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Parlerez Vous Français aves Nous this International Francophonie Day?

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© Chris Karidis

The French language is being celebrated this month, presenting an opportunity to get to know one of the most beautiful languages in the world that, for an added bonus, can connect you with millions of people all over that world. Whether they’re French, Cambodian or any of the other nationalities that share this world, the French speakers of Cambodia are part of a 321-million-people-strong global community of people who speak their language. That’s 321 million potentially life-altering encounters, insights, inspirations and connections that are accessible thanks to the extraordinary power of a shared language that can bridge divides across geographies, generations and cultures. This connection between the French speakers of this world will be celebrated this March 20 on International Francophonie Day, a date created by Unesco in 1970 to mark the creation of the agency that would go on to become the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF). The French language is the fifth most-spoken language in the world, and is the fourth most used on the internet (after English, Spanish and Arabic). It has long had an important place on the global level as a symbol of culture and creativity, and also of democracy and humanism. Speaking at a celebration of this day five years ago, Ms Audrey Azoulay, then Director-General of Unesco, spoke of the French language’s capacity to “unite people, to create spaces of solidarity and mutual understanding, to reflect together on our common future”. It’s also practical. Among respondents to a survey conducted by the IOF last year, people said that speaking or learning French helped them to get a job, study, find information, conduct research and access other cultures. Speaking another language broadens your horizons by an unimaginable magnitude. And for those for whom French is a second (or third, fourth, or fifth!) language, the advantages go even deeper. Bilingualism has been associated with a massive range of subtler benefits including greater success in education and work, greater ease when learning further languages, higher average earnings, and it also helps to stave off dementia, which is always nice. It also helps to enrich the speaker’s life through broadened horizons and the capacity to consider things from different perspectives. Bilingual people tend to be more creative and flexible, they can be more open-minded and also find it easier to focus on a variety of tasks at the same time. And then there is also the opportunity to explore cultures from all over the world that may share common historical experiences. As Madame Azoulay said during her speech, “it is this diversity of destinies, gathered in the language that we share, that we are invited to celebrate”. For an opportunity to explore more about French language and culture, the Alliance Française in Siem Reap and the French Institute in Phnom Penh. The Alliance Française will be celebrating this week from 18 to 26 March, with a number of events for their students, including karaoke, poetry readings and films. All of these are also open to the public to join in. Keep an eye on their Facebook page to find out more about events and about signing up for their extremely good value French language courses. The Institut Français in Phnom Penh will also be holding events this week, and you can find out plenty about the huge range of events and activities they host on their Facebook page. N’hésitez pas à les joindre. Even if you don’t speak French, there’s so much more in common than you think.

Does speaking French ever get you into a pickle?

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(“Get into a pickle” = get into a little trouble…) Picking up a language’s idioms is a fantastic way to deepen not only your language skills, but also to deepen your connection with that language’s culture. Food is not simply the fuel that sustains our bodies, it nourishes our minds too, and it also serves as a means though which we communicate our sense of who we are, where we came from, who raised us and how. Language, thought and culture are so entwined that it’s no surprise to find that food is so deeply embedded into everyday language in France, especially in the form of its idioms. With all that in mind, here’s our quick guide to some of France’s favourite foodie sayings. Avoir de la Bouteille (having some bottle) — used to describe someone who is wise through experience and age, like a fine wine! (Funnily enough, the English equivalent almost means the opposite. Someone’s who’s “got some bottle” is usually someone who is showing a little more courage or confidence than perhaps their position or capacities merit. On the other hand, if you did do something that took some bottle, then it’s probable you’ve shown more than common courage. And if you’ve “bottled it”, it means you’ve lost your bottle and been a coward, not doing what you could or should have done. English bottles are confusing. Mettre de l’Eau Dans Son Vin (putting water in his wine) — something a wise person would do at judicious moments, which is to compromise or take a more moderate stance on something (i.e. dilute one’s wine or position). While this sounds like a heresy today, pouring a little water into your wine used to be an accepted practice when wines tended to be coarser and harder to swallow. Thus, if you cut your views with a little water, they become easier for the other person to take in. Retourner Quelqu’un Comme une Crêpe (flipping someone like a crêpe) — on the other hand, you wouldn’t want to add too much water to your wine and become too compromising in case someone too easily changes your mind, or flips you like a crêpe! Se Faire Rouler Dans la Farine (to be rolled in flour) — of course, if the other person is smarter or less naive than you, it might be that you’ll end up being taken advantage of (rolled in flour) anyway. Raconter des Salades (talking salads) — and if someone’s trying to take advantage of you, it’s very likely that they’ll also be telling you lies. This idiom has a parallel in English with the phrase “word salad”, meaning someone who is using too many words in order to create confusion, or sometimes to hide their own ignorance and pretend they’re smarter or more knowledgeable than they actually are. Tourner au Vinagire (turn to vinegar) — at this point, the situation might start to turn a bit sour, into vinegar, i.e. something that started out good has become bad or unpleasant. La Moutarde lui Monte au Nez (the mustard is rising to his nose) — so now you’re probably getting more and more impatient and angry, and the sharp smell of mustard is tingling your nostrils. Ménager le Chèvre et le Chou (sparing the goat and the cabbage) — at this point in this terrible situation, someone else may intervene and try to calm things down. But they need to be careful how they do it. If they try to please both sides (sparing both the goat and the cabbage who clearly have opposing opinions on whether or not the goat should eat the cabbage), then it’s possible that no one will be happy in the end. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way out of this situation is to keep one of Cambodia’s many foodie idioms in mind, and Tuk Moat Si Moan: save your mouth for eating chicken.

AFD: An enduring commitment to sustainable development in Cambodia

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A celebration of 30 years of a cooperation between France and Cambodia that has benefitted both countries in uncountable ways. Last month, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) celebrated 30 years of working in and with Cambodia with a mission to promote structural development, such as water resource management, while supporting the commercial sector taking account of environmental and social standards, such as renewable energies. Senior representatives of the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia and AFD’s partner institutions attended the celebration held at the Residence of France under the invitation of H.E. Ambassador Jacques Pellet, Mr Rémy Rioux, AFD’s Chief Executive Officer and Mrs Sandrine Boucher, AFD’s Director in Cambodia. Marked by the strong ties between France and Cambodia, the event provided an opportunity to look back at the successes of the last 30 years, while also looking ahead at the possibilities of the future. AFD has been one of Cambodia’s trusted partners for the past 30 years, and has provided almost €900 million of financing for rural development, environmental protection and biodiversity, energy, water and sanitation, infrastructure, education and vocational training. This long-term support has, inter alia, helped improve access to drinking water in the capital and electricity in rural provinces. In 2017, AFD ramped up its activities, with 50% of cumulative commitments since 1993 granted after this date. The agency expects this trend to continue over the next three years, with an additional €100 to €150 million in the pipeline. During his visit, AFD Director Mr Rémy Rioux met with the country’s main development actors in order to reinforce relations and cooperation. The agency works closely with numerous ministries, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance which coordinates all financing granted by AFD, as well as public companies (PPWSA, Electricity of Cambodia), the financial sector and community and civil rights organisation. Mr Rious was also received by His Excellency the Prime Minister Hun Sen towards the end of his visit. The celebration was marked by a photo exhibition, “AFD, 30 Years of Action for Sustainable Development”, which was displayed on the outside walls of the embassy. A further exhibition in the embassy gardens was greatly, including an examination of projets from the Phare Ponleu Selpak School of Visual and Applied Arts was greatly enjoyed by guests. The challenges of just transition were addressed in the course of the evening, including the impacts of climate change, as well as new and innovative collaborations around public climate governance and adaptive social protection. This evening was also an opportunity to look to the future and to young people by highlighting the importance of AFD’s portfolio of vocational training projects, notably with the Asian Development Bank. It was also the occasion for a meeting with young Cambodians who are international volunteers for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Finally, the evening saw the presentation of the MobiliseYourCity Partnership certificate to His Excellency Mr Pharat Nuon, Vice Governor of Phnom Penh.

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