Bangkok’s Pichaya Pam Soontornyanakij Named World’s Best Female Chef | Travel News Hub

London, United Kingdom, April 24, 2025 / TOP25 RESTAURANTS / In the first of a series of special awards announced ahead of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, Bangkok-based Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, chef-owner of Potong, has been named The World’s Best Female Chef 2025. A culinary expert and celebrated TV personality, Pam is a leading figure in Thai global gastronomy. Following her recognition as Asia’s Best Female Chef 2024, she now makes history as the first-ever Asian and Thai female chef to receive this prestigious global title, further cementing her status as a powerful force on the world culinary stage.

● Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij is a globally recognised talent in Thailand and on the
international culinary scene
● Chef Pam was previously named Asia’s Best Female Chef as part of Asia’s 50 Best
Restaurants 2024
● Her restaurant, Potong, was named No.13 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 and No.57 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024
● Her restaurant, Potong, claimed the top spot and was ranked No. 1 in the TOP25 Restaurants Bangkok 2024.

Having spent her formative years in Bangkok, Chef Pam sharpened her skills at the Culinary Institute of America before gaining hands-on experience at New York’s renowned Jean-Georges. Back in Thailand, she and her husband co-founded The X Project, a hospitality group driven by a shared passion to create bold, unique dining concepts that continually push boundaries and bring something new to the industry.

One of her first projects was The Table, an intimate private dining experience that garnered both local and regional acclaim. She also owns Smoked, a multi-outlet restaurant in Bangkok that masterfully combines the smoky essence of traditional American Texas BBQ with the Thai reverence for beef. The group has since expanded to include ten diverse restaurants and bars across the city including TORA Izakaya, Khao Sarn Sek – a contemporary celebration of sacred Thai ingredients – and Opium Bar, an immersive cocktail experience located above Potong, which has earned international acclaim, ranking No.73 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024. Looking ahead, she is preparing to launch RA-U, a reimagined Thai grill house that continues her mission of honouring heritage through modern expression.

Returning to her roots, she opened Potong in 2021, a restaurant that celebrates her Thai-Chinese heritage. The name, meaning ‘simple,’ pays tribute to her family’s long-established Chinese herbal medicine business. Located in a historic building belonging to her family, which was once a traditional Chinese pharmacy, Potong masterfully blends legacy with cutting-edge culinary artistry.

Its unique tasting menu is guided by Chef Pam’s “five elements and five senses” philosophy, offering guests a rare opportunity to experience heritage and food as one — something never done before and only possible in this place.

Rapidly emerging as one of Thailand’s most influential chefs, Chef Pam has solidified Potong as one of Bangkok’s most illustrious gastronomic destinations, earning prestigious accolades including No.13 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 — rising from No.35 the year before — and No.57 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024.

Beyond her restaurants, Chef Pam serves as the main judge on Top Chef Thailand and continues to gain international recognition through her judging roles on global culinary shows such as Top Chef Arab World, The World Cook, The Maverick Academy, Iron Chef, and most recently, The Restaurant War Thailand, where she showcases her voice as a leader in modern gastronomy. Deeply committed to supporting the next generation, she also launched the WFW (Women for Women) Scholarship and Internship Program, a platform designed to empower young female chefs in Thailand by providing them with mentorship, professional opportunities, and access to education in the culinary arts.

William Drew, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “It is an absolute privilege to announce Chef Pam as the recipient of The World’s Best Female Chef Award 2025. She creates exceptional, innovative dishes, weaving cultural stories through food while pushing the boundaries of culinary tradition. Her visionary approach to gastronomy and her influential role in the Thai culinary scene and beyond makes her more than deserving of this recognition on an international level.”

Chef Pam says: “I’m truly honoured to be named The World’s Best Female Chef 2025 and humbled to be the first Thai to join the remarkable women who have paved the way before me. This award highlights the importance of recognising women’s invaluable contributions to the culinary world. It’s not just for me, but for every other female chef who may contribute to the journey of Thai cuisine on the global stage. Above all, I hope it inspires the next generation of female chefs to pursue their culinary dreams.”

The World’s Best Female Chef 2025 is the first of several awards to be revealed ahead of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 awards ceremony, which will be held at Lingotto Fiere in Turin, on the evening of Thursday 19 June. This year’s programme will include a series of key events which have become the foundation of 50 Best Restaurants celebrations: thought-leadership forum 50BestTalks, exploring some of the most pertinent topics affecting the hospitality world today; the 50 Best Signature Sessions series of collaborative dining events open to the public, which sees 50 Best chefs cooking alongside renowned local talent for exclusive dining opportunities; a Chefs’ Feast showcasing the finest quality ingredients and cooking techniques the region is known for; and the awards ceremony and countdown itself.

50 Best works with professional services consultancy Deloitte as its official independent adjudication partner to help protect the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025. See more details on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants voting process here.

About The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
Since 2002, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has reflected the diversity of the world’s culinary landscape. The annual list of the world’s most prestigious restaurants provides a snapshot of some of the best destinations for unique culinary experiences, in addition to being a barometer for and a pioneer of global gastronomic trends. The 50 Best family also includes Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants, North America’s 50 Best Restaurants, The World’s 50 Best Hotels, The World’s 50 Best Bars, Asia’s 50 Best Bars, North America’s 50 Best Bars, 50 Best Discovery and the 50BestTalks series, all of which are owned and run by William Reed. 50 Best aims to bring together communities across the hospitality sector to foster collaboration, inclusivity, diversity and discovery and help drive positive change.

About Piedmont and Turin
Located in northwest Italy, Piedmont is a region surrounded by the Alps, rich in natural beauty, art and culture. A hub of ingenuity and creativity, it is the cradle of the Italian automobile industry and home to several ‘Made in Italy’ products and icons. Its vibrant capital, Turin, has evolved by blending its industrial heritage with research, technology, education and the arts. In 2014, it was awarded Creative City for Design.

With its unique history and landscape of lakes, hills and mountains, Piedmont is a perfect year-round destination. Home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Savoy Royal Residences, it is also a paradise for international gourmets, offering Alba white truffles, artisanal cheeses and 19 DOCG and 41 DOC wines, enjoyed in trattorias, cafés and renowned restaurants.

About S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna
S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna are the main partners of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna are the leading natural mineral waters in the fine dining world. Together they interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of excellence, pleasure and well-being.