This year, the prestigious award went to Pichaya "Pam" Soontornyanakij, chef of Potong in Bangkok, interpreter of a progressive Sino-Thai cuisine full of memories. Online bookings to dine with her start in June; and to think she wanted to be a journalist!
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Located in what used to be the old town pharmacy, in a building steeped in history where her ancestors sold herbal remedies, Pichaya "Pam" Soontornyanakij's Potong Restaurant in Bangkok offers more than just a gastronomic experience: upon arrival, guests are welcomed with a glass of kombucha, accompanied by storytelling about the place; then they move to the first floor for the first bite, a "leaf" of dried plum with spices, traditionally auspicious, accompanied by a glass of local wine. From the rooftop, the view is of Thai Chinatown, with its thousand lights. But for the actual meal, composed of about twenty courses, guests descend to the second or third floor.
"We want the guest to feel like they're traveling back in time, in a museum of my family heritage," says 34-year-old chef Pichaya Soontornyanakij, nicknamed "Pam," to the 50 Best Magazine; after all, her ancestors lived in that very building, used as a Chinese pharmacy. Her grandfather rented it out, but when it remained vacant, Pam had no hesitation in placing her dream there.
A journalism graduate, but awarded the first prize in cooking at 21, as a perfect amateur, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and trained by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, she made a name for herself in the Thai edition of Top Chef. However, her dream remained to have her own restaurant and she couldn't set it anywhere else, despite the lack of parking and the unglamorous area. "It was the building that chose us," she says.
Opened in 2021, the restaurant immediately made its mark in international rankings, ranking 35th in Asia for The World's 50 Best Restaurants: at the heart of the proposal are family memories and, in general, Sino-Thai traditions, entirely unique compared to national cuisine. For eight centuries, the Chinese have migrated to the country, bringing with them dishes and culture. The result, among other delights, is a duck that many consider unparalleled, crispy and pink thanks to traditional techniques, with its brain roasted in the head.
The rest of the menu unfolds a concept absorbed during pregnancy: to form a long-term memory, all five senses must be stimulated. And that's what happens in the dishes, sometimes with a modernist touch. But from her time in the United States, Pam also drew inspiration for her second venue, the more casual Smoked, which serves Texan-style barbecue, which she missed so much when returning home.
Without forgetting commitment: the name of the first recipient of her scholarship has just been announced, aimed at training rural girls. She will be able to complete a year-long internship at Potong, using the means to build a life in the city. Meanwhile, booking requests keep increasing, so much so that online - at the time of writing - the first availability is for June.
