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Luu Meng

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In this Cambodian name, the surname is Luu. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Meng.
Luu Meng
Meng in 2016
Born (1974-02-07) 7 February 1974 (age 50)
Phnom Penh, Khmer Republic
EducationChinese Tong Hoa School
Culinary career
Cooking styleCambodian cuisine
Current restaurant(s)
  • Malis, Topaz, Khéma, Yi Sang, Sevensea, Kanji, Uy Kuyteav
Award(s) won
Websiteluumeng.com

Luu Meng (Khmer: លូ ម៉េង; born on 7 February 1974) is a Chinese Cambodian chef, culinary author and hospitality entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Almond Group,[1] director of Thalias Group,[2] president of the Cambodia Tourism Federation, president of Cambodian Hotel Association, president of Cambodia Chef Federation, vice president of ASEAN Hotel Association and Cuisine Advisor of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.[3]

Biography

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Luu Meng was born in 1974[4] in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At the age of three[5] his family was forced to relocate to a U.N. operated refugee camp[5] in Thailand where Meng grew up[6] as the oldest of three.[4] His family survived the Khmer Rouge period by following Meng's grandfather's advice to stay near the water.[4][5] His grandfather had previously fled Mao Zedong's regime in China and settled in Phnom Penh with his family,[7] where he had sold clocks and watches at the Central Market. Meng's mother Diep Cheang had run a famous banh chao shop on Sothearos Boulevard and his grandmother worked as a cook in the Royal Palace kitchens[6] and operated a restaurant before the Khmer Rouge.[4]

In the early 1980s,[6] when Meng was eight years old, his family returned to Phnom Penh and purchased a house near Orussey Market. Meng attended the Chinese Tong Hoa School. In 1993 he started working at the Sofitel Cambodiana[4] as a trainee cook,[6] becoming a sous chef in 1995. At Cambodiana Meng met his future business partner Arnaud Darc who worked there as a cost controller.[6] Later Meng worked as an executive chef for the Sunway Hotel. In 2001, he worked for Sofitel in Siem Reap for a year and then returned to Siem Reap, where Meng worked with Darc's restaurant "Topaz". In 2004, together with Darc he opened "Malis", the first Cambodian fine dining restaurant in Phnom Penh. To design the restaurant's menu Meng travelled throughout Cambodia for six months and collected traditional recipes, which he presented using farm-sourced ingredients and modern cooking techniques.[8]

On 8 August 2008, after two years of construction Meng opened the flagship Almond Hotel. The following year he opened the Yi Sang Chinese Restaurant at the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone and in 2011 another Yi Sang Restaurant at Château on Phnom Penh's riverside.[4] 2012 saw the publishing of the book "Cambodia’s Top Tables" co-written by Luu Meng and Siem Reap-based British food writer and journalist Clive Graham-Ranger featuring recipes from 52 restaurants in Cambodia.[7][9] The same year Luu Meng was awarded the Order of Agricultural Merit by the French government[10] for "his creation of Cambodian nouvelle cuisine and building a bridge to other culinary cultures".[5]

In 2014, Meng received Asia's Top Chef award from the Malaysia-based business and lifestyle magazines "Top 10 of Malaysia" and "Top 10 of Asia".[11] In 2016, he published the cookbook "Cambodia Sevensea's", which Meng wrote together with culinary writer Darren Gall, with Cambodian coastal recipes from Kampot, Kep, Sihanoukville and the islands.[12]

In May 2021, Meng and other private donors partnered with Princess Norodom Arunrasmy's Muditha Foundation to provide food hampers to people in areas most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia.[13][14]

Books

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  • Darren Gall, Luu Meng (2016). Cambodia Sevensea's. Sorse Hospitality ISBN 978-9-924-90840-1
  • Clive Graham-Ranger, Luu Meng (2012). Cambodia's Top Tables. AsiaLife Media ISBN 978-9-996-37360-2

References

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  1. ^ "A message from Luu Meng, CEO of Almond Group". Almond Hospitality. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. ^ "The Team". Thalias Hospitality. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Luu Meng – Mekong Tourism Forum 2016". Mekong Tourism Forum. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Becker, Stuart Alan (18 November 2011). "Restaurant owner Luu Meng sleeps better with businesses and employees insured". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Gall, Darren (24 September 2013). "Master Meng". Vindochine. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e Sassoon, Alessandro Marazzi (19 August 2016). "MY PHNOM PENH: Luu Meng, Chef and Entrepreneur". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  7. ^ a b Hill, Peter (13 October 2013). "Culinary Cambodia". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  8. ^ Ostheimer, Simon N. (5 August 2019). "Lost Tastes: Chef Meng Luu and Malis Siem Reap Bring Cambodian Cuisine Back to Life". Remote Lands. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  9. ^ Olszewski, Peter (2 November 2012). "Man About Town: 2 Nov 2012". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  10. ^ Becker, Stuart Alan (10 July 2012). "Madam Lim, Luu Meng honoured". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  11. ^ Murray, Bannett (25 November 2014). "Luu Meng named Asia's top chef". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Luu Meng and foodie Darren Gall produce a cookbook with a twist". AsiaLIFE. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  13. ^ Haider, Syed Husain (12 May 2021). "Master Chef whips up donation drive for poor". Khmer Times. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  14. ^ Becker, Stuart Alan (17 May 2021). "Master Chef Luu and friends step up food donation drives in Red Zones". Khmer Times. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
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