Cambodia & Catering: Laurent Casteret appointed managing director of the Professional Association for Excellence (PIE)

The Professional Institute of Excellence (PIE) in Cambodia has appointed Mr. Laurent Casteret as Chief Executive Officer, marking a significant step forward in the development of its leadership.

Laurent Casteret, Managing Director of the Professional Excellence Association (PIE)

The PIE is known for promoting education, training and experience sharing within the Cambodian hospitality sector, notably through its affiliation with the Cambodian Culinary Academy (CCA), the country's only internationally recognised hospitality and culinary school.

Mr. Casteret comes at a time when PIE is expanding its scope beyond the culinary arts to develop new training programmes in a wider range of hospitality sectors, reflecting the association's commitment to raising professional standards and addressing skills gaps in Cambodia's growing tourism and hospitality sector.

Under the leadership of figures such as Luu Meng, President of PIE, and thanks to strong partnerships, notably with the Cambodian Tourism Federation and international collaborations, PIE has played a key role in professionalising hospitality education and providing graduates with access to quality internships and jobs in prestigious hotels and restaurants, both locally and internationally.

Laurent Casteret brings with him more than two decades of management experience in the hospitality and culinary education sectors. Currently Director of The Food School in Bangkok, Mr. Casteret is known for his innovative approach to culinary education, promoting hands-on learning environments in partnership with prestigious institutions such as Dusit Thani College in Thailand, Alma Culinary School in Italy and Tsuji Culinary School in Japan.

Throughout his career, Mr. Casteret has held senior positions with major hotel groups, including Dusit International and InterContinental Hotels Group, where he managed large-scale hotel operations and food and beverage services across Southeast Asia. He has led the pre-opening and operational management of luxury hotels and integrated resorts in the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. His expertise spans hotel management, food and beverage leadership and educational leadership, positioning him well to drive transformative initiatives at PIE Cambodia.

As General Manager of PIE Cambodia, Laurent Casteret is expected to leverage his strategic leadership and innovative approach to education to raise the standards and impact of the institute by training skilled professionals for Cambodia's rapidly evolving hospitality and service sectors.