Chef Pichaya "Pam" Soontornyanakij, one of the most prominent faces in Thailand's culinary scene, has been awarded Asia's Best Female Chef 2024, by Asia's 50 Best Restaurants.
Chef Pam is chef-patron of the Michelin-starred Potong, which debuted at No.35 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list. The award, which will be presented on March 26 in Seoul, South Korea, celebrates women in gastronomy who persist in pushing the limits of excellence through their skills, expertise and artistry.
"This award means a lot to me and I'm very happy and super honoured to receive it. It reflects on my own belief that a chef should have great skills, respect for heritage and a lot of willpower to become great. This award is not just for me, but for my whole team, who push really hard. Especially at Potong, where in the kitchen we are, by coincidence, 70-80% female," says chef Pam.
Her head chef, who is also female, has been with her for seven years. "They are here because they believe in me and this award inspires them to do better, because one day they can become like me. I hope the award ignites their dreams and drives them to becoming better. It also helps put Thai food and Potong on the world map," she adds.
"Julia Child has been a major culinary influence in my life. She pushed the boundaries of French cuisine in America and was the first one to make an impact on French cuisine because back then it was sort of taboo for a woman to cook French cuisine and write about it. It is the impact that she made for women in the food industry. We even share the same birthday — August 15! What she did led to what is happening today because one small impact has ripple effects and one step at a time leads to change. That's the start of the first global effects and this is what inspires me and it's what I want to do, also. My mum is another inspiration because she loves to cook and has always cooked at home. She's the one who influenced my cooking. She really wanted to go to cooking school when she was young, but could not. Back then, a woman attending cooking school was sort of unheard of. What I'm doing right now is carrying on her dream, too. Even today, my mum is my taste master and I always trust her palate," says the chef.
Chef Pam refined her skills at the Culinary Institute of America and did a stint New York's Jean-Georges restaurant. When she returned to Thailand, she established The Table, a private dining experience that gained recognition from local and regional gourmands. When Potong opened in 2021, chef Pam returned to her roots bringing her Thai-Chinese heritage to the forefront. Roughly translated as "simple", Potong is housed in a five-storeyed traditional shophouse that once housed her family business of being producers of traditional Chinese herbal medicine. It is where Sino-Portuguese architecture of 1910 meets the present day.
Serving a 20-course innovative Thai-Chinese tasting menu, Potong pays heed to chef Pam's heritage, as well as cultural storytelling. The focus of the meal is five senses and five elements. "The elements are salt, acid, spice, Maillard reaction and texture. A lot of the dishes require diners to touch their food, there is either contrasting or mono textures. You have to touch, smell, listen and see, which when combined take diners on a spiritual memory," explains chef Pam.
She also owns Bangkok's multi-outlet restaurant, Smoked, which showcases her love for BBQ. Not only is chef Pam the face of Potong and Smoked, she also has a commanding presence on Thailand's culinary scene, which includes television appearances and empowerment programmes.
Chef Pam recently launched a scholarship programme called Women For Women (WFW), in partnership with the American Women's Club of Thailand (AWC), a non-profit organisation, to support female students in the rural areas of Thailand achieve their dream of becoming chefs.
"This project has been in the works since last year when the AWC came to Potong. They were raising money for rural female Thai students and told me that it takes only B6,000 to educate a girl through high school. It was when we were discussing this that I had the idea to support female students who were interested in becoming chefs. This is how WFW was born," explains chef Pam.
WFW will provide an opportunity for one female student chef-in-the-making gain valuable experience in the kitchen, which in turn help her cope in a competitive environment and kickstart her career. Chef Pam, AWC and the Education for Development Foundation Thailand have set up the WFW Scholarship programme, which will raise funds at a dinner on June 17 at Potong. Limited to 35 seats at B17,000 a seat, proceeds from the dinner will go towards the fund to help disadvantaged females in rural areas gain a university-level education. However, it doesn't just stop there.
Chef Pam will also provide a one-year internship at Potong for a female college graduate or final year degree student, below the age of 23, with a passion for the culinary arts and basic proficiency in English (spoken and written). Accommodation, a stipend and all expenses for a year will be covered by the programme.
"The reason I have chosen just one candidate is because I don't want to start something big by having 10 people come in with no one carrying on in this line of work. I want it to be a successful programme where one young woman strives in the industry, whether it is in Potong or anywhere else. We want to focus on one student from a rural area, which is essential. We rather give women in need a chance at a career. Chef Vicky Lau [recipient of Asia's Best Female Chef award in 2015] of Tate Dining in Hong Kong has also expressed interest in joining the programme," says chef Pam, who feels that work experience outside of Thailand is imperative in the culinary world.
"The best advice I can give aspiring female chefs is to stay focused. There will be failures but that is just part of success. Presently, the number of female chefs seems to be on the rise but I don't think they are being well represented. One thing we can do is to commit to increase diversity at the workplace and embrace gender differences. Such awards like the Asia's Best Female Chef empowers and inspires the younger generation of female chefs to push boundaries and chase their dreams. It is something to work towards and it is always a good thing to be rewarded," adds chef Pam.
WFW Scholarship Programme
To apply for the internship, candidates must submit an application, resume, cover letter, video and two professional or school references. Personal and family financial information should also be submitted in the cover letter. The selection process will involve a review of the applications, followed by interviews with the finalists. A final selection will be made by a panel of culinary experts based on the candidates' culinary skills, passion for cooking and potential to succeed in the industry. The application deadline is May 31. Donations are also accepted at restaurantpotong.com/wfw-donate.
