Each weekend Chad Phuong sets up a mobile barbecue in a Northside Long Beach parking lot, chock full of slowly smoked meats.
Phuong describes the Battambong BBQ pop-up as “traditional Texas-style barbecue with a Cambodian flair.”
He named the pop-up after the Cambodian province of Battambong, where he was born.
Phuong started Battambong BBQ exactly one year ago in September 2020. But he’s been cooking his entire life.
The self-taught chef began learning his craft as a child growing up in Cambodia, helping his mother and grandparents gather ingredients and hunt.
He gained an early understanding of basic ingredients and what he could create with them.
Phuong eventually immigrated to the United States along with his parents and siblings as refugees.
As the oldest of his siblings, it was Phuong’s responsibility to cook lunch and dinner for his family while his parents attended adult school in the evenings.
“As a teen, I kept on getting better at executing a lot of traditional Cambodian dishes,” Phuong said. “And with the abundance of other inspiring cultures, such as American, Mexican and Italian, my journey continued into my adult life.”
As an adult, Phuong gained experience in different aspects of the food industry. He has worked as a donut baker, a Dairy Queen cook, a caterer and at a beef processing center in Texas.
It was his time in Texas that helped Phuong discover his love of barbecue.
During his time working at the beef processing plant, Phuong lived in the small town of Hereford, Texas.
“That’s when I learned different cuts and the process of beef from beginning to end. That’s where I learned and enjoyed a lot of backyard Texas-style barbecue with my friends in Texas,” Phuong said. “That’s when I really learned the art of smoking barbecue the Texas way.”
Combining his knowledge of Texas-style barbecue and Cambodian cuisine, Phuong creates truly unique flavors.
Instead of traditional buttered corn, Phuong created a recipe for corn coated in coconut milk with sea salt and chives, the sweetness of the corn and coconut milk mingling and complimenting each other.
The use of both southern and Cambodian ingredients gives a distinctive flavor to the juicy cuts of steaming meat he pulls from his slow cooker.
According to Phuong, Battambong BBQ’s best seller is the smoked brisket. Once sliced into, the inside of the brisket glistens in the sun. It’s so moist and tender it barely requires any chewing.
In place of coleslaw, Battambong BBQ’s meats are served with a side of organic pickled cabbage and cucumber, the bright acidic flavors of the preserved vegetables balancing out the rich smokiness of the meat.
“We live in such a great country where it’s a melting pot for all sorts of different cultures together. And being here in Southern California we’re so blessed because we have so many cultures that thrive here. […],” Phuong said. “It’s a beautiful thing.”
Besides Battambong BBQ, Phuong is also the owner of Cambodian Cuisine, a brand of Cambodian and Cajun sauces, seasonings and condiments he created 12 years ago.
Cambodian Cuisine is available online and at local Cambodian markets, including one near the intersection of Orange Avenue and South Street in North Long Beach.
Phuong started Cambodian Cuisine while working as a surgical technician, a position he held for 20 years.
After taking the leap to focus on Battambong BBQ full time, his two decades of experience in hospitals still translates into a sterile and immaculate food prep area that Phuong is constantly wiping down.
“Me as a surgical tech, whenever I go in it has to be a clean surface, no clutter or anything,” Phuong said.
When Battambong BBQ opened in Sept. 2020, the pandemic was in full swing. Restaurants and eateries were struggling to stay open due to the health restrictions placed on them.
Phuong came to an agreement with Cambodian-owned Kim Sun Kitchen in North Long Beach to use their parking lot and kitchen amenities to operate Battambong BBQ in an effort to attract more customers to both businesses.
“Like many others in the food industry, we had to find creative ways to survive,” Phuong said. “Being a former refugee, we had to reinvent ourselves, survive, and find ways to thrive. A lot of small restaurants had to close. So there is a deep connection to help one another.”
The partnership paid off, with Battambong BBQ often selling out before closing time.
“Because of their support locally here, I’m still able to thrive and still have this pop-up,” Phuong said.
Battambong BBQ represents the American melting pot and exemplifies the way food can connect different people and cultures.
“What brings people together here is food. So that’s why I wanted to incorporate like, not just the Texas style that I love, but also my culture [so] that people can try out my version of different food,” he said. “And they get to learn a little bit about me and I learn a little about them. I think that’s what made this pop-up very successful here in North Long Beach.”
Battambong BBQ is located at 5449 Cherry Ave., in the parking lot of Kim Sun Kitchen. To keep up with Battambong BBQ’s hours of operation, follow @battambongbbq on Instagram.
