

M.Ë Do you have a favorite late-night snack?

N.C. Hot Pot Man is this local little all-you-can-eat mala place. Once in a while our team goes there for a hot pot. What I like about it is that they are open until very late, it’s a fairly good price for decent quality and the soup is very good.

M.Ë When friends or family visit, what culinary experience do you make sure they don’t miss?

N.C. Since I have a big love for Thai food, I always make sure they are exposed to various regional food. Thai food is so complex, it’s much more than these three-colored curries (red, yellow, green). One place is a Northern Thai restaurant in the Kaset Nawamin area called Ban Khon Mueang, which means “The Home of the Northener.” They serve super local dishes, especially from Chiang Mai, many of which are hard to find outside the region. I recommend the raw buffalo larb, with both raw blood and raw bile. Too Gub Khao Khong Mae Khao Gaeng is located on Nang Linchi road and serves very traditional Southern Thai food. Here it’s good to order the dry curry called Khua Kling. Google says it’s permanently closed, but don’t be fooled. On the corner of Rama IV Road and Ratchadaphisek Road, there is this little joint where they serve some fierce and fiery Isaan food. Their Isaan fermented sausage Sai Krok is a must. You eat it together with raw cabbage, deep fried peanuts and fresh bird’s eye chili. 

M.Ë What’s the best edible Bangkok souvenir to bring back home?

N.C. Any kind of dried nam prik. If I return to Sweden myself, I always take some with me. My brother is addicted to it. It’s a condiment to add to pretty much everything. Normally you eat it together with rice and eggs and it’s amazing.

MAison Ë Do you have a favorite place for aperitivo in Florence?

karime lopez I love aperitivo, especially somewhere a little more intimate. It’s especially nice at La Terrazza (part of Hotel Continentale), as it offers a great view of the river and the city. There is also a very nice bar at Locale. The aperitivo at Atrium Bar at the Four Seasons is also really special—with its large garden it’s a small oasis in the middle of Florence. 

M.Ë What trattorie would you recommend for traditional Tuscan food?

K.L. I have three favorites: one is I’Brindellone, a very simple trattoria with really good food. I love their crostini di gegato and coccoli e stracchino. A bit more refined in a way is Trattoria Sostanza. Their tortino di carciofi, a dish made with egg and deep fried artichokes, is super good. Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori is another place that is close to our hearts because we are almost neighbors and have a very good relationship with the owner, who runs the place with a lot of soul and charm. 

M.Ë Would you share your favorite addresses for gelato with us?

K.L. My top three would be La Strega Nocciola, where I love the lavender gelato. La Sorbettiera for their fior di latte gelato with salt. And then Gelateria della Passera. They have a real fruit sorbet, which I like.

M.Ë Where would you send wine lovers for dinner?

K.L. That’s easy: Enoteca Pinchiorri. The three-Michelin-starred restaurant has one of the biggest cellars with amazing wines from all over the world. Or you can visit Antinori nel Chianti Classico winery, 30 minutes from Florence, and have lunch at their restaurant Rinuccio 1180. Being in Tuscany, you can have great wines almost anywhere in the city.

M.Ë Any other places you’d like to point out?

K.L. Lampredotto is a typical Tuscan street food. There are various food trucks throughout the city, but I like to go to Trippaio del Porcellino. I’d go for their panino con lampredotto with salsa verde. If I get up late, I like to spend time at Ditta Artigianale. They have many options for people who don’t drink coffee like me. Another place to go is historical Caffè Gilli. Their pastries are really fresh—you can eat them for breakfast or aperitivo while looking out over the stunning Piazza de la Repubblica.