Cambodian chefs shine at Asian contest

Cambodian chefs stole the spotlight at this year’s THAIFEX, held last week in Bangkok, taking home some of the most important awards at the competition.

Chefs from the Cambodia Chiefs Association (CCA) received the top prize at the Asean Gourmet Challenge.

The Cambodian delegation, composed of 37 cooks from CCA, also took gold, bronze and silver medals in the Global Chefs Challenge, Global Pastry Chefs Challenge and Global Young Chefs Challenge categories.

The competition saw 889 contestants from 13 countries compete to be crowned Asia’s best. Participants came from Thailand, Cambodia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and China, among other nations.

Long Bunhor, CCA’s president, said Cambodian cooks focused on ten dishes, including fish amok, stir-fried frog with Kampot pepper, and Khmer chicken curry.

“Without dedication, time and endless effort on the part of our contestants, this achievement would never have been possible. We will continue to work hard to excel in international culinary competitions,” he said.

“Our goal is to spread the reputation of Cambodian cuisine around the world,” he added.

Sengkak Ngouv, director of Siem Reap’s tourism department, said, “Food culture plays a vital role in our tourism industry. Achievements like this are strong proof that we are on the right track.