Latest news with #CaliforniaStateUniversity
The Star
3 days ago
- General
- The Star
Cambodian American chefs are finding success and raising their culture's profile. On their terms
PHILADELPHIA: Chef Phila Lorn was not necessarily aiming for "quote-unquote authentic' Cambodian food when he opened Mawn in his native Philadelphia two years ago. So when he approached some Cambodian teen patrons, he braced himself for questioning. "Someone's going to say something like, 'That's not how my mom makes her oxtail soup,'' Lorn said. "So I walk up to the table. I'm like, 'How is everything?' And the kid looks up to me and he goes, 'It doesn't even matter, dude. So glad you're here.'' It was at that moment that Lorn realised Mawn - the phonetic spelling of the Khmer word for "chicken' - was more than a noodle shop. It meant representation. In June, he will be representing his dual cultures - Cambodian and Philly - at his first James Beard Awards, as a nominee for Best Emerging Chef. In the food world, it's akin to getting nominated for the Academy Awards. Cambodian restaurants may not be as commonplace in the US as Chinese takeout or sushi spots. And Cambodian food is often lazily lumped in with the food of its South-East Asian neighbors, despite its own distinctness. But in recent years, enterprising Cambodian American chefs have come into their own, introducing traditional dishes or putting their own twist on them. Many of them were raised in families who fled the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror, which began 50 years ago and killed about 1.7 million people. Since then, the Cambodian community in the US has grown and set down roots. Through food, these chefs are putting the attention back on Cambodian heritage and culture, rather than that traumatic history. Dr. Leakhena Nou, a sociology professor at California State University, Long Beach who has studied social anxiety among post-Khmer Rouge generations, says the Cambodian diaspora is often seen by others too narrowly through the lens of victimhood. In 2022, she publicly opposed California legislation that focused only on genocide for a K-12 curriculum on Cambodian culture. "It's a part of their history so they shouldn't run away from it but at the same time they should force others to understand that that's not the only part of their heritage, their historical identity,' she said. Cambodian food has sometimes been hastily labeled as a mild mix of Thai and Vietnamese with some Chinese and Indian influence. But it has its own native spices and flavorus that have been used throughout South-East Asia. Khmer food emphasises seafood and meats, vegetables, noodles, rice and fermentation. Salty and sour are prevalent tastes, Nou says. "It's actually a very healthy diet for the most part in terms of fresh vegetables. Cambodians love to eat fresh vegetables dipped with some sauce," Nou said. Signature dishes include amok, a fish curry; lok lak, stir-fried marinated beef; and samlar koko, a soup made using seasonal produce. Nou recalls her father making it with pork bone broth, fish, fresh coconut milk, lemongrass, vegetables and even wildflowers. It was a half-century ago, on April 15, 1975, that the communist Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. For the next four years, an estimated one-quarter of the population was wiped out due to starvation, execution and illness. Refugees came in waves to the US in the 1970s and 1980s. Most took on low-level entry jobs with few language barriers, Nou said. These included manufacturing, meatpacking and agricultural labour. Many worked in Chinese restaurants and doughnut shops. The US Cambodian population has jumped 50 per cent in the last 20 years to an estimated 360,000 people, according to the Census 2023 American Community Survey. Lorn's family settled in Philadelphia in 1985. The only child born in the US, he was named after the city (but pronounced pee-LAH'). Like a lot of Asian American kids, Lorn was "the smelly kid' teased for not-American food in his lunch. But, he said, defending his lunchbox made him stronger. And he got the last laugh. "It's cool now to be 38 and have that same lunchbox (food) but on plates and we're selling it for US$50 a plate,' said Lorn, who opened Mawn with wife Rachel after they both had worked at other restaurants. Indeed, besides popular noodle soups, Mawn has plates like the US$60 steak and prohok, a 20-ounce ribeye with Cambodian chimichurri. Prohok is Cambodian fermented fish paste. Lorn's version has lime juice, kulantro, Thai eggplants and roasted mudfish. It sounds unappetising, Lorn admits, "but everyone who takes a piece of rare steak, dips and eats it is just like, 'OK, so let me know more about this food.'' May, which is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and when Cambodia conducts a Day of Remembrance, is also when Long Beach has Cambodian Restaurant Week. The city is home to the largest concentration of Cambodians outside of Cambodia. Chad Phuong, operator of Battambong BBQ pop-up, was a participant. Phuong came to Long Beach as a child after fleeing the Khmer Rouge, which murdered his father. After high school, he worked at a Texas slaughterhouse and learned about cutting meats and barbecue. In 2020, he pivoted from working in the medical field to grilling. Known as "Cambodian Cowboy," he has been profiled locally and nationally for brisket, ribs and other meats using a dry rub with Cambodian Kampot pepper, "one of the most expensive black peppers in the world." There's also sausage with fermented rice and sides like coconut corn. The pitmaster recently started mentoring younger vendors. Contributing to the community feels like building a legacy. "It just gives me a lot of courage to present my food,' Phuong said. "We don't need to talk about the past or the trauma. Yes, it happened, but we're moving on. We want something better.' More Cambodian-run establishments have flourished. In 2023, Lowell, Massachusetts, mayor Sokhary Chau, the country's first Cambodian American mayor, awarded a citation to Red Rose restaurant for being a Beard semifinalist. This year, Koffeteria bakery in Houston, Sophon restaurant in Seattle and chef Nite Yun of San Francisco's Lunette Cambodia earned semifinalist nods. Lorn, an admirer of San Francisco's Yun, says he still feels imposter syndrome. "I feel like I'm more Ray Liotta than Nite Yun,' said Lorn. "Whether we win or not, to me, honestly, I won already." Meanwhile, he is preparing to open a South-East Asian oyster bar called Sao. It's not intended to be Cambodian, just a reflection of him. "I don't want to be pigeonholed," Lorn said. "And it's not me turning from my people. It's just me keeping it real for my people.' - AP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legal Trouble Is on the Horizon for Kevin Costner Following Stunt Performer's Lawsuit
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." 1955–present A stunt performer has sued Kevin Costner over an alleged unscripted rape scene in the 2024 western Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2. Devyn LaBella, the lead stunt double for star Ella Hunt, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles court on May 27 accusing Costner, in his capacity as the movie's director, and Horizon's production companies of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. In the lawsuit, LaBella alleges the 70-year-old director improvised a rape scene 'without proper notice, consent, preparation, or appropriate safeguard measures in place.' The scene took place between actor Roger Ivens and LaBella, who was standing in for Hunt's character Juliette. According to LaBella, Costner added the unrehearsed scene at the last minute and filmed on an open set without her consent and without the presence of a mandatory intimacy coordinator. The suit further claims she faced retaliation after reporting the 'violent' incident and wasn't called back to continue her work on the film series. Costner's attorney Marty Singer denied the allegations, telling Rolling Stone that the lawsuit had 'absolutely no merit.' Singer also said the Oscar winner 'always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously.' Award-winning actor and director Kevin Costner has starred in the movies Dances With Wolves, The Untouchables, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, as well as the hit TV show Yellowstone. After studying at California State University, Costner broke into Hollywood and established a reputation as a lead actor in the critically acclaimed 1980s features The Untouchables, Bull Durham, and Field of Dreams. He then directed and starred in the 1990 epic film Dances With Wolves, which won seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. Although Costner has largely worked in film, his television roles have been memorable. He won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his performance in the 2012 History Channel miniseries Hatfields & McCoys before starring as John Dutton in the neo-Western series Yellowstone, which ended after five seasons in 2024. FULL NAME: Kevin Michael CostnerBORN: January 18, 1955BIRTHPLACE: Lynwood, CaliforniaSPOUSES: Cindy Silva (1978-1994) and Christine Baumgartner (2004-2024)CHILDREN: Annie, Lily, Joe, Liam, Cayden, Hayes, and GraceASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn Kevin Michael Costner was born on January 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California. He is the son of a power company employee, and his father's job necessitated a number of moves during Costner's youth. In his high school years, Costner struggled with insecurities because of his short stature. He hadn't yet hit his major growth spurt and has said he was between 5-foot-2 and 5-foot-4. Eventually, he did grow and now stands around 6 feet, 1 inch. Costner attended California State University in Fullerton, where he studied marketing. During college, he developed an interest in acting and decided to pursue the craft professional after graduating in 1978. Costner spent years as a struggling performer in the late 1970s. He sometimes worked as a carpenter and also had a behind-the-scenes job as a gofer for Raleigh Studios for a time. Finally, he broke onto the scene and has consistently worked since the '80s. Costner is sometimes compared to such screen legends as Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart. A selection of his most notable movies and TV shows are below. Costner landed a role as a suicide victim in the 1983 ensemble drama The Big Chill, with Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, and others. What looked like his first big break ended in disappointment when all of his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. 'I rehearsed for a month with the whole cast and shot for about a week. I knew when I was shooting it that if anything would be cut it would be my scenes,' Costner later explained. But The Big Chill's director, Lawrence Kasdan, remembered Costner and later signed him for the 1985 western Silverado. The movie—which also starred Kline, Scott Glenn, and Danny Glover—proved to be a springboard to other opportunities in Hollywood. In 1987, Costner's career really took off with two hit films. He starred with Sean Young in the popular thriller No Way Out and played the legendary crime fighter Eliot Ness in The Untouchables, with Sean Connery and Robert De Niro. Untouchables director Brian De Palma praised Costner's work on the movie, saying that 'he can take those old western lawman lines and make them real.' Continuing his winning streak, Costner starred in the baseball romantic comedy Bull Durham (1988), with Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. With 1989's Field of Dreams, Costner again won over audiences with his everyman appeal. He played a farmer who creates a baseball diamond on his land on the instruction of a voice he hears. The fantastical yet heartfelt film did well both critically and commercially. Costner, now an established box office star, got the green light to work on his directorial debut, Dances with Wolves. The movie, based on the Michael Black novel of the same name, followed a Civil War soldier who befriends a tribe of Sioux Indians. The film's production was a labor of love with shooting stretching out over 18 months, five of which were spent on location in South Dakota. In addition to directing and producing, Costner also starred in the lead role of Lieutenant Dunbar. When Dances with Wolves arrived to theaters in November 1990, it was incredibly well received. The movie sold north of $184 million in tickets worldwide, making it the third highest-grossing release of the year behind Home Alone and Ghost. Critics loved it, too. The movie garnered a whopping 12 Academy Award nominations, including nods for Costner's acting and directing. On Oscars night, Costner accepted two of the film's trophies, for Best Picture and Best Director. Costner continued to enjoy box office success with the adventure tale Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and the romantic drama The Bodyguard (1992) with Whitney Houston. But Costner soon ran into a series of disappointments. While earning kudos from critics, his film with Clint Eastwood, A Perfect World (1993), failed to make much an impression on moviegoers. Then, his turn as the famous western icon in Wyatt Earp (1994) received mixed reviews and did mediocre business at the box office. Working as its star and producer, Costner faced a tremendous amount of challenges with the post-apocalyptic film Waterworld (1995). This futuristic tale of a nearly landless Earth had problems from the start. Filming largely took place on the open ocean on specially built platforms, one of which sank but was subsequently recovered. The cast and crew also battled seasickness and the elements, which sometimes delayed the production. The movie, which also starred Dennis Hopper and Jeanne Tripplehorn, opened strong with a $21 million first weekend, but it soon lost steam at the box office. It also received a tepid reception from critics. Undaunted, Costner worked on another futuristic epic, The Postman (1997). He played the title character, a man who pretends to be a letter carrier in a post-Apocalyptic America fractured by nuclear war. His charade brings hope to an isolated community. Some critics called The Postman the worst film of the year, while others noted that it was 'a misfire' and 'way too long, too pretentious and too self-indulgent.' After The Postman, Costner's star power seemed to fade somewhat. He didn't help his reputation by getting into a very public dispute with Universal over edits made to his next baseball film, For the Love of Game (1998). However, the actor showed that he still could give an impressive performance with Thirteen Days (2000), a true-life drama about the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Remaining busy into the new millennium, Costner starred in the heist film 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001) and in the 2005 romantic comedies The Upside of Anger and Rumor Has It... with Jennifer Aniston and Shirley MacLaine. Following the 2008 election comedy Swing Vote, he appeared in the 2010 drama The Company Men, with Chris Cooper, Ben Affleck, and Tommy Lee Jones. In 2012, Costner tackled a juicy role on the small screen, starring in and producing the History Channel miniseries Hatfields & McCoys as Devil Anse Hatfield, the leader of a famous feuding family. His nemesis, Randall McCoy, was played by Bill Paxton. Hatfields & McCoys earned Emmy and Globe Globe nominations as one of the best shows of the year, and Costner left both ceremonies with awards for best actor in a miniseries. A busy 2014 had Costner appearing in Man of Steel as Superman's adoptive Earth father—a role he reprised for 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice—as well as in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, 3 Days to Kill, Draft Day, and Black or White. After starring as coach Jim White in the inspirational sports drama McFarland, USA (2015), he had prominent supporting roles in Hidden Figures (2016) and Molly's Game (2017). Beginning in 2018, Costner found more success on the small screen with the Paramount series Yellowstone. The drama had the veteran actor starring as John Dutton, owner of a sprawling ranch, with a cast that included Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, and Wes Bentley as his children. For his performance, Costner won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Drama in 2023. Despite the show's success, Costner became embroiled in drama behind-the-scenes. In August 2023, he spoke out about his lengthy dispute with Paramount over finances, claiming in his divorce proceedings that the network owed him $12 million in wages. It was later reported that he was also in a feud with series creator Taylor Sheridan. 'I made Yellowstone the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong,' Costner told Deadline in May 2024. 'I don't know why they didn't stick up for me.' The turmoil led the actor to exit the show early before it abruptly ended in its fifth season in December 2024. Costner starred in Netflix's The Highwaymen (2019) as Frank Hamer, the former Texas Ranger who spearheaded the successful hunt of the infamous crime duo of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. He then went in a different direction after years of leading man roles, voicing the character of Enzo the dog in The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019). Costner's latest major production has been Horizon: An American Saga. He directs and stars in the Western epic, initially slated to encompass four films. Chapter 1 arrived in 2024 to mixed reviews and disappointing box office numbers. Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2 released just months and fared worse. The movies' poor performances have put the future films in jeopardy, though Costner has promised 'to go as far as my money takes me.' He has reportedly invested around $100 million of his own money. The third Horizon film is in production. Then, in May 2025, a stunt performer who worked on Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2 filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Costner and the film's production companies over an unscripted rape scene. In the lawsuit, Ella Hunt's stunt double Devyn LaBella accused him of improvising an unscheduled and unrehearsed rape scene without her consent and without a mandatory intimacy coordinator on set. Costner's attorney denied the allegations. In 2005, Costner turned to one of his other passions: music. He started working with a country rock band called Modern West. They released their first album, Untold Truths, in 2008, and followed with 2010's Turn It On and 2011's From Where I Stand. In 2012, the group put out Famous for Killing Each Other: Music from and Inspired By Hatfields & McCoys. Kevin Costner & Modern West has since released the tracks 'Alive in the City' (2014) and 'Love Shine' (2017). Costner has been married and divorced twice. Most recently, the actor was married to Christine Baumgartner from 2004 until February 2024. Together, they share three children: Cayden, Hayes, and Grace. Costner also has three children—Annie, Lily, and Joe—from his first marriage to Cindy Silva. Additionally, he has a son, Liam, from his relationship with socialite Bridget Rooney. In everything he does, Costner seems to be listening to his own counsel, not following any typical Hollywood playbook. 'You've got to blaze your own trail or you're just going to feed at the trough,' he once explained. 'Feeding at the trough can get you pretty fat. But I choose to go my own way.' Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! You Might Also Like Nicole Richie's Surprising Adoption Story The Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Her Mother Queen Camilla's Life in Photos
3 days ago
- General
Cambodian American chefs are finding success and raising their culture's profile. On their terms
Chef Phila Lorn was not necessarily aiming for 'quote-unquote authentic' Cambodian food when he opened Mawn in his native Philadelphia two years ago. So when he approached some Cambodian teen patrons, he braced himself for questioning. 'Someone's going to say something like, 'That's not how my mom makes her oxtail soup,'' Lorn said. "So I walk up to the table. I'm like, 'How is everything?' And the kid looks up to me and he goes, 'It doesn't even matter, dude. So glad you're here.'' It was at that moment that Lorn realized Mawn — the phonetic spelling of the Khmer word for 'chicken' — was more than a noodle shop. It meant representation. In June, he will be representing his dual cultures — Cambodian and Philly — at his first James Beard Awards, as a nominee for Best Emerging Chef. In the food world, it's akin to getting nominated for the Academy Awards. Cambodian restaurants may not be as commonplace in the U.S. as Chinese takeout or sushi spots. And Cambodian food is often lazily lumped in with the food of its Southeast Asian neighbors, despite its own distinctness. But in recent years, enterprising Cambodian American chefs have come into their own, introducing traditional dishes or putting their own twist on them. Many of them were raised in families who fled the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror, which began 50 years ago and killed about 1.7 million people. Since then, the Cambodian community in the U.S. has grown and set down roots. Through food, these chefs are putting the attention back on Cambodian heritage and culture, rather than that traumatic history. Dr. Leakhena Nou, a sociology professor at California State University, Long Beach who has studied social anxiety among post-Khmer Rouge generations, says the Cambodian diaspora is often seen by others too narrowly through the lens of victimhood. In 2022, she publicly opposed California legislation that focused only on genocide for a K-12 curriculum on Cambodian culture. 'It's a part of their history so they shouldn't run away from it but at the same time they should force others to understand that that's not the only part of their heritage, their historical identity,' she said. Cambodian food has sometimes been hastily labeled as a mild mix of Thai and Vietnamese with some Chinese and Indian influence. But, it has its own native spices and flavors that have been used throughout Southeast Asia. Khmer food emphasizes seafood and meats, vegetables, noodles, rice and fermentation. Salty and sour are prevalent tastes, Nou says. 'It's actually a very healthy diet for the most part in terms of fresh vegetables. Cambodians love to eat fresh vegetables dipped with some sauce," Nou said. Signature dishes include amok, a fish curry; lok lak, stir-fried marinated beef; and samlar koko, a soup made using seasonal produce. Nou recalls her father making it with pork bone broth, fish, fresh coconut milk, lemongrass, vegetables and even wildflowers. It was a half-century ago, on April 15, 1975, that the communist Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. For the next four years, an estimated one-quarter of the population was wiped out due to starvation, execution and illness. Refugees came in waves to the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s. Most took on low-level entry jobs with few language barriers, Nou said. These included manufacturing, meatpacking and agricultural labor. Many worked in Chinese restaurants and doughnut shops. The U.S. Cambodian population has jumped 50% in the last 20 years to an estimated 360,000 people, according to the Census 2023 American Community Survey. Lorn's family settled in Philadelphia in 1985. The only child born in the U.S., he was named after the city (but pronounced pee-LAH'). Like a lot of Asian American kids, Lorn was 'the smelly kid' teased for not-American food in his lunch. But, he said, defending his lunchbox made him stronger. And he got the last laugh. 'It's cool now to be 38 and have that same lunchbox (food) but on plates and we're selling it for $50 a plate,' said Lorn, who opened Mawn with wife Rachel after they both had worked at other restaurants. Indeed, besides popular noodle soups, Mawn has plates like the $60 steak and prohok, a 20-ounce ribeye with Cambodian chimichurri. Prohok is Cambodian fermented fish paste. Lorn's version has lime juice, kulantro, Thai eggplants and roasted mudfish. It sounds unappetizing, Lorn admits, 'but everyone who takes a piece of rare steak, dips and eats it is just like, 'OK, so let me know more about this food.'' May, which is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and when Cambodia conducts a Day of Remembrance, is also when Long Beach has Cambodian Restaurant Week. The city is home to the largest concentration of Cambodians outside of Cambodia. Chad Phuong, operator of Battambong BBQ pop-up, was a participant. Phuong came to Long Beach as a child after fleeing the Khmer Rouge, which murdered his father. After high school, he worked at a Texas slaughterhouse and learned about cutting meats and barbecue. In 2020, he pivoted from working in the medical field to grilling. Known as 'Cambodian Cowboy," he has been profiled locally and nationally for brisket, ribs and other meats using a dry rub with Cambodian Kampot pepper, 'one of the most expensive black peppers in the world." There's also sausage with fermented rice and sides like coconut corn. The pitmaster recently started mentoring younger vendors. Contributing to the community feels like building a legacy. 'It just gives me a lot of courage to present my food,' Phuong said. 'We don't need to talk about the past or the trauma. Yes, it happened, but we're moving on. We want something better.' More Cambodian-run establishments have flourished. In 2023, Lowell, Massachusetts, mayor Sokhary Chau, the country's first Cambodian American mayor, awarded a citation to Red Rose restaurant for being a Beard semifinalist. This year, Koffeteria bakery in Houston, Sophon restaurant in Seattle and chef Nite Yun of San Francisco's Lunette Cambodia earned semifinalist nods. Lorn, an admirer of San Francisco's Yun, says he still feels imposter syndrome. 'I feel like I'm more Ray Liotta than Nite Yun,' said Lorn. 'Whether we win or not, to me, honestly, I won already." Meanwhile, he is preparing to open a Southeast Asian oyster bar called Sao. It's not intended to be Cambodian, just a reflection of him. 'I don't want to be pigeonholed," Lorn said. 'And it's not me turning from my people. It's just me keeping it real for my people.'
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cambodian American chefs are finding success and raising their culture's profile. On their terms
Chef Phila Lorn was not necessarily aiming for 'quote-unquote authentic' Cambodian food when he opened Mawn in his native Philadelphia two years ago. So when he approached some Cambodian teen patrons, he braced himself for questioning. 'Someone's going to say something like, 'That's not how my mom makes her oxtail soup,'' Lorn said. "So I walk up to the table. I'm like, 'How is everything?' And the kid looks up to me and he goes, 'It doesn't even matter, dude. So glad you're here.'' It was at that moment that Lorn realized Mawn — the phonetic spelling of the Khmer word for 'chicken' — was more than a noodle shop. It meant representation. In June, he will be representing his dual cultures — Cambodian and Philly — at his first James Beard Awards, as a nominee for Best Emerging Chef. In the food world, it's akin to getting nominated for the Academy Awards. Cambodian restaurants may not be as commonplace in the U.S. as Chinese takeout or sushi spots. And Cambodian food is often lazily lumped in with the food of its Southeast Asian neighbors, despite its own distinctness. But in recent years, enterprising Cambodian American chefs have come into their own, introducing traditional dishes or putting their own twist on them. Many of them were raised in families who fled the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror, which began 50 years ago and killed about 1.7 million people. Since then, the Cambodian community in the U.S. has grown and set down roots. Through food, these chefs are putting the attention back on Cambodian heritage and culture, rather than that traumatic history. Dr. Leakhena Nou, a sociology professor at California State University, Long Beach who has studied social anxiety among post-Khmer Rouge generations, says the Cambodian diaspora is often seen by others too narrowly through the lens of victimhood. In 2022, she publicly opposed California legislation that focused only on genocide for a K-12 curriculum on Cambodian culture. 'It's a part of their history so they shouldn't run away from it but at the same time they should force others to understand that that's not the only part of their heritage, their historical identity,' she said. What is Cambodian cuisine? Cambodian food has sometimes been hastily labeled as a mild mix of Thai and Vietnamese with some Chinese and Indian influence. But, it has its own native spices and flavors that have been used throughout Southeast Asia. Khmer food emphasizes seafood and meats, vegetables, noodles, rice and fermentation. Salty and sour are prevalent tastes, Nou says. 'It's actually a very healthy diet for the most part in terms of fresh vegetables. Cambodians love to eat fresh vegetables dipped with some sauce," Nou said. Signature dishes include amok, a fish curry; lok lak, stir-fried marinated beef; and samlar koko, a soup made using seasonal produce. Nou recalls her father making it with pork bone broth, fish, fresh coconut milk, lemongrass, vegetables and even wildflowers. Cambodian migration to the U.S. It was a half-century ago, on April 15, 1975, that the communist Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. For the next four years, an estimated one-quarter of the population was wiped out due to starvation, execution and illness. Refugees came in waves to the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s. Most took on low-level entry jobs with few language barriers, Nou said. These included manufacturing, meatpacking and agricultural labor. Many worked in Chinese restaurants and doughnut shops. The U.S. Cambodian population has jumped 50% in the last 20 years to an estimated 360,000 people, according to the Census 2023 American Community Survey. Cooking Cambodian American Lorn's family settled in Philadelphia in 1985. The only child born in the U.S., he was named after the city (but pronounced pee-LAH'). Like a lot of Asian American kids, Lorn was 'the smelly kid' teased for not-American food in his lunch. But, he said, defending his lunchbox made him stronger. And he got the last laugh. 'It's cool now to be 38 and have that same lunchbox (food) but on plates and we're selling it for $50 a plate,' said Lorn, who opened Mawn with wife Rachel after they both had worked at other restaurants. Indeed, besides popular noodle soups, Mawn has plates like the $60 steak and prohok, a 20-ounce ribeye with Cambodian chimichurri. Prohok is Cambodian fermented fish paste. Lorn's version has lime juice, kulantro, Thai eggplants and roasted mudfish. It sounds unappetizing, Lorn admits, 'but everyone who takes a piece of rare steak, dips and eats it is just like, 'OK, so let me know more about this food.'' May, which is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and when Cambodia conducts a Day of Remembrance, is also when Long Beach has Cambodian Restaurant Week. The city is home to the largest concentration of Cambodians outside of Cambodia. Chad Phuong, operator of Battambong BBQ pop-up, was a participant. Phuong came to Long Beach as a child after fleeing the Khmer Rouge, which murdered his father. After high school, he worked at a Texas slaughterhouse and learned about cutting meats and barbecue. In 2020, he pivoted from working in the medical field to grilling. Known as 'Cambodian Cowboy," he has been profiled locally and nationally for brisket, ribs and other meats using a dry rub with Cambodian Kampot pepper, 'one of the most expensive black peppers in the world." There's also sausage with fermented rice and sides like coconut corn. The pitmaster recently started mentoring younger vendors. Contributing to the community feels like building a legacy. 'It just gives me a lot of courage to present my food,' Phuong said. 'We don't need to talk about the past or the trauma. Yes, it happened, but we're moving on. We want something better.' More Cambodian-run establishments have flourished. In 2023, Lowell, Massachusetts, mayor Sokhary Chau, the country's first Cambodian American mayor, awarded a citation to Red Rose restaurant for being a Beard semifinalist. This year, Koffeteria bakery in Houston, Sophon restaurant in Seattle and chef Nite Yun of San Francisco's Lunette Cambodia earned semifinalist nods. Lorn, an admirer of San Francisco's Yun, says he still feels imposter syndrome. 'I feel like I'm more Ray Liotta than Nite Yun,' said Lorn. 'Whether we win or not, to me, honestly, I won already." Meanwhile, he is preparing to open a Southeast Asian oyster bar called Sao. It's not intended to be Cambodian, just a reflection of him. 'I don't want to be pigeonholed," Lorn said. 'And it's not me turning from my people. It's just me keeping it real for my people.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cambodian American chefs are finding success and raising their culture's profile. On their terms
Chef Phila Lorn was not necessarily aiming for 'quote-unquote authentic' Cambodian food when he opened Mawn in his native Philadelphia two years ago. So when he approached some Cambodian teen patrons, he braced himself for questioning. 'Someone's going to say something like, 'That's not how my mom makes her oxtail soup,'' Lorn said. "So I walk up to the table. I'm like, 'How is everything?' And the kid looks up to me and he goes, 'It doesn't even matter, dude. So glad you're here.'' It was at that moment that Lorn realized Mawn — the phonetic spelling of the Khmer word for 'chicken' — was more than a noodle shop. It meant representation. In June, he will be representing his dual cultures — Cambodian and Philly — at his first James Beard Awards, as a nominee for Best Emerging Chef. In the food world, it's akin to getting nominated for the Academy Awards. Cambodian restaurants may not be as commonplace in the U.S. as Chinese takeout or sushi spots. And Cambodian food is often lazily lumped in with the food of its Southeast Asian neighbors, despite its own distinctness. But in recent years, enterprising Cambodian American chefs have come into their own, introducing traditional dishes or putting their own twist on them. Many of them were raised in families who fled the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror, which began 50 years ago and killed about 1.7 million people. Since then, the Cambodian community in the U.S. has grown and set down roots. Through food, these chefs are putting the attention back on Cambodian heritage and culture, rather than that traumatic history. Dr. Leakhena Nou, a sociology professor at California State University, Long Beach who has studied social anxiety among post-Khmer Rouge generations, says the Cambodian diaspora is often seen by others too narrowly through the lens of victimhood. In 2022, she publicly opposed California legislation that focused only on genocide for a K-12 curriculum on Cambodian culture. 'It's a part of their history so they shouldn't run away from it but at the same time they should force others to understand that that's not the only part of their heritage, their historical identity,' she said. What is Cambodian cuisine? Cambodian food has sometimes been hastily labeled as a mild mix of Thai and Vietnamese with some Chinese and Indian influence. But, it has its own native spices and flavors that have been used throughout Southeast Asia. Khmer food emphasizes seafood and meats, vegetables, noodles, rice and fermentation. Salty and sour are prevalent tastes, Nou says. 'It's actually a very healthy diet for the most part in terms of fresh vegetables. Cambodians love to eat fresh vegetables dipped with some sauce," Nou said. Signature dishes include amok, a fish curry; lok lak, stir-fried marinated beef; and samlar koko, a soup made using seasonal produce. Nou recalls her father making it with pork bone broth, fish, fresh coconut milk, lemongrass, vegetables and even wildflowers. Cambodian migration to the U.S. It was a half-century ago, on April 15, 1975, that the communist Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. For the next four years, an estimated one-quarter of the population was wiped out due to starvation, execution and illness. Refugees came in waves to the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s. Most took on low-level entry jobs with few language barriers, Nou said. These included manufacturing, meatpacking and agricultural labor. Many worked in Chinese restaurants and doughnut shops. The U.S. Cambodian population has jumped 50% in the last 20 years to an estimated 360,000 people, according to the Census 2023 American Community Survey. Cooking Cambodian American Lorn's family settled in Philadelphia in 1985. The only child born in the U.S., he was named after the city (but pronounced pee-LAH'). Like a lot of Asian American kids, Lorn was 'the smelly kid' teased for not-American food in his lunch. But, he said, defending his lunchbox made him stronger. And he got the last laugh. 'It's cool now to be 38 and have that same lunchbox (food) but on plates and we're selling it for $50 a plate,' said Lorn, who opened Mawn with wife Rachel after they both had worked at other restaurants. Indeed, besides popular noodle soups, Mawn has plates like the $60 steak and prohok, a 20-ounce ribeye with Cambodian chimichurri. Prohok is Cambodian fermented fish paste. Lorn's version has lime juice, kulantro, Thai eggplants and roasted mudfish. It sounds unappetizing, Lorn admits, 'but everyone who takes a piece of rare steak, dips and eats it is just like, 'OK, so let me know more about this food.'' May, which is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and when Cambodia conducts a Day of Remembrance, is also when Long Beach has Cambodian Restaurant Week. The city is home to the largest concentration of Cambodians outside of Cambodia. Chad Phuong, operator of Battambong BBQ pop-up, was a participant. Phuong came to Long Beach as a child after fleeing the Khmer Rouge, which murdered his father. After high school, he worked at a Texas slaughterhouse and learned about cutting meats and barbecue. In 2020, he pivoted from working in the medical field to grilling. Known as 'Cambodian Cowboy," he has been profiled locally and nationally for brisket, ribs and other meats using a dry rub with Cambodian Kampot pepper, 'one of the most expensive black peppers in the world." There's also sausage with fermented rice and sides like coconut corn. The pitmaster recently started mentoring younger vendors. Contributing to the community feels like building a legacy. 'It just gives me a lot of courage to present my food,' Phuong said. 'We don't need to talk about the past or the trauma. Yes, it happened, but we're moving on. We want something better.' More Cambodian-run establishments have flourished. In 2023, Lowell, Massachusetts, mayor Sokhary Chau, the country's first Cambodian American mayor, awarded a citation to Red Rose restaurant for being a Beard semifinalist. This year, Koffeteria bakery in Houston, Sophon restaurant in Seattle and chef Nite Yun of San Francisco's Lunette Cambodia earned semifinalist nods. Lorn, an admirer of San Francisco's Yun, says he still feels imposter syndrome. 'I feel like I'm more Ray Liotta than Nite Yun,' said Lorn. 'Whether we win or not, to me, honestly, I won already." Meanwhile, he is preparing to open a Southeast Asian oyster bar called Sao. It's not intended to be Cambodian, just a reflection of him. 'I don't want to be pigeonholed," Lorn said. 'And it's not me turning from my people. It's just me keeping it real for my people.'
