PHNOM-ENAL FOOD

Rotanak Ros (a.k.a. Chef Nak) shares her recipe for an invigorating weekend in Cambodia's capital

- MEGAN SPURRELL

BEST KNOWN IN HER HOME COUNTRY as Chef Nak, Rotanak Ros has spent over a decade traveling around Cambodia, recovering, preserving, and spotlighting traditional Khmer recipes. The richness of the region's cuisine, which she says comprises "at least a thousand dishes" from over a thousand years of history, collides in one place: her hometown of Phnom Penh (say it: "pa-nom penn"). "This is not just the hub for art or culture," says Ros. "This is the place where everyone comes for a better life and when they come from different parts of Cambodia, they bring their food." On top of hosting market tours, cooking classes, and food-focused homestays for travelers, she also curates the Khmer menu at the Rosewood Phnom Penh's Brasserie Louis. Still, she makes the most of her days off at her favorite spots to eat, drink, and relax in the cradle of Khmer cuisine. 

Central Market