Phila and Rachel Lorn run two restaurants that intertwine their family histories. With Mawn, the couple has been on a remarkable streak, earning critical acclaim and national attention. Both Mawn and their newly opened Sao reflect their signature blend of casual yet attentive hospitality and Southeast Asian flavors infused with South Philadelphian swagger.
Their story begins before they were born, in 1985, when Phila Lorn’s Cambodian parents fled a refugee camp in Thailand for Philadelphia. A year later, Phila was born, named after their new home though pronounced “pea-la.” He learned to cook from his parents and extended family. “My mother was a house chef, she cooked every course, every single day,” he says. His parents’ memories of chicken as a marker of peace left a lasting impression. Mawn, which means “chicken” in Khmer, is served lacquered with soy caramel at both restaurants and simmered with parsnips in a nod to Rachel’s Jewish upbringing. The two grew up in parallel, in different parts of the city. “Like Romeo and Juliet,” Phila jokes, “but with a better ending.”
Rachel found her way into hospitality through her family. Her grandparents owned a motel on the Atlantic City boardwalk, where her father worked. She and Phila met in 2011 while working at Zama, a sushi restaurant, and later helped their chef open his second concept, CoZara.
They married in October 2017. Rachel built her hospitality and hotel management experience, preparing her to handle the relentless crowds vying for tables at their restaurants, while Phila continued honing his craft in kitchens. In 2023, they opened their first restaurant, Mawn, on a shoestring budget, funded largely by family investments. Within a year, it became one of the hardest reservations in Philadelphia, with walk-in lunch service often stretching to two-hour waits.
Mawn has appeared on lists including The New York Times’ “25 Best Restaurants in Philadelphia” and The Philadelphia Inquirer’s “76.” In June 2025, Phila was named Best Emerging Chef by the James Beard Foundation Awards, followed that fall by a Best New Chef honor from Food & Wine magazine.
Their shared love of oysters and raw seafood inspired them to open an oyster bar in South Philadelphia, near Mawn. Longtime friend Jesse Levinson joined as a partner and helped secure the space that would become Sao.
