Pichaya Soontornyanakij – better known as Chef Pam – is an award-winning chef that owns Bangkok’s 1 Michelin Star, Potong. One of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, the immersive culinary brand is grounded in heritage, innovation, and deep emotional resonance.
Chef Pam trained at the Culinary Institute of America and under the tutelage of Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York. Upon returning to Thailand, she became a judge on Top Chef Thailand and launched The Table, a private dining experience.
In 2019, a fortuitous moment arose when her ancestral family’s traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy became available. Chef Pam, alongside her husband and business partner Tor Boonpiti, decided to embark on a transformative project to turn the historic site into a multi-storey restaurant. By weaving her family’s history into a world-class dining experience, Chef Pam has set a standard for brand differentiation within competitive and saturated markets.
One of the most celebrated figures in international cuisine, Chef Pam was named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2024. A year later, she made history by becoming the first Asian to receive the prestigious title of The World’s Best Female Chef. A distinction voted on by an esteemed panel of 1,120 gastronomic experts from around the world.
In 2024, Chef Pam started a Women for Women initiative where she offers a fully funded internship at her restaurant to underprivileged young women. By investing in the potential of young women, Chef Pam is not only nurturing future culinary talent but challenging structural barriers that have long limited access and representation in professional kitchens.
Today, Chef Pam runs several restaurant concepts in Bangkok and is sought after not just for her culinary mastery, but for her visionary approach to leadership, brand-building, and experiential design. Chef Pam exemplifies the power of authenticity in business and demonstrates how deeply rooted heritage and a values-first approach can create emotional resonance and lasting customer loyalty.
