Inside Potong: the 120-year-old Bangkok pharmacy turned global dining sensation

Chef Pam Soontornyanakij has turned a five-storey Chinatown apothecary into a Michelin-starred stage for Thai-Chinese memory, storytelling and culinary theatre

Bangkok’s Chinatown pulses with energy – narrow sois crammed with food stalls, lanterns flickering above tuk-tuks, and the scent of star anise drifting through the air. It’s here, inside a 120-year-old Chinese pharmacy once run by her family, that Chef Pam Soontornyanakij has redefined what Thai fine dining can be. Her restaurant, Potong – now crowned with a Michelin Star and named Bangkok’s best – is more than a place to eat. It’s a temple to memory, innovation and identity.

“The architecture itself is part of the experience,” Pam says. “We kept the original beams, the apothecary drawers, even the narrow staircases. When guests walk through the five floors, they’re moving through layers of time.” The building – equal parts gallery, garden and gastronomic laboratory – mirrors Pam’s culinary philosophy. Each course unfolds like a story, built around five elements (salt, acid, spice, texture and Maillard reaction) and designed to engage all five senses. “You don’t just eat at Potong,” she explains. “You touch, smell, listen, feel. It’s an immersion. A dialogue between past and present.”

Storied bites

Pam’s trajectory hasn’t followed the traditional path of Thai chefs. Trained in the United States, she returned to Bangkok with a vision – to bring nuanced, emotionally rich storytelling into every plate she served. Smoked, her first restaurant, paid homage to American barbecue; then came The Table, an intimate chef’s table that blurred the lines between host and guest. But Potong is her life’s work. “It’s my story on the plate,” Pam says. “Everything I’ve learned – my Thai-Chinese upbringing, my techniques, my memories – they all come together here.”

Take Pam’s version of pad Thai, served inside a WWII-era military box alongside an oyster and shrimp shot. Or the reimagined kuay jab, a peppery noodle soup she loved as a child, now reworked with pork tongue, caviar and a broth layered with nostalgia. “It’s still comfort food,” Pam says, “but elevated into something that speaks to where I’ve come from – and where I’m going.”

Stars in her eyes

In the same year Potong won its first Michelin Star, Pam was named The World’s Best Female Chef 2025 – the first Asian and Thai woman to claim the title. She also became the only Thai female chef to earn the coveted ‘three knives’ from the World’s Best Chef Award. It’s a milestone, but also a mission. “Of course it was humbling,” Pam says. “But for me it wasn’t just personal – it was recognition for Thai cuisine, for our heritage. It tells the world that what we’re doing here in Bangkok matters globally.”

More than 80 per cent of Pam’s kitchen team are women – a conscious decision in an industry still overwhelmingly male-dominated. “We lead with collaboration, not aggression,” she says. “You don’t have to shout to create great food. You need care, clarity and discipline.” Pam has also become a mentor for young chefs across Asia. “I want them to know that they don’t have to change who they are to succeed. They just need someone to believe in them.”

Wide horizons

While Potong may be the jewel in her culinary crown, Pam’s entrepreneurial reach extends considerably further. With her husband, she’s built The X Project, a hospitality group that includes Opium Bar (ranked on Asia’s 50 Best Bars), La Copita and three branches of Smoked Joint. Each concept reflects a moment in her creative journey – from the slow-burn of American barbecue to rooftop cocktails in Bangkok’s most dramatic settings.

Pam’s newest venture is deeply personal: The 422 Project, a rice-wine brewery dedicated to reviving traditional Thai sato. “It’s high quality, rich in memory and completely overlooked,” she says. “We’re crafting small-batch sato using sun pa tong and khao niew leum pua sticky rice. Every bottle is a story.” There’s also Khao San Sek restaurant, born from Pam’s desire to spotlight forgotten Thai ingredients. “Thai people are losing touch with what makes our cuisine sacred,” she says. “These ingredients are more than flavour – they’re identity.”

The minute you chase the award instead of focusing on your guests, you lose your identity.

Global vision

Pam is no stranger to the spotlight. A familiar face from shows like Top Chef Thailand, Iron Chef and World Cook Competition, she’s become one of Asia’s most recognisable culinary voices. But behind the acclaim lies grit. “What people don’t see is the exhaustion,” Pam admits. “During my pregnancy, I was also overseeing Potong’s construction. I was physically and emotionally drained. But it taught me balance – and resilience.”

Despite the accolades, Pam is adamant that she never cooks “for the star.” “The minute you chase the award instead of focusing on your guests, you lose your identity,” she says. “Michelin is the result of being true to yourself, not the goal.” That sincerity shows in every detail – from the way servers guide guests through the building’s history to the hand-harvested herbs from the rooftop garden. Even Pam’s signature duck dish – dry-aged in-house for 14 days – speaks volumes. “It’s inspired by Peking duck, but with our own fermentation and ageing techniques,” she says. “It’s Thai, it’s Chinese, it’s mine.”

With more than 90 staff and a months-long waitlist, Potong continues to evolve. A significant renovation is planned for 2026, with new spatial concepts and expanded kitchen capabilities. Beyond Bangkok, Pam’s mission is to export Thai soft power through cuisine – whether showcasing heritage ingredients or elevating sato on the global stage. Her fire shows no signs of dimming.

restaurantpotong.com