PRESS RELEASES
Introduced at Rosewood Phnom Penh’s signature all-day dining restaurant, Chef Nak’s new menu showcases distinctive dishes enjoyed by the royal family in the 1950s and ’60s alongside elevated classics.
September 13, 2022
Following a successful partnership in 2019 with celebrity chef Rotanak Ros, better known as “Chef Nak”, Rosewood Phnom Penh has once again teamed up with the influential Cambodian cook, food writer and activist to introduce a new Khmer menu at Brasserie Louis. Launched on July 16, the exclusive menu presents ten treasured local recipes, including three royal dishes featured in Chef Nak’s upcoming cookbook.
As a pioneering female chef and fierce advocate for Khmer cuisine, Chef Nak has dedicated her career to safeguarding traditional recipes that are at risk of disappearing. Over the last 15 years, she has traveled the country, working with families to document hundreds of recipes and sharing them with the world through her website (chefnak.com), social media, cookbooks, culinary school and restaurant.
Drawing from her experience, Chef Nak designed the new menu at Brasserie Louis to showcase Khmer cuisine’s heritage, flavors and depth. The menu’s highlights include an exclusive preview of three recipes that will appear in Chef Nak’s second cookbook, SAOY – The Forgotten Flavors of Royal Cambodian Home Cuisine (“SAOY” meaning “to eat” in the context of royalty), slated for publication in late 2022.
A fascinating collection of sophisticated meals enjoyed by Cambodia’s royal family in the 1950s and ’60s, SAOY builds on the work of the late Princess Norodom Rasmi Sobhana – the great-aunt of King Norodom Sihamoni – who adapted everyday dishes for the royal family, published her recipes in cookbooks, taught culinary arts in public schools and supported the advancement of women’s rights.
Compared with more prevalent Cambodian dishes, royal Khmer cuisine tends to be highly complex, rich and laced with aromatic spices such as cardamom, cloves, coriander, fennel seeds and star anise. At Brasserie Louis, guests can savor three delicious dishes: Soup Tea Spey Kdoab (shredded duck breast with a five-hour chicken, beef, pork and duck broth), Bay Cha (fried rice with beef or chicken, herbs, eggs and assorted vegetables) and Somlar Broheur Brohit Trey Kray (springy homemade fish balls in broth).
Chef Nak rounds out the menu with an array of refined favorites, such as Hor Mok (an iconic Khmer dish commonly known as “amok”, made with vibrant fish curry with lemongrass, red pepper and coconut cream), Phlea Sach Kor Sleuk Chaphlou (beef tenderloin with fresh kale and crispy shallots) and Lok Lak (sautéed beef with Kampot pepper sauce).
“By creating a new Khmer menu for Brasserie Louis, I hope to show the world that Cambodian culture goes beyond the obvious landmarks and heritage trail,” says Chef Nak. “Our rich food traditions are deeply rooted in our identity, and it’s my dream to see our culinary arts recognized on the world stage as a cuisine worth traveling for.”
Rosewood Phnom Penh invites guests to book a table at Brasserie Louis to experience Chef Nak’s unique recipes and immerse themselves in Cambodian culinary heritage.
