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Paul Dubrule School’s Post-Pandemic Pedal Back to Vitality

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A student at Ecole Paul Dubrule

With twenty years of building futures under its belt, the hospitality training school at Paul Dubrule is keeping its eye on the road ahead, for its students, and for Cambodia… This December, Paul Dubrule School will celebrate its 20th anniversary, so we took the opportunity to have a look back at the history of this emblematic establishment for professional training in Cambodia’s tourism and hospitality sector which has helped almost 4,000 graduates from all walks of life find their path in life. We took a lunchtime tour with director François Schnoebelen along laughter-filled corridors and among well-equipped classrooms. As we wander, delicious aromas are already wafting out from the kitchens where tomorrow’s chefs are hard at work preparing to feed this year’s intake of almost 200 students. The school’s exceptionality was baked in from its very inception. A co-founder of Accor, the name behind a suite of hotel brands from budget to luxury including Sofitel and Raffles, Paul Dubrule first visited Cambodia in 1998 and quickly spotted an opportunity in the Kingdom’s tourism potential and the lack of training in this sector. He decided to finance a hotel school aiming at the highest standards of teaching and, on the heels of an eight-month 15,000km cycle-ride from Fontainebleau to Siem Reap, he officially opened that school on October 24, 2002. Sixty-seven students graduated that first year, and immediately found jobs in the sector. Since then, the school has evolved and grown in step with Cambodia’s fast-changing context. The premises have expanded, as have the number of students and teachers, as well as the courses offered. “At the beginning, we were starting from scratch,” says François. “Basic skills were not there, and teaching them was a priority. Today, as levels have risen more generally, the aim is to offer solid professional training in the hospitality sector, which still needs more attention in the country. This training is intended to be as comprehensive as possible, addressing all aspects of the many professions that touch this vast field.” Most recently, thanks to the pandemic, the school was forced to adapt its teaching approach and set up online classes so that students would not fall behind. “Everyone was involved in setting up these distance learning courses, both students and teachers. More generally, the involvement of everyone at the school, whether staff or students, is paramount in the spirit of the institution,” says François. “A very large part in decision-making is given to the students, both in the courses and in daily life. To give a few examples: clubs have been created to promote sports and cultural activities. The same is true for environmental issues, such as growing our vegetable garden or making an inventory of the plants and trees on our property. Everyone showed great enthusiasm and we counted 70 plant species, all duly listed, described and mapped with great care. It was also the students who thought about different ways to save energy and then put them into practice.” Ecology, moreover, will be a prominent topic in the coming years, as the school aims to achieve Eco-Campus status. “When we applied for the certification, we realised that it had not yet been created for vocational schools. This turned into a remarkable opportunity to become a pilot school and set the future global standard. We are all very proud of this, even though it will take many months, if not years, of effort.” As a first step towards achieving the Eco-Campus label, an organic garden was created in partnership with Agrisud. François took up his position on a five-year contract in September last year, adding another chapter to a career that reads like a novel. Born into an Alsatian Catholic family, he originally intended to become a priest and spent two years at a seminary in Bavaria. However, he came to question his vocation and finally left to study philosophy in Paris. “I had no help from my parents,” he says, “I had to manage on my own. I was 19 years old, just out of the seminary, with little experience of life, and suddenly I found myself in the heart of the capital. It was quite confusing, but also exciting. I enrolled at the Sorbonne and the Institut Catholique d’Assas, which gave me radically different perspectives. Oddly enough, the most progressive professors were at the Catholic Institute, and the most conservative at the Sorbonne!” At the time, he lived in the then quite degraded but now fashionable Marais district in Paris. It was an eye-opening time for him, but also where he started out in hospitality in order to finance his studies. The experiences gave him a thirst for the business, and also for travel. With his studies completed, he opted to move into human resources for the interactions, connections and potential for knowledge that it offered. “When you’re curious, you get what you want”, he says. His work has since taken him to the four corners of the planet. In the course of those journeys, he met a Cambodian woman who became his wife and encouraged him to learn Khmer. From there, the idea of moving to Cambodia became an obvious next step. “I’m 50 years old and I’ve been involved in the non-profit sector for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve been a salaried employee and worked full time in this sector. It fills me with an immense satisfaction, which I feel every day when I go to the office. It’s a job that allows me to work in several fields, education, management, computer science, relational skills, human resources. All of this in the service of an NGO that is, and I sincerely believe it to be, the best hotel school in the kingdom.” After a slight drop in attendance due to the pandemic, the school is back on track, welcoming 185 students this year. The students receive the public in real conditions, thus refining their reception skills. All of them find a job after their studies. … Read more

Hitting the High Notes: Alsace’s Hugel Gentil

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Thanks to their bright, clean flavours Alsatian wines have long been a safe pick for anyone looking to pair a good white wine with Southeast Asian foods. In the Hugel Gentil available at Khéma you’ll find a wine that serves as a perfect introduction to Alsatian wines, thanks to its production method which brings together the “suave, spicy flavour of Gewürztraminer, the structure of Pinot Gris, the finesse of Riesling, the grapiness of Muscat and the refreshing character of Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner”. What does all this mean? The name Gentil dates back to the 1920s and is reserved for a method of producing blended AOC (“Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) Alsace wines that fulfil the established standards. The blend must consist of at least 50% Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and/or Gewürztraminer, and the rest can be either Sylvaner, Chasselas or Pinot Blanc. Each variety used in the blend must individually qualify as an AOC Alsace wine, ensuring that the blend retains its integrity, which may be why it has been coming back into fashion lately. Alsatian wines tend to be dry to off-dry, and this one is no exception. Described by one industry reviewer, who awarded Gentil Hegel nine out of ten stars, this is “a supple, bright and juicy white wine”, with a medium body, fresh fruit and florals aromas, and a long, dry, mineral finish on that palate, making it a perfect match for seafood, chicken and pork dishes, sushi and vegetarian dishes. Another industry reviewer says “this is a joyful dry white that’s brimming with fruit aromas, from pears to lychee to flowers”. As a white then, this wine seems to almost have it all in fact. Gentle enough to drink on its own, or as an aperitif, but robust enough to enjoy through the entire course of a meal. According to Kaoru Hugel, the Japanese wife of the last Etienne Hugel, this wine “goes very well with any food, especially Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai, you don’t really have to think about it”. It also works perfectly to cut through the richer flavours of French food, especially pork, chicken, and very especially seafood. You’ll find Hugel Gentil available for dining in at Khéma, or why not pick up a bottle to enjoy at home?

Happy Birthday to You! And other Lucky Charms…

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Offerings of food, drinks and prayers are made to deceased relatives in pagodas

We don’t often think of food’s symbolic powers, but they’re still there all the time and every day. Whether it’s the extra portion of care you put into preparing a dish for someone you love, or the warm comfort of a simple meal that takes you back to your childhood, there is often a silent meaning in every bite we eat. Taken a step further, food can be linked not just to our innermost feelings and experiences, but also to a more communal, external sense of history and culture. This doesn’t just mean the shared recipes of a given place and time, but also the funny little things we do that turn food into a bridge between us and another invisible world: the ways we use food for luck or grace. And even the most secular souls among us are not immune to it. In the Western world, the most overt example of this is the Eucharist—whose origins can be traced back to the Jewish tradition of breaking and blessing bread—where Catholics partake of wine and bread in order to to remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and to ask forgiveness for their sins. According to the principles of transubstantiation, followers are literally consuming the body and blood of Christ when they eat the bread and drink the wine which, frankly, sounds a little barbaric. But it’s hard to imagine a more profound and intimate way of connecting with your god than by literally taking him into your own body. Here in Cambodia, the festival of Pchum Ben also sets out to transcend the barrier between the living and the dead with rice giving and rice balls intended to satiate the ancestors’ torturous hunger, and also to symbolise the good deeds done to help release them from their torments. This giving of food offers a kind of redemption to the living in return, so that as they offer the rice balls they can feel a certain personal relief from having taken positive and tangible steps towards allaying the suffering of their ancestors. This ritual would not be nearly as powerful or important if something other than food were at its heart, because as food that they could otherwise have consumed themselves, it comes from the very stomachs and bodies of the celebrants. But there are plenty of other, smaller ways we use food to bring luck or grace to ourselves and others that many of us do every day without even realising it. For example, unless you’re visiting the most irrepressible anarchist, you’ll never find a baguette turned upside down in a French person’s house thanks to an ancient belief that an upturned baguette is how the devil gets in. The Irish used to put a cross on their loaves before baking their bread to prevent the same devil from getting in and ruining them (he’s a tricky fellow, and may need to watch his carbs). And some today would still hang a loaf of bread in the house on Good Friday in order to keep away evil spirits. These traditions may remain, in little pockets and tiny threads, even if their meaning is lost, not in order to achieve the original desires of that tradition but in order to cement a sense of occasion and community which are arguably just as vital and life-preserving as keeping the devil out of your house. And sometimes, it’s just a question of a habit you didn’t even know you had. It’s bad luck to spill salt in the West where it’s considered that the best remedy for that is not to clean it up but to take a pinch and throw it over your left shoulder so that you can blind the devil as he swoops in (and, incidentally, create another mess to clean up). Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride and groom cut the first slice of the cake and handed out the slices? This goes back to a Victorian tradition that was supposed to herald fertility. And speaking of cakes, this is how we know that even the most diehard secular, scientific, materialist will have taken part in a ritual that was originally intended to ward off bad spirits, and joyfully too. The tradition of lighting and blowing out candles on a birthday cake can be traced back to the ancient Greeks who used to make moon-shaped cakes to celebrate the birth of the moon goddess Artemis. Burning candles on the cakes was believed to chase away the evil spirits who could be attracted by their revelries. Today even the most grey-minded of people would not refuse to share in this tradition, because as with so many customs around food, it is not the tradition, or the beliefs that birthed it, but the communality that counts. Cakes can carry portents of the future too. In Ireland, the Halloween barm brack (a fruit cake) will often carry tokens that foretell whether you’ll marry over the next year—a ring: yes, a pea: no—have money, or worst of all, an unhappy marriage symbolised by a matchstick, with which to beat your wife. The French Gallette des Rois, enjoyed around Chandeleur 40 days after Christmas, also confers the potential for future bliss, though sadly only for the one day on which you find the bean buried inside your slice of puff pastry and frangipani and are automatically crowned King. During Chandeleur too, hopeful brides from Brittany in northwest France can give themselves an extra edge in the marital stakes by throwing a crêpe on top of her wardrobe. We haven’t researched the origins of this particular custom yet, but imagine it may have something to do with someone getting their flip horribly wrong and having to make up an excuse for it on the spot. At this time, crêpes are also handy for bringing in money over the coming year if you can successfully flip one while holding a gold coin in your hand. In Cambodia, food of course plays a … Read more

Right on Top: Phka Rumdoul Voted Best Rice in the World. Again

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Phka Rumdoul Rice - Image by Khmer Times

Cambodia’a jasmine rice, Phka Rumdoul, has once again been crowned the world’s best rice by the World Rice Conference held by The Rice Trade (TRT) in Phuket, Thailand. This is the fifth time Cambodian rice has received this award since it started participating in the Conference, with prior wins in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018. Cambodian premium jasmine rice is grown in the wet season and is highly prized for its extra-long grain, soft texture and a distinctive flavour that exudes a strong, natural perfume. Cambodia’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, H.E. Dith Tina, expressed his congratulations on the win, which he said “is a source of pride for the nation.” The World Rice Conference is held annually for the global rice community and its many related industries, and plays a helpful role in promoting a nation’s products on international markets. Cambodia first started formally exporting milled rice in 2008, with less than 30,000 tonnes. Since then, the industry has grown tremendously with almost 800,000 tonnes shipped in 2020. Exports dropped during the pandemic, although at 450,000 tonnes for the first nine months of this year, figures are already 10% ahead of 2021. There are as many ways of preparing rice as grains in a bowl. But here is one of our favourites for you to enjoy a simple, sweet (and calorific) dessert at home. Rice with Palm Sugar and Coconut Milk Ingredients (for four people): 50g Glutinous rice ½tsp Salt 700ml Fresh coconut milk 200g Palm sugar 3tbs liquid palm sugar 100ml Coconut cream Method: Soak the rice in water for twenty minutes, then drain and add the rice to a saucepan, along with the salt and half the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice softens. Add the palm sugar and coconut milk to the rice, stir and then simmer for five minutes until the rice becomes translucent. Add the liquid palm sugar and cook for another two minutes. Divide the rice among four bowls, then drizzle with a tablespoon of coconut cream, serve hot and savour…

A Slice of Life: The French Baguette Recognised as a World Heritage

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Bakery in Nice, France, November 28, 2022. REUTERS

Last month, the emblematic French Baguette was added to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage by Uneseco, bringing France’s recorded number of cultural elements up to 25, including the Gastronomic Meal of the French, perfume making in Grasse, the Carnival of Granville and Summer Solstice Fire Festivals in the Pyrenees. Intangible cultural heritage is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge or skill considered by Unesco to be part of a place’s cultural heritage. It is those things we cannot see or touch but which represent a culture’s essence, such as its folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions, knowledge and languages. Thus, the latest listing more specifically distinguishes the Artisanal Know-how and Culture of Baguette Bread, rather than baguettes themselves. The entry notes that the baguette is the most popular kind of bread enjoyed and consumed in France throughout the year. Made with only four ingredients (flour, water, salt, leaven and/or yeast), its crisp crust and chewy texture “result in a specific sensory experience” and they are consumed all over the country in a variety of contexts. But even though baguettes all over are made with those same four ingredients, it is the vital fifth ingredient, the baker’s savoir-faire, that will distinguish one boulangerie’s baguette and another’s. Ironically, the baguette is a relatively recent addition to France’s culinary repertoire. Although long, thin loaves have been made since the time of King Louis XIV, the form we all know and love today was only properly recognised in 1920. In the 18th century, these humble loaves, with their high crust to crumb (the doughy white inside) ratio, were actually criticised as pandering too much to Parisians and their love of crust. But time and the crust eventually won out, and the baguette finally made it to France’s provinces during the early 20th century, thereby guaranteeing its places in French stomachs and hearts.

Thalias Group To Win Energy Consumption Related Award

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The Ministry of Environment is leading the way on showing companies how to save big, and help save the planet too… On October 28, Thalias was delighted and honoured to step up to the podium to receive two awards at the Cambodian Energy Efficiency Competition organised by the Ministry of Environment, the Institute of Technology of Cambodia and Sevea Consulting with the support of the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance and Schneider Electric. This competition was created in order to encourage businesses and institutions to cut back on their energy usage, and to recognise the efforts of those that successfully do so. The Competition takes place over a year in which participants monitor their monthly energy usage, and declare their monthly energy bills on the competition’s web platform. It’s the kind of action that helps to focus minds on the ways that energy is used, and often wasted, in the course of everyday activities. This means that even for those participants that did not take away a medal, they’ve still won something incredibly valuable. The Competition began last year with 28 participating buildings, and it is hoped that this will grow over time as its reputation grows. It is in fact modelled on a successful French initiative, the CUBE Competition, created by the French Institute for Building Performance. So far, that competition has seen 670 participating buildings which have seen an average annual saving on usage, and therefore their bills, of 12%. One was able to make savings of 57.4%! Overall, the competition has already contributed to a saving of 7,658 tons of CO2. The Competition is also vital for raising awareness, not just in the media and public forums, but among the thousands of employees, globally hundreds of thousands, whose small daily modifications can have a tremendous impact. Thalias’ teams worked and continue to work hard to reduce our own output across all our properties, and we are grateful their efforts have been recognised. We look forward to the competition “hotting up” as more businesses and institutions take part in the years to come. The Cambodia Energy Efficiency Competition was created under the Ministry of Environment in partnership with EuroCham, EnergyLab, the Liger Leadership Academy and the IFPEB, and with the financial support of Schneider Electric and the National Council for Sustainable Development under the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance Innovation Grant Facility, and additional support from the European Union, the United Nation Development Program and Sweden.

Dining And Diplomacy – Cambodia On a Plate

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How do states navigate tricky knots in negotiations, affirm their strongest relations and make their boldest, but unspoken, declarations? Through food of course… To many, food is simply something they put into their mouths in order to fuel the things they’re doing while they’re not eating. To others, the power of food to bring people together and bind, or break, relations is its very essence, which is why food has for so long played such an important role in international relations. Former British prime minister, Lord Palmerston, noted that “dining is the soul of diplomacy”, and this is as true today as it was in the 1860s thanks to food’s power to communicate as eloquently as any wordsmith can. Coming together around a table and, often, rather elaborate meal has the power to deepen alliances and broaden understanding. It unites and unifies, diffuses political tensions and affirms bonds. Studies have shown that it not only enhances peoples’ receptiveness to whatever is being discussed, it also triggers a desire to “repay” the provider. Food brings people together, and the dining table provides a less fraught setting within which to develop cordial and productive relationships, especially after a day of tiring negotiations in a different arena. But food on this scale also has the power to tell a tale. When the Irish government welcomed Queen Elizabeth on a state visit in 2011, food was an especially fraught subject given the series of famines that defined British colonial rule, culminating in the Great Famine of 1845-49 that killed around one million people. But the Irish government turned that bitter pill around, and used food to make a statement about Ireland’s diplomatic, cultural and culinary identity. It was a statement that was both welcoming and welcomed because it came from a place of genuine pride that was expressed through the selection of local ingredients and local foodways. Even the wines, Château Lynch-Bages and Château de Fieuzal, were chosen for their historical Irish connections. Until she died recently, the Queen still talked about this occasion as one of the greatest of her reign. It was a moment that cemented and transformed relations between the two countries. Ireland was no longer afraid to stand up and be counted, and said as much through every bite and sip of that meal. That is the power of food. On another grand occasion in 1889, the Emperor of Japan, Meiji the Great, hosted a dinner for 800 people to celebrate the completion of a new royal palace, and to showcase Japan’s modernisation and sophistication. In that case, there was no question but that the menu and service had to be French and it took the court two years to prepare for the spectacular occasion. During that time courtiers had to be trained in how to dress and behave at a French dinner, including the peculiar art of making small talk, and also in how to resist being unnerved by the constant clatter of silverware on porcelain. Fortunately, great occasions are a little less fraught these days, and don’t take quite so long to prepare for. But they still take time. When Thalias was called on to prepare a dinner for 500 people during the ASEAN Summit in August this year, we knew how important it was that the evening show off the best of Cambodia. The menu itself was conceived by Chef Luu Meng who took delegates on a proud culinary tour of the nation with a distinctly Cambodian menu that included Kampot Crab, Takeo River Langoustine, Battambang Beef Saraman. But aside from all the menu planning, wine pairing, organising, ordering, scheduling and everything else that goes into putting together a great dinner, it took our kitchen teams three full days of slicing, chopping, dicing, mixing, marinading and 193 other things just to prepare the meal. It’s a huge task that takes a huge team and an awful lot of careful coordination. Fortunately, this is where Topaz Executive Chef Sopheak Pov is in his element. Chef Sopheak refined his kitchen management skills in Michelin-starred kitchens in France where the brigade system rules. That system helps him to keep his eye on 200 different details and moving parts all at once, even when working in a domain that is not strictly his own. Chef Sopheak is less experienced in Cambodian cuisine than he is in French. It’s a great example of how systems can define outcomes, regardless of the arena. Speaking a few years ago while Ambassador of Denmark, Joe Biden’s current Chief of Protocol, Rufus Gifford once said, “When you tell a story with food—whatever that story may be—it makes diplomacy a little bit easier. I have found that especially, at this moment in time, whether it’s coming out of covid, or the weight of the geopolitical situation around the world, we need more joy in our lives. We need more reasons to gather around a table and laugh and smile, and connect as human beings. That starts and ends with food.” We’re very much inclined to agree.

The Best Building Block for Success? Invest in Your People

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People power is more than a slogan, it is at the heart of every good and successful business. There is no greater return on investment than on the investment in your teams, because their strengths are your strengths. This is how we do it at Thalias… People serve people, and if we want our staff to serve you with the respect, dignity and attention to care that you deserve, then it is our duty to treat them in exactly the same way. For us, it’s a very simple thing. We know too that we can train anyone in the technical skills they need to do their job adequately. But we want more than that. So we seek out those with the right attitude, ambition and desire to do their best, because that is something that comes from within, and cannot be taught. This means that if you think you have these attributes, never hesitate to send us your CV because even if we don’t have a space immediately available, we’ll find one for you eventually. And we do this not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole industry, and Cambodia too. For a long time, Cambodian companies were afraid to invest in their personnel because in an uncertain world, the risk of staff members leaving was considered too high. That world no longer exists. The landscape has changed. Competition is higher than ever before, and so too are standards and expectations. As a result, every company in Cambodia today has to invest to survive, and that means investing first and foremost in their people. We’ve always tried to be ahead of this curve. “We know there is a risk of staff leaving once we train them, but it is our view that even if they do, they’re contributing to raising standards in the whole industry, and that benefits everyone across the industry,” says Settha Yok, Human Resources Director for Thalias Group. “We don’t mind taking that risk. “We invested in our own in-house academy that taught our staff everything from the core skills they need for their jobs, as well as English, French language classes, and life skills too. We’ve obviously had to scale that back over the last few years, thanks to Covid, but once everything else is back on track, so will the academy be”. Settha also highlights the roles that senior management of Thalias have played in supporting industry standards and training through their leadership of hotel and restaurant industry associations, in the foundation of the Cambodian delegation of Disciples d’Escoffier, and the establishment of a Training Centre for the ASEAN National Trainers and Assessors in Food Production. “We don’t like to sit and wait for things to happen when we know we have the leadership and the capacity to get it done ourselves,” says Mr YOK. If you think you have what it takes to join the Thalias team, send your CV with a cover letter to: jobs@thaliashospitality.com

A Francophone’s Dream: Alliance Française de Siem Reap

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French for Life could be the new motto of Alliance Française in Siem Reap, where a host of new programmes are putting the Fun back into language and skills learning… We stopped by for a chat with her about what they offer to students in Siem Reap, and there’s a lot more to talk about than subjunctive conjugations. CM: First of all, can you summarise the role of the Alliance Française? Is it only an establishment dedicated to teaching French? NP: The Alliance offers classic French as a Foreign Language (FLE) courses for anyone interested in learning French, but we also offer French for Specific Purposes (F.O.S) courses. All needs are thus covered, responding to both professional and individual motivations. However, it is important to be able to offer courses other than F.L.E or F.O.S, in order to attract all ages and to adapt to demand. “That’s why, after a market study, we developed various workshops in manga, photography, Iyengar yoga, discovery of the French-speaking world, and more. But we’ve also introduced Khmer classes, and soon there’ll be cooking classes as well as gentle gymnastics sessions for seniors. It’s also a way of teaching French by using it as a support, or to spread the French culture, especially by organising conferences. We also want to put the Alliance Française back at the heart of the Siem Reap community. CM: What drives your students to learn French? Does mastering the language still offer career opportunities? NP: Some learn French to pass entrance exams for private companies or to join NGOs. Then, there are those who want to travel to France in order to discover not only our beautiful country, but also a whole culture: fashion, perfume, the varied landscapes offered by our regions as well as the numerous French-speaking countries. CM: How many classes are taught at the Alliance Française, and what are the profiles of your students? NP: We teach a wide range of people, from Khmers to expatriates, from six to 77 years old. Each week, we offer 36 hours of F.L.E. classes and 12 hours of F.O.S. classes, including three hours of general French for Franco-Khmer children, which is new at the Alliance Française. A cooperation agreement is also in force with the University of Angkor for medical FOS courses. This will allow future nurses and midwives to learn French and thus be able to train in France. We hope that other contracts with other universities will come about soon. We also have two hours of Khmer language instruction, and one hour of activities such as crossfit, yoga, manga, a photo workshop and a cooking workshop, as well as sessions for discovery of the French language. CM: Precisely, what is your vision of the French-speaking world? NP: It’s a pleasure to know that the French language is being spread outside of France. Even if French is no longer the language of diplomacy as it was until the 19th century, the language of Molière remains diplomatic because of its culture and its influence, or rather its influences. CM: What teaching methods are used? NP: The teaching methods are face-to-face instruction and intended for non-native speakers, based on the action approach recommended by the CEFR, where the student becomes the agent of his own learning. In the near future, we will be offering online classes. Some courses offer activities that support the learning of French by application to specific fields of interest. However, we always emphasise active participation by students who are supervised by a dynamic, motivated, positive and close-knit team, who actively undergo ongoing training. CM: The many activities on offer place great emphasis on festivities and games. Is this particularly important to you? NP: Yes, because it is precisely through these activities that the students become familiar with French culture, which is not just about the language. Celebrating St. Nicholas Day with Santa Claus, Christmas, the Galette des Rois, Mardi Gras and Chandeleur are all ways to open a window on French culture, but also to create unforgettable memories for the children (and parents) who participate. We are fortunate to have a large rooftop terrace for shows, exhibitions, conferences and screenings. In this regard, a next meeting on the theme of cinema will be held at the end of November, and we are thinking of resuming the regular screening of classic French films. It is also worth mentioning the presence in our premises of a media library which, for $20 a year, allows members to borrow two books for a period of fifteen days. All themes are covered in a large selection of books, including comic books. Finally, toddlers have their own space for reading and listening to a storyteller who comes every Monday. They can also play on our computers, on which F.L.E. applications have been installed. CM: Can you tell us about your background and what led you to the Alliance Française de Siem Reap? NP: After studying law, I followed my husband to Burma where I became an FLE and FOS teacher, first as a freelancer for private companies, including the French School of Rangoon. Then I was recruited by an international school that met American standards, where I created their first FLE department. It wasn’t easy, because the atmosphere in Burma is mainly English speaking! After a year my contract was renewed, not only as a teacher of F.L.E, but also as departmental coordinator. When a position for a seminar leader became available, I was selected to take care of sending 60 teachers to various professional workshops, and then to conduct seminars on “Teaching a foreign language while playing”. I also conducted field trainings at the request of some French colleagues. CM: What are your expectations for the future of the Alliance Française? I’d like to recruit more teachers, to continue the training-for-trainers, and to offer more activities in the only Alliance Française in Cambodia! Alliance Française de Siem Reap, Street 22, behind Khéma Angkor For more information, please contact Dara at 016 … Read more

Beef Wellington: A Dish for the Lions of this World

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Not for the faint hearted, Beef Wellington is the kind of dish that instantly crowns you a Conquering King or Queen of all you survey… A dish worthy of the grandest occasions, yet somehow down-to-earth enough that any day can be a good day for Beef Wellington, provided someone else is doing the cooking! There are, of course, variations, but at Topaz we make ours with the finest beef fillet, then add layers of foie gras and mushroom duxelles, and wrap it all up in the crisp deliciousness of puff pastry. Beef Wellington is a dish that comes together to create a very homely sort of luxury, with comfort, refinement and deep, luxuriously rich flavours all wrapped up and ready to be devoured, elegantly of course. Beef Wellington’s origins remain clouded in mystery though. It is generally agreed that the dish is named after Arthur Wellesley, the First Duke of Wellington, the man who oversaw the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, thereby bringing an end to 12 years of the Napoleonic Wars. Certainly, decisive battlefield victory deserves something splendid to be named in your honour, however cookbooks from the time make no mention of the dish at all. Perhaps the dedication to Wellington was more of a social than formal designation. On the other hand, the practice of wrapping meats in pastry was common at the time, in England as in France, thanks to a fashion for un-browned meat. Perhaps it was so widespread that writing it down in a cookbook may have been considered akin to including an entry for boiling an egg. However, the addition of mushrooms and pâté or foie gras, and the use of puff pastry instead of a simple flour and water mix are certainly refinements that should have been worthy of mention. In fact, not a single recipe for the dish in its current form appears anywhere until the 1940s, in America. Moreover, while much of the debate ranges around whether the dish is really French or English in origin, one theory holds that it is in fact Irish. Andrew Wellesley, who went on to become the Duke of Wellington was born in Dublin to an aristocratic family who formed part of the Protestant Ascendancy that dominated Irish political and cultural life at the time. A reference to it appears in Irish Traditional Food, a collection of Irish recipes from the 16th to the 20th century put together by the legendary food-scholar Theodora Fitzgibbon. There is a certain delicious irony in such an intricate and grand dish being named for Wellington, a man who famously doused almost everything he ate in vinegar, to the despair of his French chef. The chef, a man named Felix, finally resigned declaring that even if Wellington were 1000 times a hero, his habits and general disinterest in food would cause Felix’s genius to die, even if his body might live to tell the tale. At the site of the Battle of Waterloo, there now sits an artificial hill topped by a stone lion, a symbol of Wellington’s Allied Army. So even if the real connection between Wellington and Beef Wellington might be lost in the mists of time, we know one thing: it’s unquestionably a dish fit for the lions of this world.