Philadelphia, PA - For Lorn's background, Lorn shared, "I'm a new American. The first one in my family. My parents escaped the bombs of their homeland and landed in the trenches of South Philadelphia in 1985. Armed with 4 kids and a small one-bedroom apartment on 7th and Jackson Street..they decided to have just one more. They asked my mother what she wanted to name her new 11-pound boy, and she said…Phila, for Philadelphia."
About Philadelphia Chef Phila Lorn
"She pronounced the name in broken English; hence my name is pronounced Pee-lah. Kinda sealed my fate with that one. I've been up and down the block in Philadelphia's food scene for 16 years. Cooking with great Chefs who taught me how to find myself. Teaching me what to do, what not to do, and most importantly, how to cook. Join me; let me cook some food for you." Said Lorn
Lorn's background includes nearly a decade of working with Japanese food alongside Chef ZamaSan of Zama, helping run the kitchen at Stock with Chef Tyler Akins, and learning how to see food as an art alongside Chef Christopher Kearse at Will. Currently, Lorn is working as Sous Chef at Terrain Cafe in Glen Mills.
Lorn is also one of seven chefs tapped for a new program that Chef Jose Garces will soon reveal. Lorn is also working on his first independent project, with details to be shared in December of 2021.
Lorn said, "I realized that my reason for cooking has changed. It no longer was a learning phase as much now, and it no longer was the game of 'beasting' the line. These great Chefs and others who represent Philadelphia as an established 'food town' have helped me realize that I wanted to cook my own food, and I want to showcase my own style and culture's flavors.
It's almost like listening to a good rap song, and you realize that you can finish off their lines. I think that's a good analogy. My goal is to sit in the car with my very indecisive wife and, as she asks me what I would like to have for dinner.
The goal is to hear the choices be 'I don't know hon, what do you feel like? Japanese, Italian or Cambodian?' I want Cambodian to have its moment in the Philly food scene that is very much deserved. Until then, my shift isn't over.
For September's Charity, Cambodian American Girls Empowering (CAGE) was founded in 2015 by trained Classical Khmer Dancers from Philadelphia. We seek to build a more sustainable and accessible pathway to the arts and activism.
CAGE's mission is to create a safe space where Khmer Americans feel secure and free to explore and/or learn more about their shared identities, culture, heritage, and history. We seek to foster a group of individuals who use art as activism to promote power in each other, ourselves, and our shared communities.
