The award-winning chef-owner of Potong in Bangkok holds forth on risk-taking, self-belief and the secret power of simplicity.
Potong may be relatively small, seating just 36, but the restaurant is making a big impact. So much so, its chef-owner Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij has been named The World’s Best Female Chef 2025, becoming the first Asian to take the title.
Having studied at the Culinary Institute of America before going on to sharpen her skills at Jean-Georges in New York (the jewel in Jean-George Vongerichten’s empire), Chef Pam returned to her birth city of Bangkok, opening Potong in 2021.
The five-storey restaurant, in the heart of Chinatown, was once her ancestral family’s traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy. It’s a heritage that she weaves through Potong’s progressive Thai-Chinese menu, incorporating a five elements and five senses philosophy that delivers a genuinely immersive experience. Chef Pam also owns several other restaurants in the capital, as well as appearing on multiple television shows.
And yet, despite the depth of her culinary expertise and ever-growing success, the 35-year-old – who lives in the city with her husband and business partner Tor Boonpiti and their four-and-a-half-year-old daughter – remains self-deprecating and resolutely down-to-earth. Here, Chef Pam gives an insight into what she’s gleaned from her extraordinary career to date…
The power of resilience
Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij opened Potong in 2021 after honing her talent in the US
“When I was working at Jean-Georges in New York, it was difficult for me because of the cultural differences. I almost gave up at the beginning but looking back, I realise I learned so much; mainly, that there's a lot of hard work behind every success. Everyone has the same goal and there are no shortcuts to getting there. I also learned discipline in the kitchen and about pushing my physical and mental boundaries. My advice to aspiring chefs? Work hard and don’t give up, then you get something in return.”
Relish the unexpected
“Potong was a two-and-a-half-year restoration project before it opened. It was a stressful time. A lot of problems popped up with the building – we needed specialists to understand the concrete, for example – and the kitchen was very small. Also, we didn’t know what was going to happen with the pandemic. We had family meetings about whether to stop with the renovations, but we decided to carry on. We felt that, in the worst case, we would have revived our ancestors’ building, helping it come alive again. It's a project I will remember for the rest of my life.”
No room for regret
Potong's building was once the Chinese medicine pharmacy of Soontornyanakij's ancestral family
“I knew that opening a fine-dining restaurant in the middle of Chinatown wasn't going to be easy, because it was something that no-one had done before and it was a little out of context. There was no parking and it wasn't a fashionable area back then, but we made it work. I’m a believer in following your heart, even when it's a risk. Go with your gut because it's going to be you who is affected by the decision you make, whether you go ahead with something or not.”
Simple pleasure
“Potong means ‘simple’ in Chinese, which is what my great-great-grandfather called his pharmacy. He chose it to mean a simple life and to enjoy simple things. There are so many great chefs around the world, some better than me, so while I appreciate it when guests say the food is good at Potong, what touches me most is when they say how proud my family would be of me. At the end of the day, you may have many friends, but it is the things at home with family that make you feel warm. The older I get, the more I appreciate the word ‘simple’.”
All rise together
The team at Potong has expanded to almost 70 staff
“At Potong we have almost 70 staff in total. The team is young, passionate and willing to learn. It’s like a big family and it is very important to me to make sure everyone is healthy and happy. I always go into the kitchen and spend time with one or two team members, asking them about what's happening in their lives. I don’t just want them to work for me, I want them to feel connected, like Potong is also their home. The success of the restaurant is theirs too. We want to see the team grow, so we always support and promote people from within.”
Don’t stand still
“My mum always staught me to appreciate every opportunity that comes your way, however small; sometimes, the smaller ones lead to bigger ones. Remember who stands by you and don't forget the ones behind you. I can't deny that winning awards, such as The World’s Best Female Chef, is a motivation and it's also a big recognition for the team. But it’s important not to stop there. At Potong, we're not saying we're the best of the best but we’re trying to become the best we can be. It’s about listening to feedback, adapting and evolving to become better.”
Breaking the circle of disaster
“When I was younger, I didn't look after myself. I’d work, go out drinking with my colleagues, sleep, go to work… It was a circle of disaster! Now that I'm older and I have a daughter, I recognise that health is the most precious thing. These days I eat much better, and I stay grounded by doing things day by day. Before I used to think ahead: next week I must do this, next month I have to do that. But my husband taught me to take things one at a time, to write tasks down and tick them off. If you’re organised, you don’t panic; instead, you're calm and in control.
Food that’s more than food 
One of Potong's signature dishes is its reinterpretation of pad thai
"Of course, the food and the service must be good. But what makes people come back to a restaurant is emotions. It needs to touch people in a way that makes them feel comfortable, so much so that they want to bring their parents or friends. Repeat guests are the marking point that you're doing well because it’s easier to get a new customer than to have people return for a second or third time. We want to offer an experience that creates memories. That’s one reason behind the five senses philosophy of our menu – we want food to be more than just food.”
Don't compare yourself to anyone
“If you're a female chef just starting out, I would definitely say don't think that it's going to be harder than if you’re a male. Just focus on what you’re doing. And don't compare yourself to anyone because once you start comparing, you’ll feel bad. Especially nowadays with social media, you see the success of people around the world but, actually, you don't know whether it's true or not.”
Help others where you can
“Two years ago, I founded the Women-for-Women programme [with non-profit organisation American Women’s Club Thailand]. It’s an initiative to support females in rural Thailand who want to work in the culinary industry but don't have the money to follow their dreams in Bangkok. So, we fundraise for two things: first, a college scholarship to study hospitality; second, an internship at Potong, where accommodation and food is paid for and she also receives a salary. The recipient has been with us for a year now and she’s enjoying it. I feel that if we are fortunate and we have the opportunity to help others, we should.”
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The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will be revealed in Turin on Thursday 19 June 2025.
