Press

Wat's Cooking in Siem Reap
"Cuisine Wat Damnak's chef, Joannès Rivière, has become famous across Cambodia for his masterful and creative take on traditional Khmer flavors."

"Joannès et sa cuisine khmère. Il y a deux ans, l’expatrié Joannès Rivière et son épouse Carole ont ouvert un restaurant à Siem Reap. Visite du marché en sa compagnie, à la découverte des différences culinaires avec l’Europe."

Romanticizing the Cambodian Kitchen with Joannès Rivière
"Rivière’s dishes are truly Cambodian — he doesn’t shy away from using ingredients that most Westerners find intimidating, such as the boldly pungent Khmer prahok — but prepared with traditional French discipline and attention to detail. The results are sublime."

Destination: Siem Reap
"Cuisine Wat Damnak is one of the best restaurants in Cambodia, and its mission is to showcase Cambodian ingredients. Riviere believes that food, like wine, is defined by terroir — the place it's grown, raised and gathered."

Food Fridays: Cuisine Wat Damnak in Siem Reap
"Be prepared to be surprised at Cuisine Wat Damnak, a contemporary Cambodian restaurant in Siem Reap that has entirely transformed native dishes seen on the streets into haute cuisine."

"Joannès Rivière...puts Cambodian cooking on the map."

The French-Cambodian Connection
"Two menus — one four course and the other five courses — demonstrate classic French technique, though the cuisine is Cambodian. Even more exciting is the balance and acidity that Rivière is achieving with so many exciting local ingredients."

"With Cuisine Wat Damnak, they have managed to spring something entirely new onto a crowded restaurant scene."