Born in Kampong Cham, Chef Sothea Seng grew up surrounded by farmland, seasonal ingredients, and the rhythms of rural Cambodian life. Long before entering professional kitchens, he learned to cook for his family while his father worked in the fields and his mother sold goods from the front of their traditional wooden home. These early experiences continue to shape the way he cooks today — thoughtful, deeply personal, and closely connected to the land.

His culinary journey later took him from luxury hotel kitchens in Cambodia to Dubai and the Caribbean, where he refined his technical skills across a range of international cuisines. Yet despite years abroad, Sothea always felt drawn back to the flavors, ingredients, and culinary memories of home.

Returning to Cambodia in 2008, he worked as an executive chef, food and beverage manager, and consultant for several luxury hospitality projects before co-founding restaurants, boutique accommodation, and cooking experiences alongside his wife, Sonita Chao.

Lum Orng represents Chef Sothea’s most personal expression to date — a contemporary farm-to-table restaurant exploring Cambodian cuisine through seasonality, local ingredients, and the evolving identity of New Mekong Cuisine. More than simply a restaurant, Lum Orng was created as a place for culinary discovery, meaningful conversation, and creative collaboration between guests, cooks, farmers, and fellow chefs.