Touk is a journey through Cambodian cuisine and 'Top Chef Canada' winner Chanthy Yen's life

The stretch of Alberni between Bute and Thurlow Street has long been a hub of new and exciting food offerings. Just think back to the days of long lines stretching outside of Canada’s first Din Tai Fung, or the people flocking to try Paris Baguette for the first time when it opened. Now, another heavy-hitter has joined the stretch, and it’s also the first of its kind in the country.

Right at the tail end of 2025, Touk, the first contemporary Cambodian restaurant in Canada, opened its doors to the public, all helmed by Top Chef Canada season 11 winner Chanthy Yen.

We managed to sneak in for a peek at what Yen is cooking up here on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. While the restaurant is currently only offering dinner service (with hours expected to expand once things get settled), we were lucky enough to be invited in and chat with Yen while the restaurant prepared for a busy evening of service.

Yen and company welcomed us in with open arms, introducing us to the concept and the flavours we could expect during our dining experience.

“Touk means boat in Khmer, and the reason why we went with that name is that we want to carry people on a journey to Cambodian cuisine,” shared Yen. 

But it’s not only a journey through Cambodian cuisine that he aims to offer, but also a journey through his own story of cooking over the years.

“I’ve been privileged enough to travel all over the world and work with some really fantastic people, and just being amongst a hive mind of very creative individuals that I can call my friends today,” said Yen. “Each person has ingrained in me some sense of creativity, and some sense of inspiration from all over the world, and I carry that with me today.”

This is clearly shown through the three murals that adorn Touk’s walls, each complete with tiny figures throughout. These figures, Yen explained, are glimpses into his life, as well as the people who are important to him, such as his partner of 15 years picking fruit from a tree, to the monkeys that stole his dessert as a child (a story we recommend you ask him about if you get the chance). As time goes on and the restaurant evolves, more figures will be added to the mural.

And speaking of Yen’s life, naturally, a big part of his journey was winning season 11 of Top Chef Canada.

“Without winning that competition, I don’t think Touk would have happened,” he said.

Fans of Yen and Top Chef Canada will be pleased to hear that select dishes featured on the show have landed on the menu at Touk. Namely, the dish that secured victory for Yen, listed on the menu as Fraser Valley Tomahawk.

“Cashews are the national nut of Cambodia, and we use that as a base along with several types of chillies, star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, and fermented soybeans,” detailed Yen. “So it gives you kind of like that tangy yet earthy, super aromatic, fragrant and toasty flavours with a beautiful side of tomahawk.”

We don’t say this lightly, but the tomahawk is definitely a must-order when visiting. This dish is warm and inviting, with notes of sweetness that are absolutely addictive. Pair that with the addition of a watercress salad on top to cut through the richness, and you’re in for one heck of a good meal.

Another dish from his time on Top Chef Canada is the Borbor, a meal that brought judge and fellow Vancouverite Mijune Pak to tears.

This dish is a rice porridge filled with morsels of spot prawns, squid, and then topped with a Kampot pepper foam. There was something so impressively comforting about this dish, and despite having never tried this dish before, it evoked feelings of nostalgia for home-cooked meals shared with family. We understand how something like this could bring someone to tears.

On the beverage side of things, while the bar team was not in during our early afternoon preview, Yen did tell us about the exciting things to be found on the drink menu developed by none other than Tara Davies.

“Tara Davies is the darling of the bar scene here in Vancouver,” said Yen with a smile. “She’s just such a magician when it comes to making these flavours so elegant and having them move through your mouth, the textures, the flavours, the acidity is just so balanced.”

Yen also said that he and Davies share the same approach to sustainability, both trying not to waste too much and finding innovative ways to use what would otherwise be considered scraps.

One example he gave of this was the use of banana skins to make different syrups for drinks like the Kampot, one of Touk’s signature cocktails made with rye, Averna, banana skin, brown butter and Kampot pepper.

“She’s looking at these ingredients and seeing their potential to go further than the first day,” added Yen. 

All of this goes to say, Touk is not a copy and paste of other concepts in Vancouver, let alone Canada. Instead, Yen has created something truly unique in the local dining scene, with an aim to both delight guests dining at the restaurant and also inspire other chefs to embrace Cambodian cuisine.

“There hasn’t been a huge showcasing of Cambodian cuisine, and I find a lot of chefs and business owners are hiding behind other cuisines, yet still pushing that Cambodian flavour,” said Yen. “So I wanted to pave the way for a lot more people to just jump on that ‘Touk’ and really express themselves.”

Touk is currently open Tuesday to Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. (with more hours expected to be added in the coming months), and reservations are available online.

Touk

Address: 1152 Alberni St., Vancouver

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