Bangkok, 27 August 2025: In the vibrant alleyways of Bangkok’s Songwat Road—one of the city’s most bohemian corners—a weathered shophouse now hums with refined energy and progressive flavors. It is home to Khao San Sek, the latest culinary venture from Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij, recently crowned the World’s Best Female Chef 2025 by The World’s 50 Best awards.
A Tale of Two Restaurants
Located just steps from her Michelin-starred flagship Potong, which occupies her family’s historic herbal medicine building, Khao San Sek is Pam’s more relaxed homage to gateway Thai flavors. While Potong speaks with multisensory precision, steeped in Pam’s “five elements and five senses” philosophy, Khao San Sek celebrates the simplicity and soul of five sacred ingredients: rice, chilli, coconut, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Each dish reflects history, identity, and emotional resonance—the taste of tradition elevated through emotion and thoughtful sourcing.
Innovating with Authenticity
Pam’s culinary journey began in Bangkok’s Chinatown, followed by formative training at the Culinary Institute of America and a stint under Jean-Georges in New York—an artistic fusion that underpins her vision of refined yet deeply rooted Thai cuisine. Back in Bangkok, she and her husband Tor Boonpiti founded The X Project, which now manages a diverse portfolio of venues—from smoky barbecues to moody lounges—each exploring a distinct culinary question with soul and sincerity.
A Historic Accolade
This year, Pam made history as the first Thai and first Asian woman to win the World’s Best Female Chef title—an honor that transcends personal recognition and signals a broader shift in how Thai cuisine is perceived on the global stage.
She reflects, “For so long, Thai food was seen through a narrow lens—street food, comfort food. But it can be just as complex, refined, and progressive as any global cuisine.” Her ambition is clear: to elevate Thai cuisine to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with revered traditions like French and Japanese.
Championing Women in Kitchens
Pam is also an advocate for female chefs, having founded the Women for Women (WFW) initiative, which awards fully funded culinary internships at Potong to promising young women from underprivileged rural backgrounds. She believes visibility helps—but so does action, urging for tangible support systems that empower women through mentorship and opportunity.
Looking Ahead: Thai Cuisine’s Global Ascent
Pam envisions a future where Thai food is admired not just for its flavor, but also for its depth—rooted in fermentation traditions, indigenous ingredients, and culinary philosophy. She aspires to broaden its global reputation beyond “exotic”—to be understood, appreciated, and quintessential.
Potong remains her north star, but she’s unfaltering in her momentum. With Khao San Sek now open, RA-U, a Thai grillhouse, soon following, and Sato, her Thai rice-brew project, on the horizon, Pam is just getting started.
