"Cambodian food can be difficult to find in America and our cuisine has so much to offer. This makes it fun and exciting to share. From our dried spices to fresh herbs and hot dishes, I am excited to introduce new flavors to American palates. I love to cook and show people how to prepare Cambodian dishes. Cooking for me is a labor of love."
- Chef Channy Chhi Laux, Founder
CHEF STORY
Chef Channy is a Cambodian-American chef and entrepreneur based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work is deeply rooted in preserving Khmer culinary traditions and honoring her mother’s legacy through food.
Before stepping into the kitchen full-time, Chef Channy spent over 30 years as an engineer. Though she transitioned from engineering, its influence remains at the core of her craft—guiding her with a mindset of precision, consistency, and thoughtful design in every dish and sauce she creates.
She is the creator of the first shelf-stable Cambodian cooking sauces to win a prestigious sofi™ Award, now sold nationwide under the Angkor Food brand. Through these products, she is helping to introduce authentic Khmer flavors into home kitchens across America—making a once lesser-known cuisine more accessible without compromising its integrity.
Today, she leads Angkor Restaurant with intention, care, and loving memories—bringing together her engineering precision and culinary heritage in every dish. Her philosophy centers on authentic Khmer cuisine made with clean ingredients and a deep respect for tradition. She is committed to sharing Cambodian food more widely and helping it take its place among the great cuisines of Southeast Asia, while making it approachable for more people to experience.
Short Hair Detention: Memoir of a Thirteen-Year-Old Girl Surviving the Cambodian Genocide
In April 1975, Channy Chhi Laux was a happy thirteen-year-old girl who was excited to start a new school year. But as news reports announced that the Khmer Rouge was getting closer to taking control of Cambodia, Channy and her family were forced to relocate to Poipet, a border town to Thailand. From that point forward, Channy lived a life dictated by fear.
Learn more about Chef Channy by purchasing her award-winning book on Amazon, or buy a signed copy in person at Angkor Chef restaurant.
