2025
Series Development
where the cambodian
restaurants at?
a food journey across canada
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts & the Cambodian Association of Ottawa-Valley.
hello, my name is richard dang.
num banh chok (នំបញ្ចុក) — rice noodles served with fish-based green curry and topped with fresh herbs and vegetables.
I'm currently researching for a TV series on Cambodian food in Canada, which will develop into an archive on Cambodian food in Canada. As a filmmaker and an anthropology major, I've always been interested in stories and cultures. My journey documenting stories of Cambodian stories started when I became involved with the Hearts of Freedom project — collecting personal histories of Southeast Asian refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia who arrived in Canada between 1975 and 1989. From this experience, I wanted to go beyond the dark history of Cambodians in Canada, into the rich world of food.
Growing up, I often went to Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants, yet I had never been to, or heard of, a Cambodian restaurant. After many years of questions, I was fortunate to receive support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Cambodian Association of Ottawa-Valley to explore this question. This is where "Where the Cambodian Restaurants at?" began — a dedication to researching the stories of Cambodian cuisine across Canada.
38,500
Cambodian Canadians (2021 Census)
~30
Cambodian restaurants nationwide
1:1,283
Restaurant-to-community ratio
While Chinese cuisine averages one restaurant for every 342 Chinese Canadians, and Vietnamese cuisine one for every 275, Cambodian restaurants remain far fewer — roughly one for every 1,283 Cambodian Canadians. A massive gap in representation within Canada's food landscape.
Samlor machu kroeung (សម្លរម្ជូរគ្រឿង) — sour soup made with lemongrass spice paste, tamarind, and meats, balanced with fresh herbs and vegetables.
The goal of this project is to create resources on Cambodian food in Canada as a way to amplify Cambodian culture. I have seen, within Cambodian diaspora communities, how food culture from early settlement days is harder to maintain. As elders age, access to Cambodian food is becoming less common.
I'm open to any support — connecting with Cambodian cooks and chefs, sharing family recipes, documenting restaurants that still exist or have disappeared, or anything that adds to learning about Cambodian food in Canada.
If you'd like to get involved, feel free to reach out at richard.dang743@gmail.com.
Summer 2025 Journey
In the summer of 2025, I travelled across Canada connecting with Cambodian-owned restaurants and grocery stores from coast to coast — from Quebec City to Vancouver, meeting inspiring Cambodians keeping culinary traditions alive.
I encourage you to seek out these businesses if you're in the area, or even make the trip. These places are more than restaurants or groceries — they're cultural archives, and they all welcomed me like I was at home. Supporting them means helping preserve and celebrate our Khmer identity, a dish at a time.
Sponsors
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts & the Cambodian Association of Ottawa Valley.
