Guardian of Flavors: Memo Hernandez at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

It’s a house that has seen kings, explorers, and Hollywood stars pass through. Since the 1930s, the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor has stood watch over Siem Reap like a sentinel of colonial elegance. Today, to write the next chapter in its culinary legend, the institution has chosen a citizen of the world.

Costa Rican Memo Hernandez, whose passport is a travelogue (Bahamas, Kosovo, Vietnam, Tanzania...), has set down his suitcases in the heart of the Khmer kingdom to infuse it with a cuisine that reflects him: mixed, authentic, and deeply personal

At first glance, the man could embody the archetype of the globe-trotting chef. Twenty years at the stove, a career bouncing between Maldives resorts and Dubai palaces. Yet, when Memo Hernandez talks about his cooking, the word "fusion" never crosses his lips. "My cuisine isn’t a mix of recipes," he insists, quoted in the appointment press release. "It’s a culinary autobiography. The authentic food of a world citizen who has crossed borders without ever wanting to abandon a single one of those flavors."

A philosophy that fits the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor like a glove. For here, more than in any other establishment in Southeast Asia, the table is a history book. Since its opening in 1932, designed by French architect-urbanist Ernest Hébrard, this palace served as the base camp for archaeologists from the École française d'Extrême-Orient and a haven of peace for adventurers who came to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat.

Memory on a Plate

By crossing the doors of what’s nicknamed here “The Grand Dame,” Memo Hernandez isn’t just taking the reins of a brigade. He becomes the guardian of a culinary heritage as rich as it is complex.

His jurisdiction is vast. It stretches from the Café d’Angkor, a bright brasserie open to the city, to the Conservatory, the intimate lair of the mythical Afternoon Tea. But it’s within the 1932 restaurant that the alchemy must take place. This jewel box, named in homage to the hotel’s birth year, is far more than a gastronomic table. It’s a living museum of Khmer flavors. The restaurant indeed offers a plunge into time through decade menus, recreating recipes from the royal era of the 1930s to the contemporary age.

“These menus are a window into the Cambodian soul,” the hotel’s management recently explained. A soul that the new chef must tame, while adding his personal touch. For Memo Hernandez’s bet is bold: to marry his expertise in Nikkei cuisine—this centuries-old blend of Japan and Peru, of which he is a specialist—with the royal products of the Cambodian terroir, from Kampot pepper to wild herbs gathered in the surrounding jungle.

Dinner at the Temples: A Stage for a Chef

Yet, the most spectacular challenge awaiting Chef Hernandez isn’t in the hotel’s colonial kitchens, but a few kilometers away, in the heart of the Angkor archaeological park.

As part of the “Curated Journeys” program launched in 2024, Raffles perpetuates a tradition born in 1936, when the director of the time, Alfred Messner, had the idea of illuminating the temples for his guests. Today, the “Bespoke Temple Dinner” is the ultimate experience. A private dinner, by torchlight, facing the ancestral reliefs of stone gods.

It’s here, in this millennia-old theatrical setting, that Memo Hernandez must deliver his most intimate score. The menu is inspired by 1936 archives, but his modern reinterpretation will be scrutinized by epicureans worldwide. "I am both honored and inspired at the idea of presenting my culinary creations in the sacred temples of Angkor Wat," he confides, aware of the emotional weight of such a place.

The Legacy of a Time Guardian

This dialogue between past and present is a constant at the hotel. Saravann Mouth, the establishment’s resident historian, delights in recalling that the recipes served in the 1932 restaurant were handed down by cooks from the royal family. The pages’ uniforms are still embroidered in the colors of the monarchy. In this theater of memory, the new chef isn’t a revolutionary, but a director.

Joseph Colina, the hotel’s General Manager, sees Memo Hernandez as the natural extension of this quest for authenticity. “He will play a key role in elevating our culinary offerings, delivering authentic and unforgettable experiences that honor our rich heritage while embracing global influences.”

For Memo Hernandez, the Cambodian adventure is a new page in his culinary autobiography. After taming the spices of Zanzibar and the delicacy of the Fiji islands, he’s rubbing shoulders with the millennia-old history of the Khmer Empire. In his luggage, he hasn’t brought ready-made recipes, but a palette of techniques and an openness to the world. The question remains: which color will dominate on the canvas of Angkor. One thing is certain: guests are invited on a journey where the plate doesn’t just tell what we eat, but where we come from.

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Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

1, rue Charles de Gaulle, Siem Reap, Cambodia

For reservations and bespoke experiences: +855 23 982 598 or www.raffles.com/siem-reap//