Smiling Gecko Educational Campus
PERFECT TEAMWORK
It’s almost a tradition for Mariya Un Noun to cook at various fundraising dinners and a corporate event in Zurich between 22 and 30 April. But this time everything is different – and therefore particularly exciting and enjoyable.
For the first time, there are seven!!! evenings on which Mariya will enchant her guests at “epoca by Tristan Brandt”. An enormous challenge that she has gladly accepted. Secondly, and even more excitingly, for the first time she will not be travelling to Switzerland alone, but accompanied by three talented Cambodian chefs and cooks from the Farmhouse Resort.
Samnang, Vuthy and Sreymey are part of the crew at the fine-dining restaurant “Un”, which has been popular with local and international guests since it opened last year. We think so: This is really something special because it shows that our concept works. Mariya, the girl from the slums, was given a chance and today she trains young people, enabling them to take a step out of poverty.
We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the team.
KOY Semnang is Mariya’s sous chef at Un Restaurant. He is 35 years old, married and has two children who still live with Semnang’s wife in his home town of Siem Reap. Before joining us two years ago, he worked in various hotels in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Semnang is a great cook who enjoys getting better every day.
“It’s a great experience for me to showcase my skills and talents in Switzerland and represent Cambodia as a developing country.”
KEANG Vuthy has been pastry chef at the Farmhouse Resort for just over two years. Like Semnang, he came to the hotel from Siem Reap to develop his skills. He is 35 years old, married with two children. Unlike our sous chef, he lives on the Smiling Gecko campus with his whole family. Vuthy makes wonderful desserts and pastries that are served at the resort’s “Un” restaurant and à la carte restaurant. Very good.
VAT Sreymey was born in 2005 and is definitely the youngest member of our team. She works as a commis in the restaurant “Un”. Sreymey comes from one of the villages near the Smiling Gecko campus and still lives with her parents. She was discovered by Mariya at the age of 16 in a street food restaurant in the market. Mariya talked to her parents and convinced them to let Sreymey study with us. That was three years ago, and in that time the young woman has come a long way. Mariya has seen many parallels to her own story in Sreymey and is simply amazed at the talent and passion with which she absorbs everything her teacher teaches her.
We wish the whole team in Switzerland lots of fun and all the guests at the events a wonderful evening in aid of Cambodia.
