The New Khmer Kitchen: Cambodian Cuisine in a Global World

The New Khmer Kitchen: Cambodian Cuisine in a Global World

Chapter One: The Kitchens of the Diaspora: The Rise of Cambodian Restaurants Abroad The story of Cambodian cuisine on the global stage is a story born from profound tragedy and incredible resilience. Prior to the 1970s, the unique flavors of the Khmer kitchen were a secret kept largely within the kingdom's borders. The catastrophic rise of the Khmer Rouge and the subsequent genocide created a vast and scattered diaspora, a generation of refugees who were forced to flee their homeland with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the memories in their hearts. In new and foreign lands, these survivors began to rebuild their lives, and one of the most powerful ways they preserved their identity and created a new sense of community was through the opening of small, family-run restaurants. These first Cambodian restaurants abroad were not just business ventures; they were acts of cultural survival, vital sanctuaries that offered a comforting and authentic taste of a nearly lost world. …