AsiaLIFE

In the dining industry, the award of a Michelin star is the most coveted mark of prestige. Nicky McGavin meets Siem Reap’s chefs with Michelin-rated backgrounds. Photo by James Grant.

Once upon a time I was a waitress at a restaurant that had ambitions. When the chef got wind that a Michelin judge was coming, the place exploded into a mad flurry of flour and feather dusters as he coaxed oysters, leeks and more into towering, magical creations and dust was chased out the door with a fury. Alas, while the judge was ensconced in the dining room with her every desire attended to, someone decided to let in the cat, who promptly wandered in and sat at her feet. The poor chef nearly shot himself. Michelin is serious.

In dusty Siem Reap, though a foodie is certainly spoiled for choice, it’s easy to imagine that we’re far removed from such lofty heights as Michelin-starred cuisine. It’s not as remote as you’d think. Siem Reap may not have any starred restaurants yet, but the city does have some chefs who’ve been part of starwinning teams in the past. We get the skills and the passion, but without the prices.

The latest to arrive is Mikael Wenger, executive chef at the Angkor Village Resort and Hotel. The 34-year-old did much of his training at two establishments in Alsace, both of which are three-starred. With such an illustrious start, Wenger was sure to go on to great things. Indeed, his career has taken him on a gastronomic tour of the world. Serving as chef in French Embassies all over Africa, his last stint before arriving in Cambodia was at another Michelin-starred establishment, Le Cap at the glamourous Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat between Monaco
and Nice.

A four-course dinner at Angkor Village’s Le Jardin restaurant costs US$35 per person and features dishes such as grilled swordfish in orange romesco sauce, gambas tempura with Moroccan-style vegetables, and a lamb shank tagine with red berries sauce. He intends to add a Lebanese-style burger, featuring kafta and flat bread.

Wenger is proud of the international influences, including African, Lebanese, French and Asian, expressed in his food. One customer at the Angkor Village recently remarked, “The restaurant here is like travelling the world.”

Another French chef, Nicolas Rouleau, also apprenticed at a Michelin-starred spot, Le Vieux Logis in the Perigord, one of the most beautiful parts of France. Since then he has worked in London, the West Indies and French Polynesia. He has been executive chef at Le Meridien in Siem Reap for the last five years.

He describes the food at Le Meridien as simple and well done, designed to appeal to a broad range of palates. He is especially proud of the Italian restaurant L’Angelo where guests can enjoy a sumptuous three-course meal for US$20, including dishes such as chicken breast stuffed with spinach, duck liver and sun-dried tomatoes, and a lemon risotto with poached squid, carrot and saffron reduction.

The American is Bryan Gardner, the 30-year-old executive chef at the Hotel de la Paix who is responsible for four restaurants. Michelin only recently conquered American shores, and Bryan has already worked at two winning establishments, which he did at the same time. “I’m glad I have that experience now,” he says. “But I had no life at all.”

At Meadowood Restaurant in the Napa Valley, Gardner was part of the team that won two stars after their first year of operations. Yet one feels that it was at Terra, a French/Japanese fusion restaurant that he gained most of his influences. On the menu at Meric, within Hotel de la Paix, Gardner creates dishes such as the Mekong langoustine risotto, with a coconut and lemongrass bisque, asparagus and seared scallops.

All three chefs felt that one of the best things about working in such accomplished restaurants was the sense of learning something every day. They all note what a pleasure it is to now work in Cambodia, with teams who are a little less “volatile” than their counterparts elsewhere. “I have a unique relationship with the team here,” says Wenger. “Coming to work every morning is a pleasure.”

Michelin has become the leading standard setter in the territories in which it grades restaurants. Using understated language, a three-starred restaurant is described as “worth a special journey”, while two stars indicate a restaurant that is “worth a detour”. This understatement is at odds with the passions that winning a Michelin star can ignite. It took an acquaintance of mine weeks to recover from the delirium of winning one of Ireland’s first Michelin stars.

Wenger, Rouleau and Gardner were equally understated about their achievements. Asked what it was like to work in such a high-level environment, they shrug charmingly like it’s no big deal.

Angkor Village Resort and Hotel, Wat Bo Road, Tel: 063 963 361
Le Méridien Angkor, Vithei Charles De Gaulle, Tel: 063 963 900
Hotel de la Paix, Sivutha Boulevard, Tel: 063 966 000