Aster, led by chef Joshua Paris, is a new dining destination inspired by its namesake, the aster, a flower whose name also means “star.” Its design follows a simple yet powerful principle drawn from the flower’s natural composition: a central disc surrounded by radiating petals, often appearing in layered bouquets. At Aster, this logic becomes spatial poetry. Guests gather at the heart of the flower, dining beneath a constellation of light.
About Aster
Under the guidance of chef Joshua Paris, Aster’s dining experience unfolds around an open kitchen with a chef’s counter and a cocktail-led central bar. Service moves with Michelin-style choreography: front and back-of-house work as a seamless stage, merging preparation, plating, and conversation into a single visual experience.
About Joshua Paris
Joshua Paris (JP), a British-born chef, has devoted 19 years to the culinary profession. Beginning his career at 16 in New Zealand, he has honed his craft across New Zealand, the UK, Australia, and China. He worked alongside chef Richard Ekkebus at 58° Grill in Mandarin Oriental Shanghai, and later contributed to the opening of Park Hyatt Shenzhen. JP then joined Paul Pairet’s legendary UV, an experience that reshaped his philosophy through discipline, precision, and an uncompromising pursuit of perfection.
His culinary credo is clear: always ask “why,” and refine every dish until it cannot be improved further. This uncompromising spirit is the very essence of Aster.
The space is articulated through five design archetypes inspired by the flower: Disc, Radiation of Petals, Duplication, Root, and Constellation.
Disc
Arrival begins at the flower’s heart: a circular bar anchors the room, paired with a wraparound dining ring at the open kitchen to form a unified FOH/BOH stage. The bar functions as both social hub and production deck. Diners at the chef’s counter are within arm’s reach of mise en place and plating, engaging directly with the culinary process.
The space is organized in three concentric rings: the central bar, kitchen-facing seating in the middle, and outer circulation, enabling a continuous 360-degree service radius. A soft halo of light along the bar’s base echoes the overhead installation and the VIP mezzanine’s linear art-glass windows, creating a luminous, immersive field. At hand level, the bar and open-kitchen counter feature a hand-modeled clay finish that evokes stratified rock, grounding the design in craft and the passage of time.
Radiation of Petals
Above, the ceiling echoes the flower’s radiating form. Thirty-nine modular frames spiral gently, each holding a single translucent violet petal made from recycled xuan paper. By night, light grazes their edges, revealing delicate fibers and transforming the ceiling into a drifting violet nebula. The system is sustainable: petals can be re-dyed, and frames reused, extending the flower-inspired rhythm from bar to sky.
Duplication of Flowers
Layered pendant lights along the windows continue the floral motif. Each aligns with structural beams, turning architecture into poetry. Subtle variations in height and form make each light distinct, like veins stretching outward. Beneath this decorative glow, precise downlights ensure every table remains perfectly illuminated.
Root
The design is anchored in materiality. Oak, stone, and concrete converge like a calyx cradling a bloom. A herringbone oak floor radiates outward from the bar, recalling roots in the soil. At hand level, clay-modeled reliefs evoke rock faces, tactile, crafted, and bearing the marks of time. Rounded timber and stone soften every edge, making every touch comfortable. Across the space, materials, light, and texture flow together: roots beneath, calyx at your side, flower above.
Constellation | VIP
A side corridor rises past the open kitchen, illuminated by step lights and glowing slits that reveal glimpses of the floral crown. The mezzanine unfolds gradually into a walnut-and-velvet lounge, where geometry shifts subtly off-axis, creating intrigue. A mirrored antique-bronze canopy expands the low ceiling, etched with abstract floral motifs that align perfectly with the lighting; a quiet, elevated “sky.”
In the private dining room, a stardust installation suspends smoky-violet petals in loose constellations above the table. Against a dark textile backdrop, attention returns to food, conversation, and intimacy. Here, stone and timber give way to velvet and woven fabric, ensuring every touch feels soft, warm, and inviting.
▪ About the Project
· Project: Aster by Joshua Paris
· Type: Hospitality, bar & restaurant
· Location: Shanghai, China
· Floor area: 308.9 m²
· Design / completion: June 2025
· Design: RooMoo
· Lighting design: Shanghai Baizi Lighting Engineering Design Co., Ltd.
· MEP: Chengdu Zhongtong Architectural Decoration Design Co., Ltd.
· Construction: Shanghai Suji Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd.
· Photography: Wen Studio
· Primary materials: Jinhua Stone; Black-and-White Root marble; Yashi White; Panda White marble; limestone; oak; antique bronze/brass; recycled dyed xuan paper; malleable clay; grey granite.
