Kep & Gastronomy: Chef Chuon Sokheng, the secret? loving his job and considering cooking as an art form
- Voyageuse Passion
- Apr 4
- 2 min read
Chef Chuon Sokheng is the chef of Kep West, which has endeavoured, since the opening of the hotel and restaurant complex, to become a unique, high-end and inventive culinary destination.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Chuon Sokheng, I am 43 years old, I am a chef and I was born in Kandal province. I have eight brothers and sisters. I obtained my secondary school diploma in 1998, at Takhmao High School.
After that, I left for Phnom Penh and stayed for a while in a pagoda. My brother then advised me to learn the trade of chef because he thought it was a job with a future. Then, I grew up in an environment close to gastronomy, my father was a specialised wedding chef. Also, since I was a child, I have always loved cooking. I often helped my father, who had a modest establishment, and I dreamed of working in a beautiful, modern and well-equipped kitchen. I was already passionate about it when I helped my father prepare dishes in those huge pots.
So, after high school, what was your career path?
I studied for six months and it cost a lot of money, about 600 dollars. And my father sold some cows and some property to support me. Then, for a year, I studied English. Before joining Kep West, I worked for the Raffles and Sokha Hotels Group, as well as for Naga World. Before joining Kep West, I worked as executive chef for Cambodian Air Catering for 6 years. Today, I can congratulate myself on having nearly 20 years of culinary experience in the restaurant and hotel industry.
As I have worked for quite a variety of establishments, I have been able to learn many different cooking techniques, ranging from Khmer cuisine of course to Korean and Western cuisine.
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