Chefs Hold a Gala Dinner to Raise Funds for Training of Students from Poor Households
The group of Cambodian chefs “Pinak Pou” and the group of international chefs “Chef Outta Water” volunteered to cook for the charity dinner held on April 26. The international group included Australian, Dutch, Irish, Polish and U.S. chefs. Photo: SPOONS
- By Zul Rorvy
- May 5, 2024 2:30 PM
SIEM REAP — Chefs from several countries took part in the annual fundraising event of the SPOONS Cambodia Organization and held the annual “Chef Get Together” gala dinner in Siem Reap city. The funds raised will enable students with limited means to take part in a hospitality training program.
The group of Cambodian chefs “Pinak Pou” and the group of international chefs “Chef Outta Water” volunteered to cook for the charity dinner held on April 26. The international group included Australian, Dutch, Irish, Polish and U.S. chefs.
SPOONS is a Cambodian organization that provides training for young people from poor and rural families in fields such as cooking, baking drink-making as well as English language, and afterwards offers them job opportunities in Siem Reap city.
As Mao Sophanny, director of SPOONS, explained on April 26, the gala dinner plays a major role in raising funds so that the organization can continue to offer this training to young people, enabling them to get a trade and be able to earn a living.
More than 80 people attended the gala dinner. The participants were mainly supporters of SPOONS such as members of non-governmental organizations, staff or representatives of hotels and restaurants, and partners who have sent their staff to be trained at SPOONS. As Sophanny said, “their participation was a contribution to our mission in the future.”
SPOONS is currently training 75 people, Sophanny said. The goal is to train 150 each year, she said.
Since 2009, SPOONS has trained more than 500 people among whom 60 percent were women. All the trainees successfully completed the course, and left with skills and job opportunities, Sophanny said
Since they completed their training, the students have been working in the hospitality industry in several parts of the country including Phnom Penh, Siem Reap province and Preah Sihanouk province, she said.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Meng Seavmey for Cambodianess.
