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Primed for Prahok

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The prime season for harvesting the fishes used for making Cambodia’s emblematic fermented fish Prahok has just passed, which means that now is the best time to tuck into one of the nation’s favourite dishes: Prahok Ktis, a rich, earthy combination of ground pork, crisp vegetables, tangy kroeung, sweet coconut milk and umami-packed Prahok, this is an excellent meal for any time of day, and an absolute must for anyone who is wavering about how to take their first step into the pungent world of Prahok. But if, on arriving in Cambodia, you concluded that Prahok is a strange and exotic concoction, you would be wrong. Many Western cultures have their own versions of Prahok, including the ancient Roman garum, or pissalat in Southern France. And if you’ve ever had a properly made Bloody Mary, then it should have included several dashes of the famous British Worcestershire sauce, made from fermented anchovies. And like Worcestershire sauce, Prahok’s primary role is to serve as a flavour enhancer for other ingredients. If you’ve ever added anchovies to a beef ragout in order to intensify and deepen the flavours, then the principles are exactly the same. Prahok has a place in all Cambodian kitchens where it is regularly employed to flavour soups or make dipping sauces. It is rarely eaten raw or on its own but can be enjoyed wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled. But its most widely known iteration is the iconic Prahok Ktis. Long recognised as a vital source of protein for a large part of the nation’s population Prahok, in common with other fermented fish products, offers other health benefits too. The fermentation process increases the bioavailability of the minerals, nutrients and vitamins that are already found in the fish, while concentrating levels of antioxidants that may reduce hypertension, bacterial infection and blood clotting, and boost immunity. In Cambodia, recognising Prahok’s potential appeal abroad among the diaspora and more widely, the government has taken steps to impose strict standards across the industry. So there’s really no excuse for not giving it a try! Why not start with one of our signature Prahok Ktis at Malis? Book your table at Malis

We’re Flipping out for Chandeleur

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To celebrate Chandelure this February 2, Khéma is offering a licence to indulge in one of France’s iconic culinary offerings, the heavenly Crêpe, with a delicious range of sweet and savoury fillings. You’ll find them on Khéma’s exceptional-value Free-Flow Business Lunch Menu for the whole week of Chandelure, so you’ll be able to try out a different flavour every day if you wanted. And even better than that, Khéma has prepared a dedicated Free-Flow Crêpe Menu for this coming weekend: a perfect accompaniment to any get-together with friends and family. The humble, delicious and eternally adaptable pancake must be one of the most universal of all food creations. Almost every culture has its own edition. Even cultures within cultures have their own variations, and so we have the pancake, blini, griddle cake and crêpe. Or perhaps you prefer a flapjack, drop scone, waffle or galette. Let’s not forget the boxty from Ireland where they make them with potatoes, of course — a genius move, frankly — or the Æbleskiver that looks like an apple in Denmark. Try saying that three times in a row after your third glass of wine. And that’s not even a fraction of what Europe has done with this simple confection of flour, eggs and milk, cream or water. But let’s look at Asia, where you’ll find bao bing, bánh xèo, and buchimgae. Do you like dosa, or dadar gulung, or perhaps you prefer an oyaki? The list goes on and would not be complete without Cambodia’s own banh chao of course. Pancakes are included among the first formally recorded recipes, appearing in Europe’s first extant written cookbook (Apicus), while records for similar creations can be traced all the way back to the fifth century BC. And how could there not be? The pancake’s simplicity is the key to its early adoption, and its adaptability and basic deliciousness have ensured its ongoing success. But there are easy nuances — such as extended resting times for the batter — that can lift this simplicity into a silky elegance that becomes so much more than the sum of its parts. It can be as refined (think crêpes Suzettes) or as rustic as you want it to be, and we’re fairly certain you could eat a completely different version every single day of the year. And we would like to start a petition for the re-introduction of the 17th century British version that called for the addition of brandy into the batter mix. You’ll find the classic French version available all day at Khéma as part of our celebrations for Chandelure this February 2. So no matter who you are, where you’re from or how you usually like to enjoy your pancake, crêpe or banh chao, you’ll still find a hint of something that evokes a little bit of home.

Valentine’s Day ~ Love Bites…

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As many as half of all couples are planning to do something special this Valentine’s Day. Most of them are going out for a romantic dinner (don’t forget to book your table at Topaz, Malis or Khéma now, before they fill up), but almost as many will give their loved one a gift of chocolates as an emblem of whatever emotions underpin their bond, be it fresh young love, or hard-earned affection, companionship, understanding, compassion and tenderness. Chocolate’s relationship with love and ritual goes all the way back to mankind’s first discovery of this delicious bean. Chocolate comes from cocoa tree which is known as ‘Theobroma cacao’, which is Greek for “food of the gods”. The people of Central America were the first to discover and cultivate cacao beans as long as 3500 years ago. Its ceremonial importance then was profound, and chocolate was given generously at banquets, used in ritual offerings to the gods, and to anoint newborn children on the forehead, face and fingers in a rite resembling baptism. In Europe, chocolate was first introduced as a medicine at the beginning of the 16th century, its arrival coinciding with the growth of the West Indian sugar trade which no doubt aided its popularity. About 150 years later, it finally arrived on England’s shores, where it was soon popularly mixed with milk. At this point, it was still almost entirely consumed as a beverage, which remained the case until the mid-1800s when the Cadbury brothers worked out a process for transforming cocoa butter into blocks of delicious melt-in-the-mouth chocolates that we have all come to adore. Chocolate’s association with love and Valentine’s Day might just be the product of good marketing — one of the Cadbury brothers, Richard, was savvy enough to start marketing his new product in heart-shaped boxes and his stroke of marketing genius coincided with the expansion of Valentine’s Day in the Britain and the US. But there is a lot of science behind it too. Chocolate is popular perceived as ‘comforting’ and also as an aphrodisiac. How much of this is actually true is debatable, but as delicious as it is, it certainly provokes feelings of pleasure, and perhaps awakens the mind to pleasure’s potentials. It also contains phenylethylamine, a naturally occurring chemical in the human brain, responsible for the euphoric feelings associated with being in love. However, experiments to discover whether eating chocolate has a measurable effect on this aspect of body chemistry have proved inconclusive. But questions of marketing, science or history aside, we all love chocolate, and we especially love an opportunity to make those we love happy with a gift of pure pleasure. We have a beautiful range of delicious, luxurious and beautifully presented hand-made chocolates at Khéma. Made with love, for the one you love. Malis ❤️Love is your nature Surprise your Valentine with a romantic dinner under the stars and indulge in a charming 5-course gourmet dinner. Choose between the intimacy of the garden dining or the cosy room dining area.​ Malis menu Khéma ❤️Feel the love No matter how you say it, Valentine’s Day is the time to let loved ones know just how much they matter. Whether you are a couple madly in love, a family looking for a delicious meal, or a group of friends, we have you covered with an amazing French menu made with love.​ Khéma menu Topaz ❤️ Taste the love We’re bringing all the love to Topaz to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Taste your love around a romantic dinner planned for you. We have created a divine menu, crafted intricately and filled with delicious dishes that are sure to amplify the love for those closest to your heart. Topaz menu

Unreasonable Hospitality is the Future

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Everyone who wants to run a business, any business but especially a service business, should work in restaurants for a while. It’s like a bootcamp in human relations and management that efficiently, and sometimes brutally, condenses every thing you need to learn if you’re paying attention. Will Guidara, the author of the excellent autobiography/chatty management manual, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect (Penguin, 2022), was definitely paying attention. It’s what he does, and that principle alone defines much of what he has to say about going above and beyond in this, and any other service industry, in this lively, entertaining and enlightening peek behind hospitality’s neatly ironed veil. The principles of good hospitality underpin the delivery of any service, whether you want to set up a trucking company or a corner deli, because whatever you do it’s always about how you relate and respond to people, and how you make them remember you and come back. No professional arena (except perhaps warfare) puts you into such close contact with so many people operating at their best and at their worst, with such speed and intensity, with such dependence on high-level collaboration both planned for and off-the-cuff, with so many tiny details to keep in mind because overlooking any one of them could lead to disaster, with such a need to constantly think 14 steps ahead but be reviewing and adding to those steps on a second-by-second basis, with such a need to retain a vast range of information from the sourcing and preparation of specific ingredients, to the suitability of any particular wine for that dish, to where the best place to listen to good music nearby might be, and to do all that while looking cool, calm, unruffled and always wearing a smile, than a busy restaurant floor on a Saturday night. Forty-three-year-old Guidara has spent 25 years working at some of the most in demand and demanding restaurants in the world, at both the corporate end and front of house. Along the way, he became a manager and co-owner of Eleven Madison Park (ELP), one of the string of restaurants set up by famed New York restaurateur Danny Meyer. When Guidara took over ELP, it was already one of the top restaurants in the world, consistently listed on the San Pellegrino Top 50. But it was at the bottom end of the top, which bothered the ambitious Guidara. By the time he sold his part in the business, it was Number One. Getting there, he knew there was no way the restaurant could improve its food any further, not in a way that made sense for the restaurant’s brand, and so he decided to radically adjust the other half of the dining-out equation: the service. “If we could become a restaurant focused passionately, intentionally, wholeheartedly on connection and graciousness — on giving both the people on our team and the people we served a sense of belonging — then we’d have a real shot of greatness”. Guidara’s ambition was to turn ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences, which meant digging into what people are really looking for when they dine out, because the food is just a part of it. There is nothing inherently wrong with simply giving people that part of what they want and leaving it there, unless you have ambitions to grow. But if you can additionally make people feel seen, and welcomed, and give them a sense of belonging, and that everything you are doing is uniquely designed for them, then there are no limits to what can be achieved. Guidara’s epiphany came the night he overheard a group of European diners on their last night in New York celebrating all the incredible restaurants they had dined at, but lamenting the fact that they hadn’t got to taste a typical New York hot dog. Long story short: in the middle of service, Guidara raced out, got them their hot dog, talked the horrified chef into plating it, and served it to the four. That $2 hot dog in a Michelin-starred restaurant kicked off a revolution in his mind. Or rather, the response of the diners did, because their minds were blown and they will never stop talking about that meal for the rest of their lives. As you go through the book, Guidara reminds you of a slightly geeky cousin whose enthusiasm and passion for his craft never fails to shine through. But he matches that passion with diligence, an exacting eye, and a natural rapport with people. The stories highlight the ideas and principles that have come to underpin his approach today, but also serve as a rather thrilling insight into what goes into the creation of a high-end dining experience. The number of tiny decisions that culminate in the final presentation of every meal must go into the thousands. Among those numerous guidelines, we’ve distilled the following: Be present — pay attention to the person in front of you and what they are looking for. They will not always express that verbally. Take what you do seriously, without taking yourself too seriously: otherwise you’ll never think of something as genuinely transformative as serving a hotdog in a Michelin-starred restaurant. There can be no one size fits all — each customer is unique, and needs to be treated accordingly. The 95/5 Rule: ruthlessly manage 95% of your business down to the last penny, but spend that last 5% “foolishly”. That 5% can have an outsized impact on your business when it is transformed into transformative experiences for your clients. Read The One Minute Manager. Mistakes are inevitable. Apologise. You must be able to identify to yourself why your work matters. Excellence is the culmination of thousands of details executed perfectly, and the smallest things matter. A leader’s responsibility is to identify the strengths of the people on their team, no matter how buried those strengths might be. And excellent leaders create leaders. Don’t try to be all … Read more

Oh such Marvelous Merveilles! ~ Mardi Gras

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Get your hands on some traditional French Bugnes, Merveilles and Oreillettes this February 21, and if you’re not sure what those are keep reading, because you’re not going to want to miss this. To mark the beginning of the Christian Lent, a period of abstinence during which adherents traditionally fast for forty days, a practice of clearing out the larder in preparation gave rise to a tradition that holds to this day in all Christian cultures: of eating confections primarily composed of cupboard staples — flour, eggs, milk and sugar — that needed to be eaten up before the fast started. In some parts of the world, the occasion came to be defined by the rather restrained pancake. But in France, Shrove Tuesday has become an altogether sweeter, richer, more indulgent and jubilant affair, hence the name Mardi Gras, “Fat Tuesday”. And one of the key ingredients for the celebration is a rich, sweet and delicious doughnut, “beignet”, whose name depends on where you’re standing when you ask for one, and then another, and then another. While sober-minded Protestants considered Shrove Tuesday to be a moment for quiet, restrained reflection before going into the Lenten fasting period, the Catholic southern part of Europe decided that it was actually an excellent opportunity to let rip before abstaining for such a long time. They needed something to give them the strength and courage required after all. The sweet, rich doughnut nut might be made from essentially the same ingredients as a pancake, and they’re all quick and easy to make and to cook in large quantities, but they’re an entirely different kind of being, a sweet treat that is frivolous, delicious and sinfully irresistible. But the country that invented more than 400 kinds of cheese would never be content to leave things there. Instead, there are variations across the regions with preferences for different shapes and styles. Some are made with a batter that is more like the base for a brioche, some are denser, softer and fluffier, while some are smaller, flatter and crisper, and they could be called any of the following: beignet de carnaval, bougnette, bottereal, bugne, bugnette, crotte d’âne, croustillon, foutimasson, frappe, ganse, guenille, merveille, oreillette, rondial, tourtisseal, or simply, “I don’t know what it’s called, but that one there”. However, having gone to the trouble of finding so many names, if you do happen to find yourself in France, it is best to know that they are used in an advisory sense only, and the name itself is less predictive of what you’ll actually get than the regional preferences specific to the place you happen to be in. Broadly speaking, those in the middle of France prefer their doughnuts to be soft and puffy, while those in the south prefer theirs crisp and crunchy. Thus, if you ask for an Oreillette in Languedoc, you should receive a cone of deliciously crispy, ear-shaped doughnuts, as is traditional. But ask for the same Oreillette in Nice, and you’ll be handed a softer, fluffier delight, as is typical for the region.   The Bugne has its origins in Lyon and is traditionally a soft and airy doughnut that might be flavoured with orange or lemon peel. Meanwhile, the Merveille is proudly very much a Southwestern delicacy. Not as crispy as the Oreillette, or as puffy as the Bugne, the Merveille might be flavoured with orange flower water, lemon juice, rum, or ideally a splash of Armagnac. We promise we won’t make you fast for 40 days once you’ve tried them.

A Toast to Alvaro Palacios, and the New Spanish Vanguard

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You have to feel for Spain’s wine producers. They have a higher acreage of ground under vine than any other country in the world, yet their production does not as yet match their potential or ambition. And nor does consumers’ appreciation of what they actually have already achieved. They’re caught between a rock and a hard place: considered a sort of poor, uncouth cousin in Europe’s regimented Old Wine World, they can’t call on the cachet their neighbours are endowed with, yet they can’t appeal to the sense of energy, innovation and creativity that New World wine producers do either. But so much has changed in Spain over the last two decades, and one of the biggest drivers of the revolution is a name you will find on Topaz’s wine list: Alvaro Palacios. The Spanish wine revolution has been a long time coming, but for those who are alive to it, there is a world of complexity, refinement and taste to be found. And because Spain is still playing catch-up, it’s possible to find reasonably priced wines whose quality would command 100s of dollars if they were in, say, a French bottle. Alvaro Palacios was acutely aware of the potentials that could be found not only in improving Spain’s techniques and education, but also in looking back to the country’s traditional varietals rather than implanting French imports. And that is how he drove the revival of entire regions in Priorat in Catalunya, to the east of the country, and Bierzo to the west. Alvaro Palacios comes from a prestigious wine family in the north-central Rioja region that had for long broadly avoided the path towards obscurity that the rest of Spain’s wine producers found themselves on. He could have secured a prime position in the family winery, the renowned Palacios Remondo, but an independent spirit took him elsewhere. Taking the knowledge he had already gleaned from growing up in the heart of one of Spain’s oldest wine families, Alvaro decamped to Bordeaux where he studied oenology and worked at the venerated Château Pétrus in Pomerol, a highly coveted label that is frequently ranked among the world’s most expensive wines. Coming back to Spain at the end of the 1980s, Alvaro teamed up with a group of five “pioneers” who came to transform Priorat’s wine industry and fortunes. In the process they modernised, but they also capitalised on the unique local knowledge that had been put aside over the course of time as poverty and politics took their tolls. At Priorat, he initially carried on with the region’s tendency to work with imported French grapes, but in the 90s he became convinced of the value of reviving Spain’s own varietals, especially Grenache for which Priorat was once renowned. But even within the constraints he faced on starting up in Priorat, Alvaro was clear about his ambitions and strict about his practices. He relied on organic methods and looked back to the practices employed by the wine-making monks of the 12th century. Importantly, he cooperated with other neighbouring producers who shared his spirit so they could pool their resources and support one another with the wider goal of expanding everyone’s potential. Alvaro’s story is a story of revitalisation, of a region, of history, an industry, and also a nation. He did it through knowing which parts of the past and which of the present he needed to adopt and adapt, and he has successfully repeated the formula in other parts of Spain, including Bezier. You can savour the flavour and quality of his success at Topaz. We highly recommend it. Book your table at Topaz

Cambodia Restaurant Association — Amplifying Industry Strength

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It’s a basic fact of life that strength comes through numbers. Which is why the Cambodia Restaurant Association (CRA) is so important for advancing the interests of everyone invested in the Kingdom’s relentlessly dynamic hospitality industry, whether they are in it financially, professionally, or both. The CRA was created 12 years ago with the aim of developing Cambodia’s restaurant industry for the benefit of all. That means ensuring that all Association members have the capacity to grow and achieve their full potential because when they do, they raise everyone’s standards, reputations, and appeal to audiences both at home and abroad. But capacity is a bigger word than it looks. It encompasses everything from knowledge and information, skills, financing, personnel, proper administrative structures and awareness, access to markets, and a voice among those with the power to make significant change. Championing members’ existing capacities creates a mutually reinforcing paradigm so that they can become stronger and more profitable, their employees can develop their skills and potential, and the industry as a whole can stand proud on the world stage. The Association liaises with government to ensure that members receive the information they need to keep their business buoyant, for example seminars and workshops on taxation, but also through dedicated lawyers, accountants and advisors who are on hand to provide essential support and guidance when it’s really needed, for example disputes with employees or landlords. The Association also provides a valuable lobbying voice to ensure that the government is hearing their issues and concerns in day-to-day business management. And it’s also just a great opportunity to meet like-minded souls from the industry. Last month, Thalias Hospitality Group’s Human Resources Director, Settha Yok, moderated a panel of industry leaders in Cambodia on how to recruit and retain the best talents in the industry. These events offer invaluable insights on bring your business up to its best, and are also a great opportunity to get to know the Association and its members. They are often open to members and non-members alike, so take a moment to check out their Facebook page, or sign up to their newsletter if you’d like to stay informed of what’s coming up. See their Facebook page here: For some more information: https://www.facebook.com/CambodiaRestaurantAssociationCRA

The Sweetest Thing: a Quick Guide to Cambodia’s Favourite Fruits

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For those who care to give a fig about their health, Cambodia offers a fruity bonanza (a bananza!!). Cambodia’s massive range of fresh, fragrant fruits in vibrant shades of red, orange, yellow, green, brown, pink and purple, can be found piled high at every market. They’re not only delicious, but also come packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are essential to a healthy and balanced diet. So we’ve cherry picked some of our favourites to give you a run-down on just how lusciously good they really are. Durian Known as “Thouren” in Khmer, durian is frequently called the “King” of tropical fruits. It’s recognisable from a great distance thanks to its relatively huge size and distinctively mud-green, spiky rind. And some prefer their observations to rest entirely there, at a great distance, thanks to the durian’s famously stinky flesh. Its fragrance is so pungent, penetrating and persistent that it is famously barred from hotels, public spaces and transport all over Asia. Whatever about getting caught in a lift, imagine being stuck on a plane next to one. But if you’re able to pinch your nose and put the matter of the ‘perfume’ to one side, it is possible to join the ranks of very serious durian fans. This is the Marmite of fruits: people either hate it (from their distance vantage point), or they love it once they’ve tasted it. Durian’s fragrance is so strong, and distinctive, that it is famously banned from hotels, transport and other public places. While opinions about the aroma can vary, it is widely agreed that the flesh is nonetheless very, very tasty. Peeling away the layer of short, hard thorns reveals the soft, creamy-yellow flesh inside that can be cut into segments and eaten raw or mixed into desserts. Early in the durian’s season, which runs from May until June, it’s also possible to cook it into a curry like jackfruit. The fruit itself is packed full of vitamins, nutrients and minerals that it is considered one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. It’s also rich in antioxidants, and all their healing powers. In Cambodia, all parts of the durian tree – leaves, skin, roots and fruit – are used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of illnesses, including fever, jaundice and skin conditions. Research is currently being done on durian nut flours for making high-energy and protein outputs. The rind contains compounds that have antibacterial properties. Coconut Another staple of the Cambodian diet, coconut is a regular sight on Cambodia’s streets where vendors pile them in pyramids ready for immediate consumption to cool down on a hot day. The juice of young coconuts is incredibly refreshing, and may be exactly what you need if you’re dehydrated. The clear sweet water contains the electrolytes your body needs in order to stimulate its ability to absorb water. Ironically, when you’re dehydrated, your body’s capacity to absorb liquid is depleted. While it is not more hydrating than plain water, water on its own can’t trigger the body’s mechanisms for absorption as efficiently as coconut water can. The flesh of these young fruits is sweeter and slicker than the flesh of a mature coconut, but it is also highly beneficial, rich in minerals and vitamins, and contains some powerful antioxidants Mangosteen The mangosteen, called “Meangkhout” in Khmer, is an exquisite fruit. Composed of either five or seven dazzling white wedges with a sublime sweet, tart and juicy taste wrapped up in a rind that scarcely be duller or more unappealing. Secret trick: if you want to impress someone, or win a bet though that would be devious, make a bet on how many segments are inside. The number will always match the number of “petals” on the little flower-like stub at the bottom of the fruit. Mangosteen has unique antioxidant properties. It contains several nutrients with antioxidant capacities, including an antioxidant powerhouse, xanthone. Studies have demonstrated serious benefits from daily consumption of mangosteen. Lychee Called “Koulen” in Khmer, the lychee is small, round and spiny and red on the outside with translucent, pearly white flesh wrapped around a hard, dark seed on the inside. In Asia, lychees will only grow in a narrow band of territory stretching across South and Southeast Asia. They were once highly desired by the courtiers of a suite of Chinese dynasties. In the 1st Century, a special courier service run by especially swift horses was created to transport fresh lychees from Canton to the Imperial Court in the north. A single glass of fresh lychee juice contains more than twice the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. It is also a good source of copper. Moreover, lychees have a high concentration of antioxidants which can help to minimise cancer, heart disease, diabetes and ageing. Definitely one to linger over. Longan Known as ‘Mean’ in the Khmer language, the longan is another small, round, sweet tropical fruit and is part of the lychee family. It is less striking than the lychee though, with a dull, ruddy and brittle shell, but once peeled, the snow-white flesh is silky and sweet, though perhaps not as sweetly flavoured as its cousin, the lychee. The longan’s advantage though is that it is easier to grow, and ripens longer and later than the lychee. The shiny black seed in the centre has helped to give rise to the nickname, “dragons eye”. Longan is rich in vitamin C and polyphenols. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the fruit is used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve appetite, reduce fever and fight parasitic infections. Rambutan Another close relation of the lychee, rambutan, known as ‘Saomao’ in Khmer, has a unique appearance, with a ruddy outer shell that is covered with thick the outer skin being a squishy ruddy-pink shell that is covered with thick, lime-green hairs. The sweet, succulent flesh is translucent white, and contains a small stone. Rambutan is highly nutritious, rich in vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds and offers health benefits … Read more

Galette des Rois: Your Chance to Reign and Shine

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Galette des Rois available at Khéma

A delicious combination of puff pastry and almond cream, the Galette des Rois (“King Cake”) occupies a special place in French hearts, and bellies. Christmas is one of those feasts that likes to linger in the palate, much like an excellent wine does. And so while all the major festivities are done and dusted for another year, there is still one thing to look forward to: Epiphany and the Galettes des Rois with which the French, and others, love to celebrate this moment in the Christian calendar. A delicious combination of puff pastry and almond cream, the Galette des Rois (“King Cake”) occupies a special place in French hearts, and bellies. And, of course, you’ll find our favourite ones freshly prepared by our baking team at Khéma. And don’t forget: whoever gets the slice with the ‘bean’ is crowned King (or Queen) for the rest of the day. Epiphany is a feast day that marks the end of the “12 Days of Christmas” which are in fact a whole series of Christian feast days intended to celebrate saints who are recognised as “Companions of Christ” because their lives bore unique witness to Jesus Christ. But while the religious significance has faded, January 6th still remains a day of celebration among family and friends for many in France. And celebrating it without a Galette des Rois would be like celebrating Christmas without a Christmas Day meal. Epiphany though is not about the saints, but about the Three Wise Men (Magi) who came to find Jesus following his birth in Bethlehem. Over time, these Wise Men were recast as ‘kings’, and thus the origins for a ‘king cake’ were laid. But the origins for this special cake and the traditions that surround it go back even further than Christianity and can be traced back to Roman times when and the festival of Saturnalia when, for a single day of the year, slaves became masters and masters became slaves (a temporary inversion of the social order that no doubt helped to subdue stirrings for a more permanent edition). In the Roman tradition, a king or queen for the day was determined by hiding a bean inside a cake. For non-French speakers who nonetheless enjoy French food and culture, the word ‘galette’ can be a bit of a confusing one as it refers to a wide variety of things including a flat pastry, savoury buckwheat crepes, shortbread biscuits (especially those made famous in Pont Aven in Brittany), and a preparation of thinly sliced potatoes browned on both sides in a frying pan. And there are many more iterations too. It helps to think of it as a word that means good things are going to come. And that’s definitely true of a Galette des Rois. Especially the ones you’ll find at Khéma all through this January.

Meet Chef Pino, the Kitchen Maestro at Siena

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Executive Chef Giuseppe “Pino” Napoletano

True passion has driven Siena’s Executive Chef, Giuseppe “Pino” Napoletano from his home in Southern Italy to work in award-winning and Michelin-starred restaurants in the north and south of Italy, Switzerland, Germany, New York, Bangkok and now Phnom Penh. With Siena at Flatiron opening soon, last month we gave a brief insight into the often under-appreciated breadth and variety of Italian Cuisine. This month we’re getting personal, and sat down with Siena’s Executive Chef, Giuseppe “Pino” Napoletano, the man who will be bringing you all the rich, wonderful flavours of his homeland. And he’s very passionate about his mission. That passion has driven a 40-year career that has taken him from his home in Southern Italy to work in award-winning and Michelin-starred restaurants in the north and south of Italy, Switzerland, Germany, New York, Bangkok and now Phnom Penh. His experience has seen him perfect his skills in Italian, French and International cooking styles, but it is the food of Italy that makes Pino’s eyes light up, and you’ll soon be able to taste exactly why that is so. We were lucky to be able to get him to sit down in fact. Chef Pino’s quest to source and secure the best ingredients possible for the Siena menu has been absorbing an awful lot of his time. But the rewards for this will be abundantly clear. For example, your Risotto will not just be made from the popular arborio rice, but from Riso Carnaroli, the caviar of risotto rices that is highly prized for the dense, creamy risotto it creates. Chef Pino has married this ambrosia with Siena’s house Sausage, Pumpkin, Marinated Herbs, Chestnuts and Black Garlic, and that is just a hint of the divine glories that he has been cooking up, and of how Siena will be a little bit different from Italian restaurants you may have visited before. “I want to start showing people what Italian cuisine really is. I mean, it’s a subject as vast as French cuisine with very different regions, ingredients and cooking methods all across the country”, he says, adding, “but even though we’re close to France, it’s very different from French cooking. You almost never see cream in Italian cooking, for example, and butter only really in the North”. Chef Pino may be only one man, but his broad experience brings a lot of range to the table, covering the top and bottom of Italy, but also combining a commitment to traditional principles with an appreciation for the advantages of modern technology. And he’s not to afraid to experiment with the million combinations these sources of knowledge, flavour and technique offer. “For my cooking style, I take a little bit of the north and a little bit of the south, and sometimes I mix them up. But I like to experiment with techniques too.” To take one example, for Siena’s Spaghetti di Gragnano alle Vongole, he marries a courgette cream (not dairy cream!) with sun-dried tomatoes to create a rich, sweet earthiness that goes perfectly with the seafood flavours of the clams. Moreover, his selection of Spaghetti di Gragnano elevates the dish even further. Gragnano is a small, hillside town overlooking the Gulf of Naples and is known for producing the best dried pastas in Italy, a reputation that is acknowledged with a Protected Geographical Indication by the European Union. Gragnano pastas are celebrated for their chewier texture as well as nuttier flavour which is influenced by the Marino wind blowing in from the Gulf to enrich drying pastas with sea minerals. Another moment of Siena synchronicity. While Chef Pino is also a traditionalist (we do not recommend telling him if you’re one of the millions of people in the world who make their Spaghetti Carbonara with cream. It makes him grieve), he also loves digging into the essences of the flavours he’s engaging with in order to find their perfect partners, and sometimes that can mean stepping outside of the rules. One of his tricks is to briefly add a little star anise to his slow-cooked tomato sauces because he has discovered that they share some of the same chemical compounds, and so complement each other perfectly. “It works for chocolate and roasted garlic too!” he adds (in anticipation of your raised eyebrows here, we checked this out and it’s absolutely true, chocolate and garlic do share compounds, and indeed garlic chocolate truffles are a thing…). This is just a glimpse of the exciting things that Chef Pino is cooking up in his kitchen. There’ll be more to come. Meanwhile, we’re working hard to get Siena ready to open its doors, and Pino continues his unflagging quest to find you the very best ingredients and flavours that Italy has to offer.