Luu Meng and Richard Gillet took a trip to Provence in early May to meet up with some old friends — Christian Peyre and Christian Étienne — whose names many will recognise from their trips to Phnom Penh last year to share with us some of their Provencal magic. But the main objective was to showcase Cambodian cuisine and Cambodian products during a special gala dinner at the École Hôtelière Avignon.

Meng put together a menu that highlighted some of Cambodia’s finest products, including Kampot pepper, palm sugar, Jasmine rice, and most-famed creations such as amok and prahok. Working together with students of the hotel school, 100 people turned up to enjoy a delicious five-course menu, with crab soup, sautéed scallops with Kampot pepper, fish amok, prahok ktis with prawns and a light dessert of young taro pearls with ginger and coconut cream. 

The trip was also an opportunity to meet local producers and sample their products, and we also hope that some of the students who met Meng and Richard will be inspired to one day come to Cambodia to shape their careers.