France’s “Ambassador of Cheese”, Xavier Thuret, came to Phnom Penh to lead a unique dining occasion to celebrate the dynamic and distinctive flavours of cheese. Hosted at Topaz restaurant in partnership with food importer Lactalis, the six-course dinner that puts cheese into its rightful place as a headline act presented on the night of March 15. Thuret has travelled the world in pursuit of the finest cheese, from Brazil to South Korea, the United States to Kazakhstan giving training and tasting sessions that celebrate the ingredient. Thuret spent time training Topaz staff on cheese pairing techniques as well as passing on some of his creative skills and ideas for serving the deliciously dynamic product to chef Pov Spheak and his team. Photos by Hong Menea and supplied