Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, chef-owner of Bangkok’s acclaimed restaurant Potong, has been named The World’s Best Female Chef 2025. The prestigious accolade, awarded by the organisers of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants recognises a culinary leader whose impact extends beyond the kitchen.
Pam becomes the first-ever Thai — and the first Asian woman — to receive the global title, a historic milestone for Thailand and the wider region.
Announced as the first in a series of special awards ahead of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 in June, this latest recognition marks the pinnacle of an extraordinary few years for Chef Pam. She was previously named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2024, and her flagship restaurant Potong continues its meteoric rise, climbing to No.13 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 and No.57 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024.
Pam’s culinary journey began in Bangkok, where she grew up in a family with deep roots in the city’s Chinatown district. She honed her skills at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and gained international experience at Jean-Georges, one of New York’s most storied fine-dining institutions. That blend of classical technique and bold innovation would go on to define her signature style — one that combines cultural storytelling with fearless creativity.
Returning to Thailand, she co-founded The X Project with her husband, launching a diverse portfolio of restaurants and bars that have helped shape the landscape of modern Thai dining. The group now includes ten venues across Bangkok, ranging from Smoked, which fuses American BBQ traditions with Thai reverence for beef, to the bustling TORA Izakaya, and the refined Khao Sarn Sek, a concept that pays tribute to Thai ingredients. Above Potong, she also created Opium Bar, a moody and immersive cocktail lounge currently ranked No.73 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024.
Yet it is Potong, opened in 2021, that remains the centrepiece of her culinary empire. Housed in her family’s century-old Chinese herbal medicine building, the restaurant is a deeply personal project that explores her Thai-Chinese heritage through a singular tasting menu guided by her “five elements and five senses” philosophy. It’s a space where memory, culture, and innovation converge — and where Chef Pam’s voice as a storyteller truly shines.
“Chef Pam creates exceptional, innovative dishes, weaving cultural stories through food while pushing the boundaries of culinary tradition,” said William Drew, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. “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.”
Outside the kitchen, Chef Pam is a high-profile advocate for female leadership in hospitality. She serves as the main judge on Top Chef Thailand and has appeared on international culinary shows such as Top Chef Arab World, Iron Chef, The Maverick Academy, The World Cook, and most recently The Restaurant War Thailand. These roles have only amplified her platform as a role model and voice for change in the industry.
In 2024, she launched the WFW (Women for Women) Scholarship and Internship Program, a mentorship platform that offers aspiring female chefs access to education, professional opportunities, and guidance in pursuing careers in the culinary arts. The initiative reflects her commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent and ensuring more diverse voices in global gastronomy.
“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,” said Chef Pam. “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.”