Chef Pichaya “Pam” Utharntham is known as one of the judges on Top Chef Thailand and as the owner of The Table by Chef Pam, a chef’s table restaurant where it’s nearly impossible to book a reservation. Set in the chef’s own home— a lush oasis within the Sukhumvit labyrinth—the Table by Chef Pam serves French-inspired fare that incorporates techniques she gained while working in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world, including Jean Georges in New York.
Recently, Chef Pam has been displaying an obsession with beef, and she displays her knowledge of the meat with a new 12-course omakase experience that shows off the many different ways to prepare premium cuts. For example, tender flat iron from Australian wagyu is tossed with charcoal powder, grilled with butter and served with black garlic purée. Meanwhile, the rib-eye of Japanese premium Matsusaka beef is wrapped in foie gras and grilled with a touch of shiso salt. A sauce made from amaretto and port wine is available to give a touch of sweetness and complexity to the dish.
Local meat offerings are also given the Chef Pam treatment. Surin beef is used to make what we think is one of the most remarkable courses in the set—a decadent baked Japanese rice dish with truffles and short rib.
Though first-cate cuts are the stars of this omakase feast, secondary cuts also shine in support roles. Grilled beef heart is used in a snack of sourdough and beef jam, while beef tongue is smoked with lychee wood, then slow-cooked, then eventually grilled (all this to produce a desirable chewy texture) before being served in a tortilla with sour cream and salsa.
A private meal at The Table by Chef Pam doesn’t come cheap. The full-course menu is priced at B9,000 per person for a minimum of four guests, but you can opt for a shorter seven-course experience at B5000 net per person for a minimum of six diners.