Culinary Haven in Siem Reap

At the end of December 2024, I dined twice at the restaurant «Haven» (which means «Haven» in English) with two Swiss friends, including on Christmas. The garden restaurant is located in a poorly lit side street called Chocolate Road, yet it is well-frequented, as the dining experience is excellent: According to Tripadvisor, it ranks number 19 out of 1067 establishments in Siem Reap.

At «Haven», chef Pardet and his team prepare top-notch Khmer cuisine and Western specialties. For homesick Swiss, they offer Cordon Bleu, (vegetarian) Züri Geschnetzeltes, and Rüeblitorte (which, translated into standard German, is a cake made with carrots, known in Swiss German as «Rüebli»). Naturally, the most famous national Khmer dishes are also on the menu: Lok Lak (marinated, fried strips of beef on lettuce leaves, tomatoes, cucumbers, and rice, topped with a fried egg) and Amok (a curry dish made with coconut milk).

The «Haven» menu is, according to the website, tailored «to meet the training requirements of our apprentices and the preferences of our guests». Indeed, the restaurant, with its subtly lit garden, is also an educational project by the Swiss couple Sara and Paul Wallimann.

A Safe Haven

Sara, 49, is from Wil in the canton of St. Gallen, and Paul, 57, is from Schübelbach in the canton of Schwyz. «During a world trip that was supposed to last as long as the money allowed, we noticed how many children in Cambodia grow up in orphanages,» Sara recounts. «When they reach adulthood, they fall out of these programs without training and without prospects, risking ending up on the streets.» That was, in 2008, the moment when the two realized that they would stay in Cambodia instead of returning to Switzerland.

Neither had ever worked in the hospitality industry. Paul is a trained baker-pastry chef and later studied to become a food engineer; Sara has a banking background and was an event and marketing manager. «At first, it was clear to us that we wanted to teach young people professional skills,» Paul says. After many discussions, it became apparent that a training model based on Switzerland's dual system would be sensible, especially in the hospitality sector, as tourism has a future in Siem Reap.

Thus, Sara and Paul Wallimann, who have since mastered the Khmer language, developed a concept for a training restaurant, which they opened in 2011. «At the beginning, the concept met with misunderstanding,» explains Sara. «Today, social workers and organizations approach us with suggestions» – with so many proposals that Sara faces the challenging task of selecting those who seem the most suitable with the help of forms and after personal interviews with the applicants.

Each year, 16 young adults aged between 18 and 19 undergo the 16-month training program, twelve in the kitchen and four in the front of house. «Haven» has become a success story. Currently, there are 21 permanent staff here, along with the 16 trainees. The apprentices from the previous cohort were still engaged in a four-month internship during our visit. Since 2011, about 150 young people have successfully completed the «Haven» training, and all have found employment in hospitality and hotels.