If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what everyday stuff famous people add to their carts — like hairspray or an electric toothbrush. We asked Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, the Philadelphia-based chef and owner of Kalaya, about the tumbler, perfume, and eyeglasses she can’t live without.
I have nine drawers full of Issey Miyake. It’s a lot. But I can throw these on and they make me look good, especially when I travel or go out to dinner. They’re superlight, cool, and presentable. I love black. I do wear these in the kitchen. I wear them cooking and everywhere. I started collecting Issey Miyake when I was 26 or 27 and working as a flight attendant on Thai Airways. The clothes last forever and I cannot stop buying them.
Because I have to taste food like curries all the time for work, I need a sip of water between each taste. I like the water super-cold for when I taste stronger flavors. This tumbler is my sipping cup and keeps my water ice cold. If I leave it overnight and come back the next day, the water is still cold.
Oh my God, I have all the A.N. Other perfumes. One day my husband came home and told me his former student started his own perfume line. Wanting to support his student, I started wearing this perfume. Whenever I do, people ask me what it is. I ended up buying the entire collection every year. I buy it for friends. When I like something, I will get it in every color or version. I love this one. I’m wearing it now and smelling it and it’s so good.
I always have an Hermès shawl with me whenever I travel. Each print is done by a different artist and there’s always a story behind them. That’s why I like to collect them. They’re so warm and they last a lifetime. They’re made from cashmere and silk.
I moved to Philadelphia in 2007, and that’s when I first went to Claudio’s in the Italian Market. I was so impressed with the array of stuff. Whenever they have a new batch of olive oil coming in, they save me a bottle. It is so grassy, and it has a nice bite. I always have it in my pantry.
I see her every morning, my coffee machine. My poor husband, who never asks for anything, had wanted it first and I said okay. I didn’t even drink coffee at the time. But I started drinking coffee when I opened the restaurant, and during the pandemic, I was working so much harder and we couldn’t go to coffee shops. This machine can make espressos, flat whites, and anything. She’s so beautiful to look at, so every morning I say “hi” to her, and use her several times a day. She was a super-great investment, and the company’s service is amazing. I use McNulty’s beans, which are sometimes really rich and the machine can get clogged, but Jura’s technicians are super-helpful and fast.
I had been getting the same brand, different glasses, three years in a row, and I didn’t know until I looked at them closely last year and realized they were all the same brand. The Godfather design is my favorite: They’re really cool and they come with a chain. I have the black ones, but also blue and purple. They’re also superlight.
I like to wear things that are nice and light in the summer (Issey Miyake can be a bit hot), but these sets are cotton and one of a kind. I’ll wait for new patterns to drop and then I’ll call the company and ask them to put one of each aside for me.
I’ve been wearing them for a while now, since about 2021. I just modeled for their most recent campaign, after being devoted to the brand for almost three years. They’re super-comfortable, and I wear them for 12 hours at a time. I wear them especially when I cook for collaborations and have to travel, and I don’t have many people to help me. I’ll wear them on the plane, walking around a new city, and then in the kitchen. They’re easy to put on and easy to clean. I normally use a sanitary wipe to clean them, but you can also wash them. They’re super-supportive, and even after 12 hours on my feet, I don’t have any back pain and my body doesn’t feel anything. I’m very fussy about my shoes. These are so cushiony.
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