Chef ranked 13th in World’s 50 Best list to open a Thai restaurant in Sydney and Perth

Chef Pichaya Soontornyanakij, renowned internationally as Chef Pam, is set to expand her culinary influence beyond Thailand with the opening of two new restaurants in Sydney and Perth. The ventures mark her first foray outside her native country and follow her recent recognition as the world's best female chef by the 50 Best Restaurants judging panel in 2025. Her Michelin-starred restaurant Potong in Bangkok, currently ranked 13th in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, has cemented her reputation as a leading figure in global gastronomy. The new establishments, Khao San Sek in Perth and Sek in Sydney, will open in early 2027, according to plans announced recently. Soontornyanakij, whose heritage includes a quarter Australian descent from her grandmother, has long been influenced by the fusion of Thai, Chinese, and Australian cuisines. Growing up with a diet that included staples like Vegemite, she maintains a deep appreciation for Australian food culture. This connection, combined with her belief that Australian diners are well-versed in authentic Thai cuisine, led her to choose Australia as the location for her expansion. “I don’t have to cut down the chillies or just bring stuff like tom yum or pad Thai,” she stated. “I want to bring regional Thai food, and I feel the people here are ready for it.” Both restaurants will emphasize the foundational elements of Thai cuisine, rice, chilli, coconut, palm sugar, and fish sauce. These ingredients will form the basis of the menus, with each venue offering distinct experiences. In Perth, Khao San Sek will occupy the former Bistro Guillaume space on the ground floor of Crown Perth, providing seating for over 100 guests. The menu will highlight Thailand’s diverse rice varieties, along with sato, a fermented Thai rice wine. Dishes will incorporate local seafood such as Fremantle octopus, blue swimmer crab, and rock lobster, though whether Vegemite will feature remains uncertain. In Sydney, Sek will debut at the former 88 Noodle site on level three of Crown Sydney, offering an intimate setting with seating for 40. The restaurant will present a tasting menu that transitions from small snacks to samrub, a traditional Thai dining style where multiple dishes are served simultaneously. Among the snacks will be nam prik, a hot sour chilli paste served with crudites, and som tum, a green papaya salad prepared tableside using a mortar and pestle. This method ensures the dish retains its crisp texture and vibrant flavor, reminiscent of street vendors in Bangkok. The dessert offerings will include a trolley serving petite fours, featuring khanom tako, a two-layer Thai coconut pudding presented in folded pandan leaf cups. At both locations, Soontornyanakij aims to introduce unique interpretations of her signature dishes, such as the fish sauce granita, a tangy shaved ice dessert paired with sour fruits like bilimbi and pomelo, garnished with fried shallots. The announcement follows closely on the heels of another major development at Crown, where triple Michelin-starred Swedish chef Björn Frantzén is scheduled to open his own restaurants in Sydney and Perth in mid-2027. This trend underscores a growing interest in international culinary talent within Australia’s hospitality sector. Soontornyanakij’s decision to bring her expertise to Australia reflects both personal ties and a strategic assessment of the market’s readiness for innovative Thai cuisine. With her focus on authenticity and regional diversity, she aims to offer a dining experience that resonates with both familiar and adventurous palates.