A Taste of History

Discover the unique flavours of Cambodian cuisine as Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor launches multi-course Khmer tasting menus at 1932, its fine dining establishment

- ERIS CHOO

It’s hard not to be awed when you first lay eyes on the “Grand Dame of Angkor”, the fond moniker given to the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor.

Tucked in the heart of Siem Reap — just minutes away from Angkor Wat — the historic hotel’s opulent French colonial style harkens back to the great European resort hotels of the 1920s and 1930s, with a magnificent facade fronting 15 acres of manicured lawns, lush orchards, and verdant gardens.

Its interiors are equally charming, combining Khmer art and furnishings with art deco influences, including black and white marble floors and a timber cage elevator in the lobby. Stepping into the hotel feels like catching a glimpse of another time — when its hallways, rooms, and spaces hosted archaeologists and explorers, celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin, and dignitaries like former French President Charles de Gaulle and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Nostalgic dining It is this rich and storied heritage that the hotel’s fine dining establishment, 1932, aims to showcase through its multi-course Khmer tasting menus. Served in an elegant, timeless setting complete with chandelier-style lighting, the tasting menus are the first of their kind and are divided into decades, spanning the 1930s (The Reign of King Sisowath Norodom), the 1950s (The Grand Renaissance), the 1960s (The Golden Age), and the 1990s (The Raffles Grand Legacy).

Executive sous chef Dorn Doeurt, affectionately known as Chef DD, puts his deep expertise in both traditional and modern Khmer gastronomy to good use, creating a one-of-a-kind experience that perfectly captures the intricacies of Cambodian cuisine.