Students and Alumni Celebrate New Term at Culinary School with Scholarship Dinner
Phnom Penh, Cambodia – June 13, 2025 — A spirit of reflection, gratitude, and forward momentum filled the air at Bayon Restaurant in Phnom Penh last week, where students and alumni of the Naomi Tami Scholarship Fund gathered to mark the start of a new academic term.
The dinner, hosted by the Naomi Tami Memorial Scholarship Fund, brought together current scholarship recipients and graduates for an evening of shared stories and inspiration. Attendees enjoyed a warm, communal meal and heard moving reflections from two distinguished alumni whose journeys continue to inspire the next generation of culinary professionals.
One alumnus recently returned from Dubai after completing an advanced internship and announced the launch of his own healthy noodle and coffee shop—a dream that began as a young person in his indigenous Kuy village in Preah Vihear. Another alumnus shared about his time at Dusit Thani College in Bangkok, where he specialized in Thai cuisine through the scholarship fund’s continuing education program.
Co-founder of the scholarship fund, Simonetta Tami, spoke during the evening, offering words of encouragement to students. Drawing from the legacy of Naomi Tami, for whom the fund is named, she reminded attendees that an attitude of learning is essential, and that everything you learn in each phase of your journey is one step closer to your dreams.
The dinner marked not only the beginning of a new term but also reaffirmed the community’s commitment to nurturing culinary excellence, perseverance, and the power of opportunity.
The Naomi Tami Scholarship Memorial Fund was established by the Tami family to honour the memory of Naomi Laura Tami who passed away on May 7, 2013, at the early age of 23. In keeping with Naomi’s love of life and passion, the Naomi Tami Scholarship Memorial Fund provides the opportunity for students who are committed to excellence, love the culinary arts, and who would not otherwise have the opportunity due to financial constraints, to study tuition-paid at the Academy of Culinary Arts Cambodia.
How to give
Your financial gifts to the Naomi Tami Scholarship Memorial Fund enable Shift360 to expand scholarship opportunities for the Academy of Culinary Arts Cambodia and provide more students with financial constraints the chance for a brighter future.
JOIN US:
Naomi Tami Memorial Scholarship Fund: https://www.naomimemorialfund.com/
Goodwill Ambassador Chef Bobby Chinn: https://www.bobbychinn.com/
Shift 360 Foundation: https://shift360.ch/naomi-tami-scholarship/
