PHNOM PENH: Popular Youtuber Uncle Roger has caused quite a stir amongst the people of Cambodia and Laos, who feel disrespected by a comment he made in a recent video disparaging their cuisine as a poor imitation of Thai food. EAC News Reporter Anthony Ellis headed to a local Phnom Penh market to find out what people had to say about the Cambodian food they’d just tried.
Locals, tourists and immigrants alike can always be found at Russian Market, known as Tuol Tom Poung in Khmer. Jara is a volunteer from Germany and has been in Cambodia for almost a year. When we caught up with her she had just filled up on local food. “It’s so delicious and the variety of food is just amazing,” she said. During her year in Cambodia, she has found the food to be not only delicious, but also accommodating to specific diets, “Even if you’re vegan you can get something. It’s very good. Very delicious.”
Southeast Asian cuisine shares many influences from ancient India, which imparted coconut-based curries, to 13th century China, which may have originated noodles and stir fry. During its peak, the Khmer Empire spread into parts of Thailand and Vietnam and brought its culinary traditions with it. According to the Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia, from the 9th to the 15th century the culinary influence of the growing Khmer Empire spread beyond the borders of modern-day Cambodia and into what is now Indonesia. Royal Khmer cooks brought much of the standards for Thailand’s Ayutthaya Kingdom who further developed the cuisine.
The traditions and those that carried their secrets were largely erased during the Khmer Rouge era when traditions were suppressed and millions murdered. Cambodia has had to rebuild from nearly nothing but has managed to keep the foundations of their cuisine intact, while also reimagining other aspects of food preparation.
Theara Ouk is a second generation café owner at a Russian Market stall. She says she has always received positive feedback from people passing through. “When they come they say that Cambodia is the best. They like the food and the people are friendly,” she said.
Sophia has also been here for about a year and while she has travelled to neighboring countries, she finds Cambodia to have the best food. “I’ve been to Vietnam and Thailand and their food was good but not as good as Cambodian food,” she said.
Jara had heard about the Uncle Roger controversy and while she is a fan, she thinks he really missed the mark on his assessment of Cambodian food. “I’ve been to Thailand, but I have to disagree with him. I’m very sorry to say that Uncle Roger missed the take,” she said. “I don’t want to get cancelled but I think he missed on this one because it’s very good. It’s better than Thai, better than Vietnamese food. It has a lot of variety and a lot of history tied to it. It’s very very good.”
Sophia suggested that rather than listening to the critiques of internet personalities, people should go out and form their own opinions. “Come to Cambodia, try for yourself,” she said.
Interviews by Anthony Ellis
