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Khmer New Year Highlights Connections Between East and West

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One of Cambodia’s most eagerly awaited celebrations is coming up this month, with Khmer New year (Choul Chnam Thmei) that will run for three days from 14 to 16 April. The festivities begin on the first day, Moha Sangkran, with ritual cleaning of house and body, a washing away of the year just passed and freshening for the year to come. Thanks are given to the Buddha for what has been, and for blessings yet to come, and time is taken to connect with family, honour ancestors and enjoy traditional feasts, games and ceremonies. It also marks the end of one harvest season, as farmers and workers enjoy the fruits of their labour. But why does New Year’s Day take place now? The clue is in the name, and it also shows us how Eastern and Western traditions are not so far apart as some might think. Sangkran is a derivative of the Sanskrit word Sankranti which refers to the migration of the sun from one zodiac to another in Indian astronomy. Within India, Nepal and elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia, it is a harvest festival that marks the end of winter solstice and the beginning of the sun’s journey northwards, bringing longer days and warmer weather. As here, Sangkranti is a time for joy and celebration among families, with gifts, games and traditional rituals. That means that the beginning of each month in the Hindu calendar is Sankranti, but not all are celebrated in the same way and Mesha Sankranti (from which Moha Sangkran is derived) is one of the most important, marking the beginning of the New Year as the sun moves into Aries, which generally falls on 14 or 15 April, and is the first day of the solar cycle year. Anyone who follows Western astrology now knows why Aries is always listed first. In the west, we follow a tropical calendar based on the seasons, which is why our New Year falls on January 1, though that is a relatively recent phenomenon for which we can thank the Romans. Until 700BCE, our New Year was celebrated in March, in line with the spring equinox. But if you examine contemporary Western language used to describe this period of the sun moving into Aries, you’ll find it has a great deal in common with Cambodian beliefs about this time of year. It is a time of energy, renewal, change and transformation, a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. It is also about sheep! Aries is signified by the ram, or male sheep. So you see, we’re not so different after all.

How to register your restaurant in just 8 days

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A new guide from the Cambodia Restaurant Association shines a much-needed light into the maze of rules and regulations you need to be aware if your restaurant is to be compliant. The Cambodia Restaurant Association has published a 150-page guidebook on setting up a restaurant business in Cambodia that is compliant with all laws and regulations, in just eight days. Titled “Create Your Restaurant Enterprise in 8 Days”, the guide offers a comprehensive map through the entire regulatory terrain of business licensing, registration and overall compliance concerning restaurant businesses in Cambodia. As such, it is an invaluable resource not just for those who are looking to set up a new business, but also for those who have established businesses but are confused by the current legal landscape. The guide, which is available in English and Khmer, covers everything from registration, e-commerce compliance, taxation, employment, health and safety, licensing, fire safety, domain name registration, environmental protection and then Endowment Fund, and finally handicraft permits. The comprehensive guide has broken down legal obligations according to the government department overseeing different aspects of running a business, and then goes into detail about the nature of those obligations, and how to comply with them. Flowcharts offer a visual representation of the processes, including the decisions that need to be made along the way, which helps enormously in seeing the proper way forward, and also to envisioning the end in sight! The Cambodia Restaurant Association is a non-profit business association created in order to support the restaurant industry in Cambodia and to give a voice to their collective needs and concerns for the benefit of all. We think this will be an essential guide for anyone and everyone in the business, and urge you to pick

Spotlight: Khantei Sok, Your GM at Khéma La Poste

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She’s a familiar face to many of you, and she has a great story to tell. [Adapted from an article in Cambodge Mag: https://www.cambodgemag.com/post/gastronomie-parcours-khantei-sok-et-la-ferme-ambition-de-réussir International Women’s Day gave us on an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the hundreds of women who all play essential roles within Thalias Hospitality Group and what it has become today. One of those, Khantei Sok, sat down with the editor of Cambodge Mag to talk about her own evolution. Born in Phnom Penh, Khantei grew up in a disruptive environment that did not encourage dreaming about one’s future, much less that she might one day become an Alumni Ambassador for Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, the NGO that gave her a head-start in life. But she did know that she had to commit to whatever she was doing, especially in her professional life. “When I was younger and studying, I didn’t really have any particular desire for my future, I just knew that I had to work hard, learn English and then get by,” she said. The hard work paid off. With brilliant results in hand, she was offered a place as a trainer for PSE’s training restaurants, Lotus Blanc, of which there were two at the time. There she taught the elements and techniques of catering for almost five years and then, in 2016, an irresistible opportunity to travel to Toulouse, France, for a training trip arose. “I really enjoyed the experience. I learned some French, maybe not enough to carry on a conversation, but enough to understand and respond to French-speaking clients during my work,” she said. Her experiences so far meant she knew she wanted to pursue a career in hospitality, and within that, to work for a large group. Topaz was her first choice. “I knew the Topaz restaurant and I wanted to work there. Alain Darc [Topaz’s consultant-chef] was a technical advisor at PSE and in 2017 he gave me the opportunity to join the team”. But after completing her training at Topaz and Khéma Pasteur, Khantei’s hard work and dedication meant she was ready for a challenge. “Today, I am the general manager of Khéma La Poste and I work directly with Lina Hak, our operations manager for the brand,” she said. Such responsibility is not always easy. Khantei is aware of the constraints of the restaurant business, but stresses that she has also learned the good things about it. “I like my job because I simply love this business. I love the contact with people, I love gastronomy, I’m quite a fan of French food and wine personally. “My favourite French dish would probably be coq au vin. I also like charcuterie a lot. At the beginning it was not spontaneous, I had to learn to taste this very European food”, she added. As for the constraints, she takes them with a smile, aware that she works in a profession where she has to adapt to the clientele and the number of people in the establishment. “I have hours that have to be adjusted to the restaurant’s activity. We have many customers, especially at the weekend, and I have to be available. That’s all there is to it.” In the mornings, she assists her team to ensure that everything is in place and smoothly running for breakfast, and then again for lunch and dinner. She runs a daily meeting to discuss the previous day’s operations, to look at what went well and what can be improved. In total, 48 employees work for this establishment. We asked if she thinks she’s a little young to be leading a team that includes long-time employees and older people? Not really, she says with a smile. “It’s true that I’m young to lead a big team, but there’s a very good spirit between us and it’s going pretty well,” she said. Finally, when asked about her future plans, Khantei answers unambiguously that she wants to continue her career with the Thalias group, a company that continues to grow and for which she says she is proud to work. With Covid-19, there has been a sharp drop in restaurant business and Khéma has not escaped the trend. Kanthei explained, “At first we saw a big drop in patronage due to fear of the virus. Then we put in place the safety measures that everyone now knows: temperature checks at the entrance, hand disinfection, table spacing. “And these precautions apply to customers as well as to restaurant employees and delivery staff. In the middle of May 2020, customers started to return. Even if the number of customers did not reach the level of the good old days, the restaurant was back to a very regular business. We have a lot of promotional products such as free-flow, which work very well. We communicate a lot about our promotions and this also encourages regulars to come back,” she said, adding that it helps that Khéma’s pastries and bread have the reputation of being the best in the capital. Outside of work, Khantei says she spends time with her mother, with whom she still lives, and also regularly visits her father, who lives in the provinces. In her spare time, she admits to having a soft spot for the music of Sinn Sisamouth, the Cambodian crooner of the 60s and 70s, and to enjoying watching local comedies. Travel? She has been lucky enough to travel to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, but mainly for business trips. “I love to travel, I had the opportunity to visit Paris and I found the city wonderful. On the other hand, I can’t see myself living anywhere else but in my native country,” concluded the young woman.

Book Review: The Rural Cuisine of Angkor by Ang Choulean

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[Adapted from an article in Cambodge Mag: https://www.cambodgemag.com/post/livre-gastronomie-la-cuisine-rurale-d-angkor-par-ang-choulean] The esteemed Cambodian scholar Ang Choulean’s near 300-page essay on the culinary habits and diets of people during the Angkor era can be found at the Center for Khmer Studies in Siem Reap. Available for lending in French and Khmer, it is the result of nearly two decades of research on the era and the region, especially the Roluos area, and an inspiring resource for those interested in Cambodia’s culinary history. His findings demonstrate the historical continuity of Cambodian cuisine since ancient times, and the definitive rural and vegetal character of the Cambodian diet. He also records how the apparent simplicity of village food accurately responded, and still responds, to nutritional and gustatory needs of the moment. Far from being a collection of recipes, or following a “structuralist” approach to Cambodian agrarian society, the essay deals with “culinary situations”: the when, where, how, by whom and for what purpose cooked food was and is prepared in the context of the villages near Angkor Wat. Choulean’s research encompasses fishing and hunting techniques, agricultural skills, the time and place of meals, cooking methods, the use of spices — quite limited, although Cambodian pepper is praised worldwide — and special occasions, as well as linguistic and historical considerations. Of particular interest is the author’s reflection on the (surprisingly for many scholars) limited, if any, influence of Indian cuisine on the diet and tastes of rural Cambodia, while the ‘taste of Chinese food’ was integrated into festive meals as a symbol of material wealth and prosperity. At the heart of the rural diet is somla (stew), which the author presents in two main categories, somla mchou (‘sour stew’) and somla prohoc (the word prohoc here defining the ‘stimulating’ taste imparted by herbs and leaves, not to be confused with prahok, the famous fermented fish preparation). As for cooking techniques, the author defines, for example, chha kdao, literally “stir-fried hot”, fried in hot cooking liquid, and p-krek, a term imitating the dry sound of ingredients just heated in a pan without liquid or fat, “dry-cooked”, a technique used for ants, among other things. The symbolism of ingredients is also explored in depth. For example, the author notes that lemongrass, although widely used, is rarely retained in the final presentation of the dish, as villagers believed that the ageing tufts of the aromatic herb may be inhabited by evil spirits. Ang Choulean is an anthropologist, Professor of Historical Anthropology at the Royal University of Fine Arts and former Director of the Department of Culture at APSARA. He was the second Cambodian national to receive the Fukuoka Grand Prize in 2011.

How to be a First-Class Employer

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Being the best employer you can be is more than an exercise in feeling good. It’s a key element in attracting the best talents and putting dynamite into your sales figures… The Cambodia Restaurant Association was created to develop, improve and bring innovation to Cambodia’s restaurant industry. A large part of that mission lies in education, whether it be updates on government regulations, help navigating financial and tax rules, or guidance on IT, marketing, or supply chain management. Last month, it was time for the teams who deal with Human Resources to step up to the podium as they delivered a workshop on what it means to be a first class employer, and how to achieve it. The workshop was chaired by Thalias’ own HR Director, Mr. Yok Settha, who led a panel made up of consultants, industry members and training institutes. They addressed why it pays to be a first-class employer, the different elements involved, the legal framework and exactly what employees are looking for today in their relationship with their employer and employment (spoiler alert: a pay cheque is only part of the equation, and often not even the priority). Indeed, since COVID, many employees are now more concerned about achieving a better work-life balance and flexible working arrangements*. One of the speakers was Julie Thai from b.Consulting Cambodia, a Phnom Penh-based consultancy for hospitality providers across Cambodia. Julie has more than 20 years of running successful restaurants at every level behind her, and one of her main focuses today is on training staff to improve quality service and production, reduce staff turnover and maximise productivity. We asked her a couple of questions after the workshop to offer some additional guidance on the practicalities around becoming a First-Class Employer. In particular, we wondered how an employer can go about defining a budget for investing into their employees’ skills. Acknowledging that the hospitality industry can sometimes fall behind other sectors in terms of their investment in staff training, Julie pointed out that skills development costs are a strategic move for any company, similar to a marketing budget. She noted though that expenses related to training budget should always be justified by answers to simple questions such as “how much will it cost, why should I spend this amount, how am I going to spend it, what will be the benefit for my company and my clients?”. In terms of how to achieve that, she suggests setting aside a small percentage, say 1-2%, of the annual HR budget for development and implementation of a staff training programme. She added, “As it may have an impact on profit, business owners have to identify their training priorities. Some for instance will target customer service to develop their sales and revenue, other will choose to allocate training costs on leading abilities for the middle management to increase employee retention rate”. But there are plenty of impactful steps any employer who wants to be a good employer can take even before they commit to a budget and programme. And this is not just to the benefit of employees, but of the employer too. Julie suggests, “determining the right tasks and feasible goals, appointing the right person to it, giving enough time to complete the job, offering support whenever employees encounter professional or personal issues are clearly the basics. As an employer, the very first thing for business owners to ask themselves is whether they provide a good environment workplace and all tools for their team to succeed in their job. For example, doing an annual interview with each employee is a good moment to review their job description, listen to their input and difficulties and set the path for the following year”. Of course, not every company can approach this issue from the same perspective. In particular, differences in size, from small companies right up to global brands, will of course have differences in their Human Resources structures and resources. But SMEs can still create attractive salary offers, perhaps with profit shares or other incentives. And of course, they have one advantage larger companies simply can’t afford, which is that due to their size, they’re able to offer a more personal style of leadership, while being more responsive and easier to reach out to. In addition to Julie and Settha, this panel was delivered by H.E. Chhay Khunlong, Director General of the Vocational School of Tourism, Thai Chharat, the Vice-Dean of the Hospitality Faculty, and Pat Dany, the Human Resources Manager for the Dara Group of hotels. To find out more about future Cambodia Restaurant Association panels and workshops, which are open to members and non-members, or to look into the benefits of membership, check out their website here: https://cambodiarestaurantassociation.com.kh For more information, have a look on the Linkedin Report in the following link: LinkedIn 2022 Workplace Learning Report

A New Opening, and we’re hiring!

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A shimmering new restaurant in the sky is looking for a great new team ready to soar.\ Speaking of recruitment, the big day for the opening of a brand new Italian style steakhouse is ever closer, and that means we’re looking to hire a fresh, dynamic and committed new team to join the Thalias fold. Siena promises to be a bold, lively venue with a great menu, great atmosphere and great views across the whole of Phnom Penh city. We’re looking for a team that reflects that setting, as well as Thalias’ team values of kindness, curiosity, optimism, self-awareness, ethics, and compassion. What does all that mean? Well, it means that we hire character not experience. Even if you’ve never set foot at work on a restaurant floor before, we can teach you the technicalities. What’s most important to us is the person you are, how you treat your colleagues and customers and, above all, your willingness to learn. The Siena team is looking to recruit at all levels, for management and team members, including a Restaurant Manager, Restaurant Captains, Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, Bartenders, Waiters, Dishwashers and more. So if you think you have the Thalias spark, check out the email below and send us your CV together with a brief cover letter explaining which position you’re applying for and why. And in light of our previous article on How to be a First Class Employer, we can say that Thalias offers more than just good salaries and working conditions. Thalias offers a way up, and will support anyone with the ambition and the talent to excel at what they do. We will invest in your training and development as much as you invest in your job. If that sounds like a fair deal, then write to us now at: jobs@thaliashospitality.com, or send a message through Telegram to: 016 579 555 or 106 847 888. We look forward to hearing from you. Siena Italian Steakhouse

Are You Embracing Equity for International Women’s Day

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“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all Embrace Equity.” We’re not as used to hearing the word ‘equity’ in relation to the longstanding campaign for women’s rights. Historically, that has been ruled by a desire to achieve ‘equality’. But while the battle for equality goes on, it can’t really be won until the issues raised by equity are addressed. This refers to fairness, justice and impartiality and, as such, carves out a far more effective and realistic path to securing necessary rights, recognition and equality for women all over the world. While equality means providing the same to all, equity recognises that people don’t all start out from the same place and therefore the same things do not necessarily mean the same thing to them. It’s about everybody getting what they need to improve the quality of their situation, and as much as that can be very different between men and women, it can be different from woman to woman too. Equality remains the goal. Equity is how we get there. We have recognised this at Thalias for some time. While we are not in a position to uniquely tailor the training and support that we make available to all our team members, we do make sure they get the support and training that they need and ask for. It’s one of the reasons women have been so tremendously successful in this company, and will always continue to be so. But it’s not just about what employers can do. Everyone has a role to play in promoting equity in the world around them. It takes courage to challenge gender stereotypes when we encounter them, or discrimination or bias, but it can be done. Positive change comes from an accumulation of tiny acts that might seem insignificant in the moment, but added together become an irresistible force for change, and a better, happier, world for everyone. We celebrate the achievements of all the women who work for Thalias, but we also celebrate what those achievements mean for the people in their lives, their families, friends and co-workers alike. Because we really believe that every successful woman helps to clear the path for all the women coming up behind her. Success is contagious, and her impact will be felt and lived for generations to come. And if you’d like to celebrate the women in your life, then what better way than a sublime evening out at Topaz, or perhaps take a moment that’s really worth savouring with an Afternoon Tea at Khéma. Let her or them know how much you value them. #International Women’s Day

Bringing Back the Business Lunch!

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Business is back in business in Cambodia, which means that the business lunch is back too. But with everyone still keeping an eye on budgets, that doesn’t mean that the kind of breakthroughs that business lunches inspire have to break the bank… Business is coming back to Cambodia, and that means one very important thing (as far as we’re concerned anyway): business Lunches are coming back too. At Topaz and Khéma, we’ve made it our business to make sure that you have everything you need to get through your agenda with colleagues, associates and clients in a refined and serious setting, without any fuss, delays, interference, or a digestion-inducing bill. A few years ago, it was declared that the days of the business lunch were over, though this had more to do with the tax laws of a particular country than the actual usefulness of a long-standing tradition. But the Business Lunch is more than just a tradition, because a carefully thought-out Business Lunch will always deliver so much more than what’s on the menu. Among clients, associates and colleagues, it’s an effective way of breaking down barriers, cementing relationships and finding common grounds that define the path for advancement. Something as simple as the change of context can help those attending to reframe problems or situations in their minds, and arrive at solutions or agreements they might not otherwise have done. It’s also a great way to show appreciation for your team’s achievements, strengthen the bonds between them, or to cheerfully welcome a new recruit. This is why the Business Lunch remains popular, despite what the naysayers say. That’s what naysayers do though. In Phnom Penh, Topaz is one of the city’s premier Business Lunch venues because we are able to offer a peerless combination of the highest levels of sophistication, quality and value. Our menu changes every month, and offers a two-course haute cuisine lunch, with drinks, starting at just $19 per person, while a three-course meal including drinks is only $27. It’s hard to argue with numbers like that. But that is not all. For a Business Lunch that combines fine-food standards and preparation with exceptional value and a more relaxed environment, then the Free-Flow Khéma Lunch is a “no-brainer”, as they say in the business world. The extensive Free-Flow Lunch menu changes every week and offers a delicious range of our favourite dishes and revolving specials for the extraordinary price of just $15 per person. And the Free-Flow means you never have to worry about negotiations that might be grinding on, or whether your morning’s work means you’ve worked up an appetite. We predict that the Business Lunch will never die, though its forms will change over the years. The three-hour long “Martini Lunches” of the past are certainly over. Today’s Business Lunch is now a more serious affair, but that’s no reason why it can’t still be useful, rewarding and, of course, delicious.

Chopsticks: the Heart of Refined Dining

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© Akhilesh Sharma

For a beautifully set table, it’s almost impossible to beat the elegance and simplicity of a pair of chopsticks. Their long, slender arms that, well used, form an extension of our own, give them a refinement the clunkier knife and fork can only dream of. And they have a significantly longer history too. It is thought the chopsticks were first used in China as long as 5,000 years ago, though they were then mainly used as cooking utensils. Their adoption as formal eating instruments came at around 200CE, during the Han Dynasty, when a population explosion created a fuel scarcity that meant chefs had to get creative so they could continue creating delicious meals, without using up precious wood. The solution was to cut the food up into small bite-size pieces that needed less cooking time, and thus the wok, the stir-fry and chopsticks as table utensils were born. This also created an elegant way of eating at the table, without any need to carve one’s way through great chunks of meat or unwieldy vegetables. Instead, the meats and vegetables are cut and shaped in such a way that they can be picked up, separated or detached with two simple instruments. As they say, simplicity really is the greatest sophistication. This would explain how these tools soon spread their way across the Asian continent from China, to Vietnam, Japan and Korea. But, while practical, there was a philosophical element to this too. The great Chinese philosopher Confucius, a vegetarian, believed that sharp knives introduced a unwelcome element of brutalism to the dining table, arousing associations with violence between men, but also the violence of the slaughterhouse. Chopsticks on the other hand suggest a calmer, slower and gentler attitude and it was under his teachings that their use became so widespread. It has been suggested that Chinese square-ended chopsticks are an acknowledgement of Confucius’s peaceful teachings, though it is not clear whether this is really the inspiration for that specific form. Chinese chopsticks also tend to be longer to facilitate a tradition of sharing dishes. Japanese chopsticks on the other hand are shorter because the tradition of sharing dishes is not the same. Meanwhile traditional Korean chopsticks are more commonly made from metal than wood or bamboo, perhaps a hark back to a time when it was thought that silver chopsticks would detect any poisons in the food, or a reflection of Korea’s long-standing metalworking skills. Today more than a billion people all over the world use chopsticks as their preferred means for dining, and we think it’s easy to see why, which is why you’ll find our own beautiful branded chopsticks at Malis, perfect for enjoying a delicious bowl of Kuy Teav, or whatever your favourite dish is.

A Celebration of Camembert

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“For the most part, I try to be healthy and eat good things, but if you give me a baguette and some Camembert, I’m gonna eat it.” Gwyneth Paltrow. While every day is Cheese Day as far as we’re concerned, it is nonetheless International Cheese Day this March 27, so we thought it would be a great time to talk about one of France’s most iconic, and, of course, most delicious cheeses, the mighty Camembert. It’s also one of France’s most easily recognised cheeses. With its distinctive talcum-white rind shot through with tawny hints of the deliciousness beneath. The squat disc shape helps to visually distinguish the Camembert from its older cousin, Brie, which is usually made as a larger wheel. Underneath that rind, you’ll find the softly melting butter-yellow cow’s milk cheese which they say is best enjoyed when it oozing around the outside but still slight firm in the centre so that you can enjoy the full range of flavours and textures, from slightly chalky to smooth, creamy velvet, this cheese has to offer. Unlike so many French cheeses, Camembert is a relative newcomer. While there is mention of a cheese named Camembert back in 1702, it is likely that it bore no resemblance to the cheese we see today. Instead, the modern version was most likely created around the time of the French Revolution when a local woman named Marie Harel offered shelter to a priest fleeing the Revolutionary loyalty oath. To pay her back, he taught her the cheesemaking technique used in his former parish in Brie, which Harel adapted to the local cheesemaking methods, and thus Camembert was born. Of course, no one knows any more if this story is actually true or not. The differences in techniques used for making Brie and Camembert can be tasted though. Brie is typically creamier with a higher fat content, and subtle flavours of fruits and mushrooms. Camembert, on the other hand, has a lower fat content with more distinct flavours of mushrooms, almonds, truffles and even roast lamb. As for pairing, given its origins a dry Normandy cider is always a delight on a hot day. If you prefer red wine, go for something light like a Beaujolais, or take a full-bodied, fruity white like a Chardonnay or sweet Chenin Blanc. At Khéma Deli outlets (at Khéma La Poste and Pasteur in Phnom Penh, and Khéma Angkor in Siem Reap), you’ll find the original Camembert produced by artisan cheesemakers in France, and you’ll also find our own version, Khémabert, made right here in Cambodia using fresh cows’ milk from a herd near Preah Vihear. We challenge you to try out this delicious cheese, made with French savoir faire and flavours direct from the earth of Cambodia.