“Kuy” - Cambodia’s Gastronomic and Cultural Ambassador
Cambodia’s food and culture have largely been overshadowed by the size and popularity of her neighbors name recognition and range of eating establishments. Cambodia is a relatively small nation - about 15.5 million people. On the East it is bounded by Vietnam at 90 million people. Vietnam is a nation that nearly everyone in the U.S. remembers because of the Vietnam War or equally pervasive for Pho, the national noodle dish that can be found throughout most U.S. cities. To the West of Cambodia is Thailand which at 66 million is still more than four times larger, infinitely richer and which through creative marketing and hard work has managed to make itself the most successful tourism country in SE Asia, the most successful medical tourism country worldwide and with a popularity of its cuisine that makes it a staple in every major city.
Most Americans have heard of Vietnamese and Thai food but few recognize the complexity and the appealing flavors of Cambodian cuisine which has received influences from both but has also developed a range of dishes truly its own. One Cambodian woman in Oregon is out to change this lack of knowledge of her countries cuisine and culture and has set out to do that one great meal at a time. Her name in Kuy, pronounced “Kwee” and she operates a small restaurant near Portland, Oregon and produces and sells her Kuy’s Cambodia Sauces all over the Pacific Northwest.
Behind every great woman and every great business there also is usually a great story and such is the case with Kuy. Cambodia is an ancient and historic country that has a history and culture much longer than that in the U.S. For hundreds of years, Cambodian kings built great stone temples and palaces that are considered World Heritage Sites and wonders of the world. Kuy grew up in an educated and cultured family. Her father was a prominent politician in Cambodia and served as a government minister with responsibility for agriculture in addition to many other positions. The family owned houses in both Phnom Penh, the capital, and near the Thai-Cambodian border in the country’s rice basket where the family managed farms and other businesses. Kuy describes her family as a “country family” as her father owned and managed rice, fruit and coffee farms. In this idyllic setting before the spill over of the Vietnam War and the rise of Pol Pot, Kuy’s mother was responsible for management of the house and for overseeing the preparation of meals for the many and varied guests her father entertained in the course of his business and public duties. As a child Kuy learned the methods of cooking and preparation that are at the heart of all good Asian cooking. She learned the various styles of cuisine of neighboring countries like Thailand, Laos and Vietnam plus elements of French and other cuisines. Kuy was taught to present food with elegance and style; with flavor, freshness and presentation. She learned that food must not only taste good but also please the eye, nose and other senses.
Kuy applied herself assiduously to learning from her mother and others in the house each of these skills and making them her own. In 1975, her father saw that violence was overtaking his country. He moved the family close to the Thai border as he knew that the time might soon come when the family would need to flee. One day as Kuy returned through the forest from school on her motorbike, she saw her fathers bodyguards and soldiers in the road. She stopped and one of the officers told her “your dad says get to the border of Thailand right now, don’t go home.” Although she was frightened she obeyed. She left with nothing other than her school books and what she wore. Cambodia descended into a time of horror. Over the next five years nearly 25% of the population died from Khmer Rouge cruelty, policies, and mismanagement. Estimates of the total number of deaths resulting from Khmer Rouge policies, including disease and starvation, range from 1.7 to 2.5 million out of a 1975 population of roughly 8 million.
Kuy saw the horror close-up but she was one of the lucky ones. All of her siblings made it out of Cambodia and ultimately to the U.S. Kuy was stuck in a spartan refugee camp for sometime but ultimately she and her 10 siblings were able to all get to the U.S. and started in Tacoma, Washington before spreading out from there. Kuy married and raised three daughters. Seeing the many Cambodian orphans that had lost parents, Kuy also adopted 6 more to help give them a better life. In 1985, Kuy was living in St. Helens, Oregon (near Portland). She was working at a battery plant and wanted something more to do. She started a small restaurant with 6 tables. She cooked the lunch meal and then worked the late night shift at the plant. Over time the restaurant grew to be busy enough that when the plant closed Kuy was able to run the restaurant full time for lunches and dinner. This gave her her start and she hasn’t looked back.
My cooking process is laborious, done by hand, so the flavors are smooth. These sauces I use to cook my own meals. Selling these sauces is like sharing a meal with my customers. These sauces are part of me. It’s an invitation to dine with me.”
Today Kuy still operates the restaurant in St. Helens but she also has developed a line of sauces that are sold in Farmer’s markets, at supermarkets like New Seasons Market and Uwajiyama Asian market. I asked Kuy which sauce came fist and she laughs “Probably peanut sauce, but I cannot pick one, I never had one without the others, they are like fingers of my hand in that way. These sauces have been with me all of my life and the flavors came from Mother who learned them from her mother and ancestors. I have modified them over time for my own needs and my customers preferences but they are truly Cambodian”. I asked her what makes the sauces so irresistible? She replies, “The flavor. It’s flavor that distinguishes my sauces. If I only used sugar and vinegar I would be like other sauces. I use spices. I use fresh garlic. I use a soy bean seasoning that is not soy sauce. It’s just soy beans; true soy flavor; no bitterness and no gluten or other ingredients.
Now you have been invited. Come sample Cambodia’s dishes and Kuy’s original sauces. You will be happy you did.
Contact: Kuys Cambodian Sauces
Article by: Christopher W. Runckel, President of Runckel & Associates
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