Cambodia & Gastronomy: The Kingdom needs more sommeliers for restaurants and hotels

This weekend, the salons of the Raffles Hotel Le Royal played host to the competition for Cambodia's best sommelier. A national event that began in 2013 before being interrupted due to Covid-19, and a competition that highlighted the need for more wine experts locally.

The three finalists at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal

The competition, organised by the fledgling Association des Sommeliers du Cambodge with the support of a number of sponsors, took place over two days and in three stages. The first was a written test on the sommelier's general knowledge of wine. The second was a blind tasting with a food and wine pairing. Finally, the third challenge consisted of correcting a wine list, opening a bottle and serving a glass to the judges, blind tasting several wines and spirits and delicately serving a sparkling wine.

A variety of tests to assess knowledge and technical skills

Competitors were also judged on their presentation and knowledge of service. For this 2024 edition, open to adults working in the restaurant and hotel sector, only winners of previous editions were not allowed to take part.

More than just a competition, this national competition was also an opportunity to highlight a profession that is still too little known, but which Cambodia needs for its hotel industry and its quality restaurants. This is why the Sommelier Association is relaunching the competition, as Eden Gnean, president of the association, explains:

“The Cambodia Sommelier Association was formed in February this year, so it's a fresh start. The level is very high, the exams are all very difficult, but the candidates, in my opinion, are doing very well. We had fourteen candidates for this 2024 competition and that's encouraging, even if I would have liked to welcome more participants”.

Eden Gnean with Sok Nisong, manager of the Khéma Pasteur restaurant and 2nd in the competition

With regard to the level of candidates, Ms Gnean explains:

“We don't have any certified sommeliers of Cambodian nationality in the country. But some of them have taken level 2 of the WSET Global Certifications, a very high-level wine and spirits training course that the association organised a few months ago. Some of them have an empirical knowledge thanks to their work in this sector, but above all it's a group of people who are passionate about wine”.

As to whether the Kingdom needs more sommeliers, the president asserts:

“Yes, of course we do because it's a very important job, a very humble profession, We have to make sure that the wine we recommend to customers goes well with the dish they're eating, that it fits the budget of the customers and that we're getting the right message across.”

Finally, speaking of training needs, Ms Gnean concludes:

“We don't have a specialised school in the Kingdom but, with the Association des Sommeliers du Cambodge, we are trying to set up certified courses locally and we have a very interesting programme in the next two years. We want to bring in more international wine specialists and we're very excited about that. I'm very happy because we have good partners, and all the board members are working very hard in this direction, which is to move the profession forward.”

“For the 2024 competition, we invited Mr Tommy Lam from Singapore, President of the Asia Wine Institute, which organises numerous competitions in South-East Asia and China. I think we had a good combination. Finally, I would like to thank all the participants for their efforts, commitment and courage in organising this year's competition. I think this competition is a source of inspiration for them and encourages them to continue learning”, she adds.

Fourteen participants for this 2024 edition of the competition

The same enthusiasm and views are shared by industry professionals. Jeroen Van Daalen, General Manger of Celliers d'Asie, a company that has been importing wines into the Kingdom for thirty years, explains:

“It is very important for Cambodians to develop their skills in the world of wine. As far as the level of sommeliers in Cambodia is concerned, there are ups and downs. I mean, there are people who have been working in this field for many years and who are evolving. But there are also new faces, new people and people who are interested in this profession and the activities of this type proposed by the Association of Sommeliers of Cambodia are encouraging”.

eroen Van Daalen, General Manager of Celliers d'Asie, a company that has been importing wines into the Kingdom for thirty years

“We certainly need more sommeliers, or people who know about wines and spirits. I think that this competition is a very good initiative and that the rebirth of the Cambodian Sommelier Association is the driving force that is generating interest in this type of activity and also more passion”, concluded Mr Van Daalen.

The winners

For this 2024 edition, it was a young sommelier, Morn Sreysokheang, working at the Shangri-La in Phnom Penh as Captain, who took first place, followed by Sok Nison, Director of the Khéma Pasteur restaurant, while Dy Somalen, Team Manager at the Shangri-La took third place. Two women on the podium, showing that the profession is not - contrary to some prejudices - just for men.

The three winners were handsomely rewarded by the sponsors with cash prizes and numerous gifts at the closing cocktail party, which preceded a dinner in the hotel restaurant and to which all the participants were invited.

Winners handsomely rewarded by the event's sponsors

More photographs here...