hello, my name is Richard Dang.
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. This project collected personal histories of Southeast Asian refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia who arrived in Canada between 1975 and 1989. From this experience, I wanted 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. Recently, when I spoke with friends and family about this, everyone had their own ideas about why Cambodian restaurants don’t exist, and 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 the Cambodian Restaurants at?” project began, a dedication to researching the stories of Cambodian cuisine across Canada.
num banh chok (នំបញ្ចុក) - rice noodles served with fish-based green curry and topped with fresh herbs and vegetables.
According to the 2021 Census, approximately 38,500 Canadians identify as Cambodian, compared to 275,500 Vietnamese and 1.71 million Chinese Canadians. While Chinese cuisine is the most represented ethnic food across Canada, with an estimated one restaurant for every 342 Chinese Canadians, and Vietnamese restaurants with one restaurant for every 275 Vietnamese Canadians, Cambodian restaurants remain far fewer in number. With roughly 30 Cambodian restaurants nationwide, about one for every 1,283 Cambodian Canadians. This shows there’s 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 in Canada. I have seen, within Cambodian diaspora communities, how the food culture we experienced during our early settlement days are harder to maintain. As elders age, access to Cambodian food is becoming less common. This project is timely and personal. I’m open to any support, whether it is 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.
Thank you, and if you’d like to get involved or share your insights, feel free to email me at richard.dang743@gmail.com or call/text (613) 869‑2472.
In the summer of 2025, I’ve had the opportunity to travel across Canada and connect with Cambodian-owned restaurants and grocery stores from coast to coast. From Quebec City to Vancouver, I’ve met inspiring Cambodians, each keeping our culinary traditions alive with flavours.
In Kingston, I visited The Golden Damrei, Apsara Angkor Cuisine, Phnom Penh Restaurant, and Siem Reap Restaurant. In Quebec, I stopped by Les Street Monkeys, Ketiw Comptoir Cambodgien, Kampot and Angkor Grill in the Montreal area, as well as Bati Bassac, Le Parfum d'Asie, Chez Vanna Plus, and Angkor Siem Reap in Quebec City.
Out west, I had the chance to connect with Kim’s Cambodian Restaurant and Sam’s Oriental Grocery in Brooks, Alberta, Pho Or Kuy Teav in Edmonton, Kyu Bochi in Winnipeg, and a group of restaurant owners in Vancouver: Yam Bai Chngang Khmer, Angkor Harvest, Song (by Kin Kao), and Canada’s Top Chef Chanthy Yen. I also visited the owners Blue Dragon Fine Thai & Cambodian Cuisine in Red Deer and Khmer Express in Laval.
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 food by Cambodians, cultural archives, and they all welcomed 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.
about the filmmaker
Richard Dang
Producer and Director
As a filmmaker, I’ve committed myself to authentic storytelling, especially within the Cambodian and Southeast Asian diaspora community. I use accessible tools to encourage underrepresented communities to share their stories. Passionate about documenting my heritage, I’ve worked on a project with Carleton University called Hearts of Freedom, which involved collecting interviews with over 150 Southeast Asian refugees and Canadian sponsors, as well as a documentary titled Passage of Freedom.
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