Veasna Kay grew up in the rural Cambodian region of Kampong Cham.  The youngest of seven children in a family of rice farmers he was expected to work in the fields, however would sneak back into the kitchen to help his mother prepare meals for the family.

He loved to catch crabs, fetch water and pick vegetables from the family’s garden, then watch his mother transform these humble ingredients into delicious meals.  It wasn’t long before he began helping out in the kitchen and learning his mother’s secret recipes.

Upon moving to Phnom Penh in his teens, Veasna worked in many kitchens all over the city, picking up new skills and inspiration.  Naturally, he was top of his cooking class, and eventually he came to run the kitchen at Phnom Penh’s arthouse cinema The Empire; his dishes beloved by expats and tourists alike.

After 5 years of running the Empire’s kitchen, Veasna decided to take on a new challenge; to share local cuisine with tourists to Cambodia with small cooking classes, and private dining experiences.

“I wanted to give people a true Khmer dining experience, to serve the type of food we ate at home when I was a child. Also, to be able to talk to people about my country, and culture.”

Veasna, The Internet Chef

Veasna’s video recipes started out as a bit of an experiment, but are now reaching up to 100,000 people worldwide and have gained him the nickname “The Internet Chef”.  His simple, easy-to-follow recipes have gained him attention from the Phnom Penh Post, CNNgoFood and movetocambodia.com. He also now has several recipes published in the Dutch cookbook Cambodja by Frank Alberti. However, he’s most proud of his mother’s commendation: ‘You’re cleverer [at cooking] than me now.”

His recommended recipe is Aubergine with pork, however the Caramelised pork and egg is a close runner up.

If you’d like to dine with Veasna, or enjoy one of his cooking classes, contact us to make a booking.