Biography - Chef Siv Pola

“ I consider life to be like the tasting of food - sometimes it is bitter, or salty, at other times it is sour and sometimes it is sweet....” Chef Siv Pola.

Pola was born to a poor family in the Cambodian village of Bahkong, just outside of Siem Rep, during the time of the communist war between the Cambodian government and the Khmer Rouge.

His passion for cuisine began with his mother’s home cooking, as he helped her prepare meals for his family, twice a day. He said “We had no other wish other than for freedom from the war and for food to eat. We grew vegetables, herbs and salad around our house to for use for our home cooking and would also sell a small amount in the market.”

Pola grew up without a proper education, and as a teenager he found a job washing dishes for a small hotel restaurant which he continued for several years. As the war finished, the first hotel school was opened in Siem Rep called "Ecole d'Hôtellerie et de Tourisme | Paul Dubrule". Desperate to attend but unable to afford the $500 per year tuition fee, Pola took a leap of faith and left Cambodia, moving to Bahrain for one year in order to look for better paid work, to save for his schooling.

Once in Bahrain he loved the lifestyle of being surrounded by people from all around the world, and began learning about different cultures, languages and foods. His initial year abroad turned into two years and Pola didn’t want to return home. He moved to the beautiful Cayman Islands, where he realised he could earn substantial money, and there he remained for three years, working long hours in order to save money to attend culinary school in Switzerland. Siv Pola graduated from the Culinary Arts Academy of Switzerland in Luzern, and then apprenticed at the two Michelin Star restaurant, Domaine de Chateauvieux, in Satigny.

Finally returning to Cambodia, Chef Pola embarked on his vision of owning a restaurant. Mie Café was born with humble beginnings, without proper cooking equipment, nor a coffee machine, or even an oven or fridge. Beginning as a simple noodle soup café for breakfasts and lunch, gradually the little noodle premise blossomed into a dining restaurant with 35 seats and nine team members to become one of Cambodia’s hidden gems.

Chef Pola says, “What I have learned in life is that whatever you do, it's all about the passion. When you have the desire to fulfill your passion, you will always find motivation and the means to achieve it. That is also my wish for the younger generations - do what you like to do, and do it not for the money.”

If you would like to spend a day with our Chef in Siem Reap, you can see here the program they have prepared for you – Contact us for information and reservation: dream@secret-retreats.com