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Fresh Flavours Wafting out of the Kitchens at Topaz

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Under the leadership of Executive Chef Sopheak Pov, ably assisted by Alain “Papa” Darc, the kitchen team at Topaz has been exceptionally busy lately redesigning our entire menu from top to bottom. We’ll be keeping some of your favourites (such as Salads Niçoise and Oysters au Gratin with Champagne Cream), and we’ve simply tweaked some others to create a fresh perspective, while some dishes will be entirely new. And some of them will be quite spectacular. It’s been a hard job having to taste them all, but thankfully someone’s got to do it! There are simply too many new or adapted dishes to mention in one article. And while some may argue that anticipation is the greater part of pleasure, we beg to differ where, say, a Rack of Lamb en Croute is involved. That said, here’s a preview of some of the changes you can look forward to tasting soon. Caviar has been long been a feature of our menu, and will always continue to be so. But so far we have always served it either on its own as an exquisitely luxurious starter, or as a finishing touch that adds a powerful bolt of additional flavour. Now we have centred caviar in its own dish on our starter menu with Caviar with Grouper Brandade, bringing together the earthy and mellow saltiness of quality caviar with a smooth purée made from potatoes, olive oil and grouper, a mild fish with sweet undertones that make it a perfect partner for the caviar. Among the recipes that we’ve tweaked you’ll find an old favourite, Roasted Beef Tenderloin, but this time with a Sauce Périgueux whose combination of earthy truffle flavours and the sharp, fruity tang of Madeira make a sublime counterpoint to the rich, juicy sweetness of a great steak. Another tweak can be found in another perennial hero, Foie Gras. We’ve served this on a bed of warm mangoes for the last few years, but now we’ve matched it up with a slick Apple Cider Sauce whose tart-sweetness distinguishes the richness of the foie gras in ways that will make you giddy. In a new twist on the menu though, we present Baked Foie Gras with Veal Sweetbreads and Black Winter Truffles in a Puff Pastry Crust. We’re not going to say much more than that, because the name speaks for itself. For those who are unsure though, sweetbreads refer to the pancreas or thymus of the calf. They are rich and exquisitely tender, with a subtle, even creamy, flavour. This is a dish to try as soon as you possibly can. Another new appearance on the menu comes from fresh out of the sea. This time it’s Pan-fried Turbot with Caper Sauce served with Sautéed Ratte Potatoes. Turbot is an Atlantic and Mediterranean flatfish with a sweet, mild flavour that’s slightly fishier than cod or halibut. Served with the tart-brininess of a caper sauce and the unique nut-butter flavour of Ratte Potatoes, we are confident that you’ll be hooked at the first bite. There are so many more, but that will simply have to wait for another time. After all, don’t forget that sometimes anticipation is the greater part of pleasure. And we will of course keep you informed of when you can expect to see all these and more on the fresh revamped Topaz Menu.

For a Fizz that’s Fabulous, at a Fraction of the Price

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You’ve got something wonderful to celebrate and truly special occasions demand rivers of Champagne. That’s the rule isn’t it? But it’s a rule that comes with a price tag that can burst a lot of people’s budgets. But just because funds are not limitless, it doesn’t mean the fun has to be limited. Champagne is just one of France’s many sparkling wines, and there’s no reason why a party should fall flat without it. At Topaz and Khéma we offer Georges du Boeuf Crémant de Bourgogne, a dry sparkling wine from the Burgundy region of France whose lively bubbles and fresh flavours will spark up your night. It’s generally agreed that this is a wine packed with youthful vigour, and a vivacity that melts into smoothness in the mouth. Sparkling Burgundies have a history that goes back almost 200 years. Today, almost 20 million bottles of Crémant de Bourgogne are produced across 2,900 hectares, of which 200 are dedicated to creating Georges du Boeuf’s Crémant. Premium Crémant wines in the region can be produced from pinot noir, pinot blanc or pinot gris, while second category wines are made from Gamay Noir, Aligoté, Melon or Saucy. Georges du Boeuf Crémants are made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes. As a result, their sparkling wine is noted for its pale golden colour dashed with hints of pink, and the fine bubbles that gather and bead at the head of the wine. This is a perfect wine for an aperitif, but it is not at all out of place on the dining table either. Ideal with many starters, it will also make a lively partner for shellfish or river fish dishes, and is especially recommended for enjoying with smoked fish. It’s also great with chicken and other poultry. If those are prepared with fruits such as pears, then all the better. If you’d like to take it to the next stage, then a dessert with lots of fresh fruit will never go wrong. So all that’s left to do now is organise the invite list.

To Bon Appétit or not to Bon Appétit

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The gastronomic meal of the French is a customary social practice for celebrating important moments in the lives of individuals and groups, such as births, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, achievements and reunions. It is a festive meal bringing people together for an occasion to enjoy the art of good eating and drinking During its fifth session, (5.COM) held on the 19th of November 2010, the Intergovernmental Committee, for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage elected to put French Gastronomic Meals on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Inscribed in 2010 (5.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: ‘The gastronomic meal of the French is a customary social practice for celebrating important moments in the lives of individuals and groups, such as births, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, achievements and reunions. It is a festive meal bringing people together for an occasion to enjoy the art of good eating and drinking. The gastronomic meal emphasizes togetherness, the pleasure of taste, and the balance between human beings and the products of nature. Important elements include the careful selection of dishes from a constantly growing repertoire of recipes; the purchase of good, preferably local products whose flavours go well together; the pairing of food with wine; the setting of a beautiful table; and specific actions during consumption, such as smelling and tasting items at the table. The gastronomic meal should respect a fixed structure, commencing with an aperitif (drinks before the meal) and ending with liqueurs, containing in between at least four successive courses, namely a starter, fish and/or meat with vegetables, cheese and dessert. Individuals called gastronomes who possess deep knowledge of the tradition and preserve its memory watch over the living practice of the rites, thus contributing to their oral and/or written transmission, in particular to younger generations. The gastronomic meal draws circles of family and friends closer together and, more generally, strengthens social ties.’ It should be obvious to anyone that the French take their food and dining very seriously and there are a number of traditions and customs that accompany it. Various culinary travel sites list scores of rules to follow in order not to let you make a faux pax at table. The website snippetsofparis.com lists 32 dos and don’ts of French dinning etiquette yet whilst traditional French eating customs are characterized by punctuality, they are also about taking the time to enjoy one’s food and one’s family. For most of us, the most common phrase for announcing the commencement of a French meal is to hear the host offer the welcome phrase, “Bon appétit”, which is usually loosely translated to English as, ‘enjoy your meal’ but others suggest the more literal translation of, ‘good appetite’. However, according to Myaka Meier of the Beaumont Etiquette finishing school, the phrase is not only impolite, guests will quite possibly find it offensive! Founded in London, Beaumont Etiquette now has offices in New York and California and offers courses in British, Continental European and American etiquette. Apparently, according to Meier the phrase is akin to saying something along the lines of, “good digestion,” and this would be highly improper given its connected reference to bowel movement. According to a Maia de la Baume, writing for the New York Times from Paris: “In France, ‘Bon appétit’ is not proper,” quoting Marie de Tilly, right, who teaches etiquette there. “When people use it, it sounds just like an invitation for a good digestion and suggests that you are so hungry that you may jump on any food that would cross your mouth.” However, I will leave it to Frenchwoman Géraldine Lepère, and her very entertaining language website, Comme Une Française who says: “You might find, here and there, contrarian urban legends saying that “Bon appétit” is actually impolite — that it hints at bodily functions that come with eating, and would be considered rude or in bad taste… Well, it’s false! Please, keep saying Bon appétit at the beginning of a meal – it’s the signal that the meal can start, that you’re all ready to eat. You can also say it to people who are already eating. For instance, if you’re hiking in the French mountains and you come across a couple of other hikers sitting down for their picnic, you can tell them Bon appétit as a greeting, while you’re walking by. If someone tells you Bon appétit, you can answer Merci (= thank you) if they’re not eating as well (if they’re a waiter, for instance). If they are eating at the same time, you only need to wish them the same: Bon appétit”. Written by Darren Gall

France and caviar, a love story

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Sturgeon caught in 1925

France and caviar is a love story! After all, the modern international fashion of Russian caviar was launched in Paris… France has even been producing caviar for over 100 years. Anecdotal in the 20th century, this production is now part of the world references! France and wild caviar At the beginning of the 20th century, the Gironde estuary was one of the last places in Western Europe populated by the European sturgeon (Acipenser Sturio). It is commonly fished between March and May and is a great delight for fishermen in the villages. According to legend, around 1917, a Russian princess passed by Royan, hidden under an umbrella. She was scandalized to see a fisherman getting rid of the precious eggs. She gave him a recipe for caviar, which the fisherman immediately put into practice. Initiated or not by this mysterious princess, several preparers then began to collect the sturgeon eggs and to salt them to transform them into caviar. In the 1920s, under the aegis of Émile Prunier, a Paris restaurateur, Aquitaine caviar was delivered 24 to 48 hours after it was made and was enjoyed by the Parisian elite of the Roaring Twenties. Following the testimonies of the time, this French caviar is of a great gastronomic quality – probably because of its freshness. Its price is almost equal to that of Russian caviar. Caviar became more and more famous and the sturgeon gradually became an endangered species. Intensive sturgeon fishing soon depleted the natural resources. Russian and Iranian Beluga caviars have almost disappeared as well. A ban on capture in the Black and Caspian Seas was introduced in 2008 on these species (Washington Convention on endangered species). This has allowed to develop another sector, that of farming, but not just any farming… France and cultured caviar Although wild caviar from Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and Armenia made caviar’s reputation, this era is now over. A victim of over-fishing and smuggling, wild sturgeon is now protected and the sale of its caviar has been banned. France pioneered sturgeon farming and has emerged as a major producer on the world caviar market. Some 25 tonnes of caviar are produced in France every year, which is highly prized by the world’s top restaurants. The Aquitaine region, which produces almost 24 tonnes a year, is at the centre of this production. Six of the eight French caviar producers – including Sturia – are located in this region. Sturia Sturia is the flagship brand of Sturgeon – the leading French caviar producer. The company was set up near Bordeaux 20 years ago and has pioneered sturgeon farming in France. It produces around 12 tonnes of caviar a year, which is sold all over the world. Sturgeon is thus promoting French gastronomy’s international influence. The Sturia caviar range offers a wide variety of sensations and the fresh, natural flavour of a remarkable product. A tin of caviar on a bed of ice is all you need – Sturia caviar can be eaten on its own. You’ll love caviar’s roll-in-the-mouth eggs when you taste it in small spoonfuls. Used in cuisine, caviar really enhances your dishes with the subtle iodine hints that have made its name with the greatest chefs. Sturia has developed a whole range of caviar, from Jasmine, which is softer and less salty in the mouth, to Classic with a soft texture, to Primeur Vintage, roundness and firmness of the grains, and Origin, a powerful caviar. Last week in Phnom Penh, Laurent Duleau, CEO of the Sturgeon company since 2011, knows what he is talking about when he mentions caviar… Having imported Sturia exclusively for Topaz Restaurant for the past 12 years, Thalias Hospitality has strongly established the notoriety of Sturia in Cambodia, and welcomes the distribution at present by our partner Indoguna.

The Secrets of the Tomahawk Steak

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If you like bone-in steaks such as T-bone or Porterhouse, you’ll love the “Tomahawk Steak”. But what makes the tomahawk steak the giant of all steaks? Let’s cut into this epic beef dish, and uncover some of the mysteries behind the tomahawk steak. All about the Bone Although the named after the ax-like weapon because of it’s shape, the tomahawk steak is technically a regular ribeye steak that still has the bone. The long rib bone attached is what makes the handle of the Tomahawk steak. It is marbled, moist, and has an intense flavor thanks to its intact rib bone. The bone in a Tomahawk steak is a great source of flavor and helps tempers the meat while cooking, allowing it to cook slower, and trims the danger of drying out the meat. The bone in a tomahawk steak can also provides a richer and deeper flavor with the added bonus of the juices from the bone marrow during cooking. A Steak of Many Names The legend of the tomahawk steak can be traced to the cowboys of Texas who often added Mexican spices to their meals. The flayed rib bone gives this steak the appearance of a hatchet or an Indigenous American tomahawk, which is where the name originates from. “Tomahawk” is just one of the steak’s many nicknames. Also known as a similar version like “cowboy steak,” a “côte de boeuf,” or a “Delmonico steak,” tomahawk is often seen as more hefty portion, but still has the buttery soft texture of a ribeye with the butter flavoring of bone marrow. Size Another distinguishing factor between a regular ribeye and a Tomahawk steak is size. Tomahawk steaks are generally at least 5 centermeters thick, measure 20 to 30 centermeters in length(with bone), and can weigh over a kilo. The thickness of the tomahawk cut often depends on the thickness of the bone, but it is so big that it can usually feed at least two people. French Cut The signature bone look that makes the handle of the tomahawk is created using a technique called frenching. The neat and tidy look is accomplished through a classic food preparation technique known as “frenching.” Frenching is a culinary cleaning technique where all fat, meat, or other tissue is scraped and removed from the naked bone, but leaves a good portion of meat. This technique also allows you to pick up a Tomahawk steak easily if you want to bit into the juicy steak like a cave man. According to legend, cowboys used to eat their steak while holding the bone like a handle. The Tender Bits Tomahawk steaks are cut from the the longissimus dorsi muscles which are rarely used which are located outside of the cow’s ribcage. This marvelous tender, highly marbleized cut of beef is from the back muscle, which is also the main muscle on the T-bone and Porterhouse. This muscle group is located along the posterior area of a cow, following along the rib cage of a cow’s upper back. The muscles that are used to make tomahawk steaks lie underneath the ribs and are barely used. This creates a marbling of fat and its rich flavorful taste. The Golden Cut Tomahawk steaks are usually the most expensive cuts of steak on the menu. An entire Tomahawk steak can end up costing several hundred dollars in some places, even fetching up to $1,000 for one encased in a rhinestone briefcase. If you are searching of one in Cambodia, you are in luck! The restaurant Topaz, which just made it to the top 100 restaurants in Asia list, has a Tajima Tomahawk steak that can be a meal for 4 people. The Tajima Wagyu has the beautiful marbling and the juicy flavors that will melt in your mouth. Served with grilled vegetables and a selection of sauces, you don’t want to miss out! Written by: Sotheavy Nou

Truffle Hog

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“Whosoever says truffle, utters a grand word, which awakens erotic and gastronomic ideas” Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), preface to ‘The Physiology of Taste’ (1825) Truffles, those incredible little culinary luxuries that almost defy description, one should never pass up an opportunity to smell, taste and commune with the plump little balls of ectomycorrhizal fungi found in the rhizosphere of oak and hazelnut trees. The merest sliver of a shaving of the hypogeous sporocarp, (fruiting body) of the truffle can transform even the blandest dish into something, exceptional, complex and completely irresistible. It is almost as if truffles are infused by magical properties and indeed, Ancient Europeans believed that truffles were created by the gods when lightning struck the ground. The Roman philosopher Cicero, (106 BC – 43 BC) called them children of the earth and the Greek essayist Plutarch (AD46-AD120) wrote “Since, during storms, flames leap from the humid vapors and dark clouds emit deafening noises, is it surprising the lightning, when it strikes the ground, gives rise to truffles…” In ‘Close to Colette’ (1955) the author Maurice Goudeket suggested “Truffles – anyone who does not declare himself ready to leave Paradise or Hell for such a treat is not worthy to be born again.” Whilst his wife, French author nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, (1948) Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, (1873 – 1954) is quoted herself as saying, “If I can’t have too many truffles, I’ll do without truffles.” The two godfathers of French fine dining criticism are Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, (1755-1826) and Alexandre-(Balthazard)-Laurent Grimod de La Reynière, (1758-1837). Brillat-Savarin’s most famous work, ‘Physiologie du goût (The Physiology of Taste), was published in December 1825, just two months before his death and it has never been out of print since. An interesting and complex character he studied law, chemistry and medicine in Dijon, there was a price on his head during the French Revolution and he fled to Switzerland before moving to Holland and then the brand-new country called the United States of America. In the U.S. he earned a living giving violin lesson and was for a time ‘first violin’ for the Park Theatre in New York. He returned to France in 1797 and served for the remainder of his life as a judge for the Court de Cassation, one of France’s ‘Courts of Last Resort’. Brillat-Savin called truffles the ‘diamonds of the kitchen’ and he wrote a great many words on truffles, including: “Whoever says truffle, pronounces a great word, which awakens erotic and gourmand ideas both in the sex dressed in petticoats and in the bearded portion of humanity. This honorable duplication results from the fact that the tubercle is not only delicious to the taste, but that it excites a power the exercise of which is accompanied by the most delicious pleasures. The origin of the truffle is unknown; they are found, but none know how they vegetate. The most learned men have sought to ascertain the secret, and fancied they discovered the seed. Their promises, however, were vain, and no planting was ever followed by a harvest. This perhaps is all right, for as one of the great values of truffles is their dearness, perhaps they would be less highly esteemed if they were cheaper. The Romans were well acquainted with the truffle, but I do not think they were acquainted with the French variety. Those which were their delight were obtained from Greece and Africa, and especially from Libya. The substance was pale, tinged with rose, and the Libyan truffles were sought for as being far the most delicate and highly perfumed. From the Romans to our own time, there was a long interregnum, and the resurrection of truffles is an event of recent occurrence. I have read many old books, in which there is no allusion to them. The generation for which I write may almost be said to witness its resurrection. About 1780 truffles were very rare in Paris, and they were to be had only in small quantities at the Hotel des Americans, and at the Hotel de Province. A dindon truffee was a luxury only seen at the tables of great nobles and of kept women. We owe their abundance to dealers in comestibles, the number of whom has greatly increased, and who, seeing that their merchandise was popular, had it sought for throughout the kingdom. Sending for it by either the mail or by couriers, they made its search more general. As truffles cannot be planted, careful search alone can obtain it. At the time I, (Brillat-Savin) write (1825), the glory of the truffle is at its apogee. Let no one ever confess that he dined where truffles were not. However good any entree may be, it seems bad unless enriched by truffles. Who has not felt his mouth water when any allusion was made to truffles a la provincale? A sauté of truffles is a dish the honors of which the mistress of the house reserves to herself; in fine, the truffle is the diamond of the kitchen. I sought the reason of this preference; it seemed to me that many other substances had an equal right to the honor, and I became satisfied that the cause was that the truffle was supposed to excite the genesiac sense. This I am sure is the chief quality of its perfection, and the predilection and preference evinced for it, so powerful is our servitude to this tyrannical and capricious sense. This discovery led me to seek to ascertain if the effect were real or imaginary…. I made ulterior researches, collected my ideas, and consulted the men who were most likely to know, with all of whom I was intimate. I united them into a tribunal, a senate, a sanhedrim, an areopagus, and we gave the following decision to be commented upon by the litterateures of the twenty-eighth century. The truffle is a positive aphrodisiac, and under certain circumstances makes women kinder, and men more amiable. In Piedmont white truffles are … Read more

Gastronomy & “50 Best” list: What are the best restaurants and chefs in Asia?

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The suspense is over for the culinary competition – Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants – to determine the top 50 best dining establishments located in Asia. Hopefuls and Winners Although the official name of the competition is “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants”, the list was expanded last year from 51 to 100 places to reflect a greater diversity of tastes and regions. The publication of the shortlist naturally generated a wave of enthusiasm and high hopes among the candidates, all of whom were probably dreaming of making it into the top 10, or even of achieving the ultimate accolade of reaching the podium. The winners of this tenth edition were revealed last Tuesday and celebrated with a series of live events in Bangkok, Macau and Tokyo. The suspense was intense during the ceremony when the countdown reached the top five. The Chairman (China), last year’s No. 1, took fifth place; Le Du in Bangkok came in at No. 4, giving Chef Ton two spots in the top 10, an absolutely unique achievement. Florilege restaurant in Tokyo took the third place. Finally, Sorn, the best restaurant in Thailand, came in second. Then came the announcement of the coveted first place and it was Den (Tokyo) – already ranked as the best restaurant in Japan since 2018, coming in second or third overall in the previous four editions. Award-winning chef Zaiyu Hasegawa began cooking at the age of 18 in the kitchen of a ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant) in the Kagurazaka district of Tokyo. Eleven years later, he opened Den. According to the chef, who is visibly moved, but not really surprised to be in the top 10, his success can be explained by an ongoing curiosity: “Rather than sticking to the elegant but often impersonal traditions of high-end kaiseki cuisine, I offer a deeply personal version of Japanese cuisine drawing on a variety of influences, whether from home or gleaned from travels abroad, but always using prime ingredients from the ocean, pastures and forest,” he explains on the Den website. Concept Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants was created in 2013 by the Academy of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, an influential group reuniting more than 300 food critics in Asia, each selected for their expert opinion in the industry. The competition includes six voting regions – India and Subcontinent; Southeast Asia – South; Southeast Asia – North; Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau; Mainland China and Korea; and Japan. This initiative, supported by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was launched at a time when gastronomic tourism was booming. The objective of the promoters of this initiative was “to publicize promising chefs and culinary trends and to highlight the subtlety and complexity of the various cuisines of the region – and of course, those worth discovering” “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” list is published by William Reed, which also manages “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants,” launched in 2002, and “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants,” launched in 2013. In May 2020, “50 Best” – the organization behind the lists – launched the “50 Best for Recovery” program in support of restaurants around the world that are emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic and are looking for concrete advice and support. There are also a multitude of categories in this 50 Best organization ranging from best bars to discoveries to MENA’s (Middle East & North Africa’s). In 2021, still in the spirit of supporting a struggling industry Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants – in association with S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna – has announced “Essence of Asia”, addressing a category of restaurants representing the spirit of Asian gastronomy. Reference The Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants award has become a benchmark in gastronomy. Since 2013, the list has well-positioned restaurants rated by as many as 350 chefs, professionals and food experts as the best. For William Reed, which operates in a field – review site and competition – that is more than crowded, the “50 Best” reference is a genuine compass for gourmets and lovers of fine cuisine and an exceptional opportunity for restaurateurs to significantly gain visibility and notoriety. Due to restrictions, the annual culinary gathering, usually a mix of festivities and gourmet meals, has not been held in preference since 2019. The 2020 and 2021 editions were online so not very tasty… This year, however, the organizers of 50 Best offered a novel format: they unveiled the list in a simulcast to the public and to the winners in Macau, Tokyo and Bangkok. In Cambodia Wat Damnak In 2015, Wat Damnak restaurant in Siem Reap entered this prestigious list of the 50 best restaurants in Asia at number 50. This was a first for a restaurant in the Kingdom. Chef-owner Joannès Rivière had then flown to Singapore to attend a gala evening at the Capella Resort, in the presence of several of the world’s most famous chefs. “I am honored, it is really a great success, it definitely puts Siem Reap on the international culinary map. It’s good for Siem Reap, but also for Cambodia,” said the French chef at the time, adding: “The country is really worth visiting when it comes to food. We have the products. We have the culinary culture. We have everything people could want. I just don’t think we are the best at promoting ourselves here in Cambodia, especially in Siem Reap.” On this occasion, the chef also took the opportunity to say: “I would like to see this award as a message to Cambodian chefs, it proves that it is possible to run a world-class restaurant with a menu based on local products. Young Cambodian chefs should pay attention to their grandmother’s cooking and the products around them. Back on the map In 2019, Joannès Rivière’s restaurant was again included in the “50 Best” list in the “Disovery” category, a second consecration for the talented chef who has since opened a restaurant in Phnom Penh. As a matter of fact, Joannès Rivière’s restaurant in Siem Reap was so successful that it was necessary to make reservations several weeks in advance, thus becoming one of the … Read more

Topaz makes Asia top-100 eatery list

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The pandemic has not been kind to the restaurant industry as a whole. Thousands of good eateries have been forced to close over the past couple of years, many of which would no doubt have otherwise been thriving businesses today and Cambodia has suffered its share of culinary losses during the downturn. Despite the challenges in recent years, one of Cambodia’s long-time fine dining establishments has managed to not only survive but do so with award-winning distinction having made the “Asia’s Best Restaurants” list, which was announced on March 23. Although the official name of the awards is “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants”, their rankings actually extend out to the 100 best restaurants in Asia and Phnom Penh’s own Topaz was listed at 90 – the first time any Cambodian restaurant has cracked the Asia top 100 list. Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants was launched in 2013 to celebrate gastronomy across the region and to provide local insight and culinary recommendations. There is no candidate list or online poll, rather the restaurants are nominated by a panel of more than 300 culinary experts through a structured and audited voting procedure. This year Topaz debuted on the list at 90 amongst such prestigious restaurants as The Chairman in Hong Kong, Gaggan Annam in Thailand, Odette in Singapore and Den in Tokyo. It is the first time in the celebrated list’s history that a Cambodian restaurant has been voted in. Pov Sopheak, Topaz’s executive chef who has been with the restaurant since 2002, was overjoyed at the news. “Honestly, my heart is bursting with joy. This is my second time in my over 20 year career as a chef that I’ve won an award like this. The first time was in 2011 when I placed 4th at the MLA Black Box culinary challenge in Australia. “I’m so proud of the work that my teammates and I did in order to make this list. I can’t thank them enough – each and every person who works at Topaz – because I know that this could only have happened with everyone’s efforts,” Sopheak tells The Post. Lina Hak, who joined Topaz in 2005 as a part time secretary and then became the general manager and director of operations a few years later, was also thrilled to have earned international recognition. “We are extremely honoured and I believe it’s a testament to Cambodia and what we can do. We see ourselves as ambassadors for Cambodian tourism. This award serves as a foundation for our pursuit of excellence through constant improvement,” says Hak. Hak continues, noting that the hospitality industry continues to deal with huge challenges wrought by the pandemic. The ban on dining out and the lockdown regulations impacted them greatly just like they did the entire restaurant sector and it was tough to stay positive at times with very few customers and no real idea about when it was all going to go back to normal. One thing they were not willing to compromise, Hak says – despite the added challenges – was the standard of quality of their food and dining experience and she sees a lesson for others in their commitment to high standards paying off for them in the end. “What I think is very exciting is that the younger crop of Cambodian chefs and restaurateurs can look at what we have accomplished and know it is possible – with the right commitment, with the right vision, with the right people on board,” Hak says. Hak says she thinks the biggest contributing factor for Topaz to making the list is the mentality and drive for excellence from every staff member when everyone has the same goal and puts in 110 per cent to try to achieve it and they are always trying to improve on every aspect of the dining experience. “Nothing is ever perfect. We can always do better. Even when we are riding high in the reviews and ratings, there is never settling for good enough. The belief here at Topaz is that things can always be improved upon. “Everyone who works here has the same mentality, which is to make the restaurant as good as it can possibly be. I am incredibly proud of the team for their unwavering dedication to Topaz and what we offer our guests,” the 37-year-old general manager says. Topaz first opened its doors in 1997, so making this list now in 2022 has been a nice 25th anniversary present for them and a recognition of their status as the top destination for French fine dining in the heart of Phnom Penh. Topaz aims to offer a genuine French fine-dining experience with authentic tastes and combinations of fresh ingredients sourced from the Marché Rungis in Paris or from carefully selected suppliers in France and Cambodia. However, though Topaz has a strong focus on French cuisine, Sopheak says he often adapts dishes to customers’ tastes and they do have some Asian dishes on their menu because. “We aren’t strictly just a French restaurant so much as we are really a French-Cambodian restaurant and we take pride in the work we do building up the skills of the next generation of young chefs, managers and other hospitality workers who learn how to do things the right way by working with us,” Sopheak says. Sopheak recounts how he made his own debut at Topaz at the bottom rung of the career ladder as a kitchen boy in October, 2002. He says he applied himself and gradually climbed the ladder in the restaurant’s kitchen until he was finally offered the position of chef de cuisine in 2010. “I first studied cooking with the NGO Friends International, which is known in particular for its restaurants Friends and Romdeng in Phnom Penh and Marum in Siem Reap. But then at Topaz my training was taken to the next level. Sopheak’s climb wasn’t easy because Alain Darc – the master chef who he trained under – is someone whose demands for quality … Read more

Chapter 265

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A list of the requirements to live a happy life: Freedom Self Sufficiency Friendship Thought Wine Bread & Cheese -Epicurus, (#Note: Epicurus was an avowed teetotal, the author here has substituted water with wine) Epicurus The famous Greek philosopher Epicurus reminds us that we replace emotional needs with commercial wants. “Why then, if expensive things cannot bring us remarkable joy, are we so powerfully drawn to them? Because of an error similar to that of a migraine sufferer who drills a whole in the side of their skull: because expensive objects can feel like plausible solutions to needs that we don’t fully understand. Objects mimic in a material dimension what we require in a psychological one. We need to rearrange our minds but are lured to new shelves. We buy a cashmere cardigan as a substitute for the counsel of friends. We are not solely to blame for our confusions. Our weak understanding of our needs is aggravated by what Epicurus termed the ‘idle opinions’ of those around us, which do not reflect the natural hierarchy of our needs, emphasizing luxury and riches, seldom friendship, freedom and thought. The prevalence of idle opinion is no coincidence. It is in the interests of commercial enterprises to skew the hierarchy of our needs, to promote a material vision of the good and downplay an unsaleable one. And the way we are enticed is through the sly association of superfluous objects with our own forgotten needs. It may be a ‘Jeep’ we end up buying but it was –for Epicurus- freedom we were looking for. It may be the aperitif we purchase but it was –for Epicurus- friendship we were after. It may be the new bathing salts and oils we acquire but it was –for Epicurus- thought that would have brought us calm.” Alain de Botton –The Consolations of Philosophy Commensality For most of us in the developed world, eating is no longer a question of survival it is something that has transcended mere sustenance. Food is traditional, cultural, emotional, it is part of who we are, where we come from, and how we wish to live. As the French critic, epicurean and gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, (1755-826) once said: “Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are”. What people eat can inform us about where they come from geographically, socio-economically, religiously, or even philosophically. We come together over food, and often it is the very act of sharing food itself that brings us together; eating is communal and community, we commune with family and with friends at meal time, we talk about our lives, we foment ideas, participate in society; we come to appreciate and at times celebrate the food, the wine and the company in front of us. Breaking bread, eating with someone is intimate, it is sharing that which sustains us, it is caring about the person you are with, it is a moment to be cherished and to take into your heart. We choose what we eat, how much we eat, and who we eat it with, and this, in turn, creates who we are in both a physical, (health) and a spiritual, (psychological and emotional) sense. Australia Post War Australia saw a nation rattled by the prospects of invasion, a once introspective country -now it was ready and willing to be more heuristic and open-minded. Although a federation since 1901, Australia’s non-indigenous population was almost exclusively British and for all intents and purposes the young nation considered itself to be merely no more than to be part of the ‘Empire’, an extension of the mother country. Two world wars in only 25 years and an all-conquering invader on its doorstep, one that had bombed a city on Australian soil and sent submarines into the largest harbor of its most populist city, soon changed its approach to nationhood. Immigration was seen as vital to the future defense of the country and was radically opened up for the very first time, ‘Populate or Perish’ was the political catchphrase. At the beginning of the second world war, the official Australian population stood at just seven million people and just 7.4 million six years later at the end of the war, by the end of the 1960s that figure had reached over 12.6 million, and by 1976 the population had double from post-war figures. This brought a dramatic change in the population mix, in its thinking, its culture, habits, and, along with a booming economy, a dramatic change in the national diet. Australian Culinaria was about to embark on a journey of great discovery and transformation, that began with southern European migration in the 50s and 60s, followed by Asian migration in the 70s and 80s, and evolved into a sophisticated, cosmopolitan, and wholly adventurous outlook on food by the turn of the century. Today, Australia has a population of just under 26 million people. Lunches at the Imperial In the early 1950s, a few members of the South Australian wine industry would gather regularly on a Friday for lunch. It soon became custom to bring a bottle of wine ‘masked’ in a paper bag and served ‘blind’ to get some honest feedback from one’s industry peers. Of course, this was not meant to be too rigorous an examination and for decades many recalled with great mirth the time Tom Hardy put on the same wine, masked as ‘Red Number 1’ and ‘Red Number 2’ and then listened straight-faced glee as his colleagues expended a great deal of oxygen and vocabulary pointing out the many differences in the two wines! Ray Drew was chief accountant at Hardy’s winery at the time, and one of the original members of the informal ‘lunch group’. In an ‘oral history’ interview donated to the State Library of South Australia, Drew recalled the camaraderie and conviviality of the time: “I would say that nearly everybody at Hardys—the management team—would go out and have their bottle of table wine for lunch. … Read more