We arrived at Sora before sunset. It is one of the most sought-after places in Phnom Penh to watch the sky shift colours in the evening, perched high above the city at the top of Vattanac Capital Tower. At first glance, Sora, housed within the five-star Rosewood Phnom Penh, can feel almost surreal in a capital that is still visibly rebuilding itself. Yet Phnom Penh today feels markedly different from my last visit two years ago. A new international airport has opened, foreign investments are flowing in at a faster pace, and cranes dot the suburban’s skyline. The city is clearly in motion, reshaping itself as it looks outward to the world.
Inside the bar, the atmosphere softened into something calmer. It was overcast today and the sun was behind the thick clouds and polluted air. Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers were missing the colours. From this height, the city stretched into the horizon which now ended into a fog.
Rush hour in downtown Pnhom Penh. [Photo: Kim Choong]
This was where I met Phirun Lek.
Phirun is the lead bartender at Sora and, more recently, Cambodia’s Campari Ambassador, a title that earned him the opportunity to represent the country at the global finals in Milan.
Before our conversation even began, he apologised for something that I had not realised.
It was his day off.
“I told my manager already,” he said with a small laugh. “I love to come. Actually, I always come anyway.”
For Phirun, work and the bar seem almost inseparable. He explained that on working days he must remain behind the bar throughout service, but on days off he sometimes returns simply to observe the operation or help out where needed.
“I can do whatever I want on my off day,” he said. “So I come here.”
That spells dedication, and it tells much about him.
Before arriving in Phnom Penh, we had heard news of tensions along the Thailand–Cambodia border. During our conversation, it was clear that the situation weighed on the young bartender’s mind, as it did for many Cambodians we met during our stay. Phirun mentioned his family living near the northern border, and at moments his thoughts drifted back there. Yet throughout the interview he remained composed and cheerful, shifting easily between conversation and greeting guests arriving at the bar.
The timing was also a busy one for him. Sora was preparing to launch a new cocktail menu inspired by Lego, an idea that would allow bartenders to “build and sip” cocktails while telling stories behind each drink. It was another project occupying his attention as the bar prepared for the upcoming Phnom Penh Cocktail Festival.
Garnishing his winning cockatil, Num Ansom, Phirun Lek was the first Cambodian to represent his nation to Campari Ambassador Global Final in Milan this January. [Photo: Kim Choong]
From Waiter to Bartender
Phirun’s path into bartending was not carefully planned. In fact, he never expected to work with alcohol at all.
“I studied tourism and hospitality,” he told me. “But not focusing on bar or restaurant, just the hotel industry.”
At the time, he struggled with confidence in English and chose to begin his career as a waiter in Siem Reap. “But the bartender must talk to the guests a lot,” he said. “I was shy. I’m not a talkative person.”
It was only after moving to Phnom Penh during the pandemic, when much of the tourism industry in Siem Reap had shut down, that an opportunity appeared. A former manager invited him to apply at Sora. Although he applied as a server, the manager encouraged him to step behind the bar instead. “I was so excited,” he recalled. “That was my first start.”
From there he learned quickly, first as a barback and then as a bartender. Within just a few years, his curiosity and commitment began to shape his own style behind the bar.
Today, after four years with Sora, he stands among Cambodia’s most promising bartending talents.
A Competition and a Country
Phirun’s breakthrough moment came when he entered the Campari Ambassador competition, where bartenders compete nationally before representing their country at the global finals.
The competition is regarded as one of the more demanding platforms in the cocktail world, testing creativity, storytelling and technical execution surrounding the classic, three-parts-cocktail – the Negroni.
Phirun had competed before several times, in fact. “My first competition failed,” he admitted candidly. “Nothing.”
But he persisted.
By 2025, he had won the national title, earning the chance to represent Cambodia at the global final in Italy against bartenders from eleven countries.
He did not win the final.
Yet when he spoke about the experience, the disappointment was not what lingered.
“I made a lot of friends,” he said, smiling.
That exchange of knowledge, techniques and ideas became the most valuable outcome of the trip.
“We learned a lot there,” he said. “The way people represent their country, the way they prepare.”
For a young bartender from a still-developing cocktail scene, it was a glimpse into a much larger world.
The Cocktail That Carried Cambodia
For the competition, Phirun created a drink inspired by Num Ansom, a traditional Khmer cake deeply rooted in Cambodian culture.
“It’s more than just a cake,” he explained. “It is connected with Khmer religion and tradition.”
The dessert dates back centuries and appears in celebrations and rituals, particularly during Khmer New Year.
Phirun translated those flavours into a cocktail built on a Negroni structure. Coconut fat-washed gin created richness reminiscent of the cake’s texture, while jackfruit vermouth added sweetness and tropical depth, balanced by the bitterness of Campari.
The ingredients were not chosen casually. “We tried banana first,” he said, referring to one of Cambodia’s most common fruits. “But with Campari it didn’t work so well.”
Instead, through rounds of testing with his colleagues, the team arrived at the final combination.
“It was not only me,” he insisted. “Behind the scenes many people supported me.”
Ideas, feedback, and stories came from fellow bartenders, managers and friends. “We tested together until we said, yes! This is the one!”
His humility was striking. For him, the competition was never about solo achievement.
(Left) Bar at Sora's sky deck; (Right) One of the cocktails using mochi as garnish. [Photo: Kim Choong]
A Country Still Finding Its Cocktail Voice
Phirun is realistic about where Cambodia stands in the global cocktail landscape. “Our industry is still young,” he said.
Compared with cities like Singapore or Hong Kong, Cambodia’s bar culture has had far less time to develop. Decades of political instability and economic rebuilding delayed the growth of hospitality industries that neighbouring countries had already begun to cultivate.
Yet Phirun sees that changing.
Events like the Phnom Penh Cocktail Festival organised around Rosewood’s 8th anniversary bring international bartenders to collaborate with local talent. “We want to put Cambodia on the map,” he said.
During the festival, sixteen bars, local and international, serve cocktails side by side over two nights, creating a rare exchange of ideas for the local industry. “It’s a chance for people to see each other,” he explained, “and to build connections.”
Looking Forward
As sunset deepened outside Sora, the skyline of Phnom Penh slowly turned into a grid of lights.
Phirun excused himself briefly to greet arriving guests. Even during an interview, hospitality remained instinctive.
When he returned, I asked what he hoped to achieve next. His answer was simple. “I want to try again.”
Another competition. Another chance. But more importantly, another opportunity to represent Cambodia.
You can try Phirun’s Num Ansom at Sora Bar, Rosewood Phnom Penh at Level 37, Vattanac Capital Tower, 66, Monivong Boulevard, 12021 Cambodia.
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