A new wave of chefs and entrepreneurs are refining Parisians' palate with restaurants in the French capital highlighting the depth and diversity of Chinese cuisine.
Walking into almost any new Chinese dining room in Paris, dinners will find a different story unfolding, one where Chinese chefs are redefining what the city tastes like.
"More than 10 or 15 years ago, it wasn't as specific and plural as it is today. We had mostly southern Chinese food. And I think now a lot of regions have come to have their own restaurants. Even specific regions of China have their restaurants, their chefs," said Grace Ly, a restaurant critic.
From northeastern skewers charred over open grills to delicate dim sum topped with French cheese and pork bathed in a rich cognac sauce, chefs here are blending tradition with local ingredients, creating flavors that feel both familiar and completely new.
"Every dish is a very authentic Chinese cuisine, but we use the French ingredients, like the French touch. So it's an authentic technique with the local product," said Samuel Lee, chief and owner of SENsation restaurant.
At SENsation, the team set out to create a space they felt Paris was missing. Something between fine dining and an old-school canteen. A place rooted in regional Chinese technique, but comfortable, modern, and unmistakably Parisian.
"The idea was to create a place different from what was offered in Paris. In Paris, one finds either very gastronomic restaurants or perhaps locations more in the traditional style. We will position ourselves somewhat between the two, to offer products of very good quality, to create authentic Chinese cuisine, by also using local products," said Romain Forest, director general and co-founder of SENsation restaurant.
And diners are responding with enthusiasm. For many Parisians, it's an introduction to a cuisine they thought was familiar.
"They are also somewhat surprised to rediscover Chinese cuisine. Because they were accustomed to different canteens. Today, we are offering something new," said Romain Forest.
And they aren't doing it alone. Restaurateurs, chefs, and communities are building this movement together, including pioneers like Madame Fan.
But this movement is about more than food. For many of these young founders it's about cultural identity and presenting Chinese cuisine on their own terms.
New restaurants like these are opening every month, each adding another layer to the story of Chinese cuisine in Paris.
Chefs and restaurateurs in Paris highlight diversity of Chinese cuisine
U.S. stocks were relatively unchanged on Thursday as investors consolidated recent gains amid growing certainty that the Federal Reserve will deliver a 25-basis-point interest rate cut at its Dec 10 monetary policy meeting, the final one of 2025.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 31.96 points, or 0.07 percent, to 47,850.94. The S and P 500 added 7.40 points, or 0.11 percent, to 6,857.12. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 51.04 points, or 0.22 percent, to 23,505.14.
Six of the 11 primary S and P 500 sectors ended in red, with consumer staples and health leading the laggards by losing 0.73 percent respectively. Meanwhile, industrials and technology led the gainers by adding 0.51 percent and 0.43 percent, respectively.
A report released Thursday by Challenger, Gray and Christmas showed that announced corporate job cuts in November pushed the year-to-date total well beyond 1 million, driven primarily by corporate restructuring, the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence, and tariff-related adjustments. The data followed Wednesday's private payrolls report by Automatic Data Processing, Inc., which revealed an unexpected sharp slowdown in hiring.
These developments have solidified market expectations for monetary easing. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the probability of a quarter-percentage-point rate cut next Wednesday now stands at 87 percent, a significant increase from weeks ago.
Market analysts noted that the strong year-to-date performance of U.S. equities, combined with the widely anticipated December policy action, has led to a period of consolidation. With the rate cut largely priced in, many expect major indices to trade sideways through year-end before reassessing direction in early 2026.
In corporate developments, Meta Platforms Inc. surged 3.4 percent after Bloomberg reported that the social media giant plans to substantially reduce expenditure on its metaverse initiatives. Among other major technology stocks, Nvidia, currently the world's most valuable listed company, advanced 2.2 percent, while the remaining "Magnificent Seven" large-cap technology names showed mixed performance.
Financial stocks outperformed the broader market, reflecting heightened expectations of a supportive interest-rate environment. JPMorgan Chase rose 1.27 percent, while Wells Fargo and Citigroup both gained 1 percent.
Investors are now turning their attention to key economic data due on Friday. The U.S. Commerce Department will release delayed September figures on personal income, consumer spending, and the personal consumption expenditures price index -- the Federal Reserve's preferred gauge of inflation. Additionally, the University of Michigan will publish its preliminary December consumer sentiment survey.
U.S. stocks little changed as job cuts increase
