Cambodia’s ‘Taste of Angkor’ Wins Top Global Culinary Honor, Boosting Nation’s Cultural Diplomacy

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 2, 2025) — Cambodia’s acclaimed Taste of Angkor cookbook series has captured another international prize, winning the “Best of the Best – Cambodia” title at the Gourmand Awards Best of the Best 1995–2025, held during the Saudi Feast Food Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The honor marked the 30th anniversary of the world’s most prestigious cookbook awards, with entries from about 200 countries.

Published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, The Taste of Angkor (2021) and its sequel The Taste of Angkor 2 (2025) were launched by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn as part of Cambodia’s Economic Diplomacy Strategy to showcase Khmer gastronomy on the global stage.

The series has built a strong record of recognition, including Best Asian Cookbook (2021), Best Asian Cuisine Book and Heads of State/Food (2022), Best Television Award (2023), and a Special Jury Award for the second edition in June 2025.

Both volumes highlight iconic Khmer dishes and desserts, adapted into accessible recipes using globally available ingredients, enabling international audiences to discover and recreate authentic Cambodian flavors.

The continued success of Taste of Angkor underscores the Royal Government of Cambodia’s commitment to cultural diplomacy and its long-term vision of positioning the nation as a high-income country by 2050 through the promotion of history, culture, and culinary heritage.