Meet Visoth Tarak Ouk ( Chef T) | Founder: Cambodian Restaurant Week & Founder: Chefs off the Boat

We had the good fortune of connecting with Visoth Tarak Ouk ( Chef T) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Visoth Tarak, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
In this Culinary world, it is a competitive one, staying relevant and making sure you’re as sharp or even sharper than your own knife is key. I’ll tell you many times that crossed my mind to quit. When I lost it all I almost gave up, but looking in my son’s eyes and really look deep into myself, and realizing what I lost is only the world’s exterior. I have all my knowledge, and all my skills. So basically I didn’t lose anything, I still have all the blue prints to keep going, keep pursuing, doing what I love most. And what I’m most great at. The more people wanted me to fail, the more I wanted to succeed. I love competing, I love to be the best I can be. Ill battle anybody. Anytime, anywhere. For any reason. Food is life to me. I want to be the best, but I’m not putting salt in no ones game, I rather sweeten up mine. That’s how true winning is done, and that’s what keeps me going and to never give up.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art, is the culinary ARTS, Graduating Le Cordon Bleu and LBCC culinary Arts program has gotten my skills and artistic ways beyond regular Cambodian Chefs. Taking nothing away from my people and peers. They are also a force to be reckon with. I just have the understanding and the skills to paint my art on a canvas dish. I’ve taken Cambodian dishes and have elevated to its finest, incorporating Cambodian Ingredients with western civilization technique and playing. With a fine spectacular result. Every dish painted with artistic colors of nature, flavors enhanced from my culinary knowledge and still a vision to inspire so many more.

Many years ago before Cambodian Culinary was famous. I was the pioneer behind the movement, wanting to put Cambodian culinary on the map. As I realized no one really knew what Cambodia is, not even the food, but most doesn’t even know if Cambodia. At the time I was the only Cambodian Executive Chef, there has never been anyone in the industry that held a position so high in the culinary world, of course back then everyone was amazed to see see me and greet me as it was out of the norm.

I wanted to put Cambodian culinary on the map and to unite all Cambodian culinary and restaurant as one to push forward our community and our food world wide.

In 2015 I put together a collective of Cambodian talents from Long Beach. Selected the best of the industry in Long Beach. We ended up with 10 members, which included Chef Maurice Yim, who till this day have the culinary talent beyond most, and who I think is closest to my culinary talent, then there’s Chad Phoung, the Cambodian Cowboy, with BBQ and Cambo flavors across his dishes, other members included Shawn Ros, Rithy Han, Hak Seang, Molino Tan, and Chef J.B. We called this group Chefs off the Boat. It was my first step into putting Cambodia food in the map, uniting Cambodian town best chefs as one, and to hopefully bring Cambodian culinary as one in the future.

Cambodian Restaurant Week
With my partner at the time Terri Henry thinking Cambodia food and community would be one of the biggest breakthrough and introduction to the culinary world, and my passion to unite the community through food, we started from scratch Cambodian Restaurant week. As she did not know the community or how to tap in, I took on that job, leaving her with the other half of the newly found company. As she dealt with media, publicity. And we sites, I was dealt with getting the Cambodian community to believe in me and sign up. I begged. Pleaded. Even camped out to get a yes from restaurants, despite my strong pursuit we ended up canceling our restaurant festival twice. I dare not give up, I kept pursuing, I was persistent and I kept knocking on those businesses until eventually they started to agree. We picked up steam as UNITED CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY started to help, and my partner got to spots and radio and news to get involved, we eventually had our first CAMBODIAN RESTAURANT WEEK, it spread world wide, from France, to New Zealand to UK and Across all of United States, my dream of putting Cambodia food on the map was coming true. I couldn’t be more proud. The days of begging and pleading with the restaurants was all worth it! All the years of wanting to unite all Cambodian culinary has come true. To think I was the pioneer, the dream that started it all! That alone, no one can ever take that from me!

My next step is a Michelin Star. To showcase my talent and my culture, to get a star would be the icing in my life’s work. I won’t give up. And I’ll never quit till that star is mine.

My nickname is “The Rising Phoenix” every obstacle & adversity I will encounter, I will keep rising and show my community and my people’s. There’s nothing bigger than a dream, to dream big and to rise above.

My new challenge, is to get a Michelin Star, to showcase my skills and my culture and to get recognized for it

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I was to take someone out, and showcase the culinary of my people, there would probably be a few stops,

1. Phnom Penh noodle Shack

The Tan brothers, Have turned this family business into a historic landmark and have ousted the best CAMBODIAN noodles. Hands down the best Cambo noodles. A place that has to be visited

2. Monorom Restaurant

This restaurant represents the best of the past and modern cuisine. Owner And manager Tony has taken the business to new heights

3. Udom and Sophy’s

These 2 restaurant is a representation of western civilization incorporated with our rich tradition. From music to decor to the food.

4. Battambong BBQ

Gotta do a drop at one of Chef chads pop up. Getting the best of both, BBQ and Cambo culture all in a plate

5. there’s other places worth visiting like, Cyclo noodles, Chinitos Tacos, shlap muan, crystal Thai, sweet grass…

As CAMBODIAN culinary has taken culture in the United States, my fine dine style of CAMBODIAN culinary is considered one of the best. Of course this is a necessary stop, to have a private 5 course meal with myself, the one and only Chef T, The Rising Phoenix.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First off thank you for this opportunity, and definitely I would not be here without the people that believed in me

Long Beach City College, for always being there from the initial start. My chef professors and the culinary program has made me the chef I am today. Big shout out to my culinary professors , Chef Frank. Chef Nguyen, Chef Pierre and the whole culinary staff. I appreciate all the love.

Also would like to thank 2 people in my culinary career that believed in me and trusted me to begin this culinary career. Chef Victor Hugo Lopez and Chef Anthony Overton

Then there’s certain friends that never gave up on me my Boy, Danny d-boy Khmer, Carlos Ramos, Ah Boy, Dr. Christine Su, she knows this my bus driver, Richie Sdey & his family, Hashim Tucker, who by far believed in me. Helped me. Trust me, definitely I would have gone nowhere without him in my life.

Also my son, his happiness and his smile makes it all easier to endure all of life’s adversity.

My parents, for never giving up on me, loved me and cared for me regardless of stature. Regardless of income or status. Thank you for the support Mom and Dad

Last but not least, the ever enduring haters I have. Though I do not possess this in me, apparently there’s quite a few that loves to see me fail. I thank you the most, you have given me the most fuel to go out and succeed. You have given me the most powerful strength I have, for I am like the Phoenix, I rise above, I rise beyond expectation, and I continue to rise and put Cambodia on the map. do thank you.

Website: https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/flavored-tobacco-visoth-tarak-ouk-thai-town/kroeng-memoir

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