Book Launch: Pink Chilli in a Bowl

About the Session

Pink Chilli in a Bowl
By Isabella Der Hagopian and Manuel Der Hagopian

This launch is in conjunction with INTERIM – Singapore Archifest 2023

“The beginnings of Pink Chilli in a Bowl can be traced back to an instinctive need to make a home out of a new place I’m living in… understanding how and what a city consumes regularly is a way to experience heritage, culture and the current zeitgeist.” – Isabelle Der Hagopian

Streets are a crucial city element that embodies a large part of public life and the interim nature of a city. Inspired by people who cook for us and feed us at hawker centres, coffee shops and family-run eateries, enriched by the work of photographers, writers, and designers, Pink Chilli in a Bowl narrates the interconnected stories of eateries, confectioneries, and landmarks, presenting endangered dishes and diverse architectures.

A first look into the book, the authors Manuel and Isabelle Der Hagopian will present a fresh appreciation of urban space in Singapore as a set of constellations built around food establishments. They will be joined in conversation by the contributors Stephanie Peh (main contributing writer), Sarah Mineko Ichioka (essay writer) and Randy Yeo (book designer).

About the People Behind the Book

Isabella Der Hagopian is a Swiss doctor practicing for 25 years between Switzerland and Southeast Asia. Fascinated by Asian street food and culture of cities. she co-authored the famed “Nancy Chandler’s Map of Hanoi” in 2010, and is the author of Pink Chilli in a Bowl, a subjective survey on eateries in Singapore. She is currently working on a study on market typologies in Saigon, Vietnam.

Manuel Der Hagopian is a Co-founder and Partner at G8A Architects. He is in charge of operations at the Singapore and Ho Chi Minh offices, and also co-manages the offices in Geneva and Hanoi. In collaboration with international and local institutions, Manuel is contributing to research and education by architectural studios and juries for a diversity of international architectural schools and cultural institutions.

Stephanie Peh is an independent writer and creative producer born and raised in Singapore. In 2020, she published Self-made: Creative Lives in Southeast Asia, a paperback documenting the stories of creative individuals and how they navigate the terrain of uncertainty to create meaningful lives.

Sarah Mineko Ichioka is a strategist, urbanist, and writer. She is Founding Director of Desire Lines, a consultancy for environmental, cultural, and social-impact organizations and initiatives. In previous and parallel roles, she has explored the intersections of cities, society and ecology within leading international institutions of culture, policy and research.

Randy Yeo is the founder and design director of Practice Theory. With a reputation for concept-driven work imbued with typographic rigour, his work spans the cultural and commercial sectors with clients including the Singapore Economic Development Board, National Gallery Singapore, Facebook, Docomomo International, and Art Central Hong Kong. Randy’s work has also been recognized globally by the British D&AD, Tokyo Type Directors Club, The One Show, and Taiwan’s Golden Pin Design Award.