As Season 2 “The Exceptional” presented by ABC approaches the finale this 16 December 2022, EAC News sits down to get to know the 10 exceptional individuals.
Luu Meng, chef, culinary author, and hospitality entrepreneur, developed his skills in Singapore and Malaysia before returning to Cambodia to work at a string of five-star hotels. He then launched the esteemed Malis restaurant and a series of other hospitality operations.
Meng told EAC News that he was surprised to get selected. It made him feel like he was in the middle of nowhere and someone served him "a crispy vanilla ice cream". This process has been rewarding as he is able to share his experiences and stories with the other candidates and crew and learn from all of them as well.
Passion for food is in his DNA as his mother and grandmother were both chefs. To be recognized as an "exceptional" individual in the culinary industry has made him and his family very happy. He has worked professionally in this industry since 1992 and was named Asia’s top chef in 2014. He has written at least two Khmer cuisine cookbooks to help preserve the Khmer dining legacy. He is proud of his team for the work they have done together “to put Cambodian cuisine back on the world map” and share this good food with everyone to make them happy.
It is a tough industry to be in, so he would advise the younger generation to ensure that this is the career they want before going in.
He said, “Please be yourself and make sure [that] this is the right career that you love to be [a part of]. If yes, please work on that and make sure you are focused and spend time and work hard on and try to make it work well.”
He added that as long as you work hard on what you love, sooner or later, you will master it, and remember to be kind to people along the way.
If Meng is selected to receive the $20,000, he would like to create events and special dinner fundraising programs to help alleviate people living in poverty or put in education funds. He will also invite young chefs to join him in this humanitarian effort.
For more details about “The Exceptional” campaign, you can visit:
ABC’s website: https://abcbeerkh.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ABC.ExtraStoutCambodia
Instagram: @abcbeer.cambodia
YouTube: ABC Beer Cambodia
