August 5, 2025
At a time when Thai fine dining is going through a lot of change, Chef Thav Phouthavong stands out as someone bringing a new point of view. Born in Belgium, raised in London, and rooted in Laotian heritage, he brings a mix of experiences to Bangkok’s food scene. His style is modern, fun, and respectful of Southeast Asian traditions.
80/20 has been an important name in Bangkok’s modern dining scene. Known for its creative menus and focus on local Thai ingredients, the restaurant earned a Michelin star under its former leadership. When Thav became head chef in 2023, the goal wasn’t to change everything, but to add something new.
He introduced a tasting menu that mixes classic Thai flavours with new techniques. Dishes like larb pig cheek croquettes, beef tartare with khanom bueng tuile, and rabbit khao soi don’t just put a twist on tradition. They ask us to look at it in a new way. Each dish shows a chef who knows the rules well enough to play with them on purpose.
The result is a menu that feels very Thai, but also speaks to a global audience. It plays with presentation while staying strong on flavour.
Thav’s cooking didn’t come from just one place. After finishing culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu London, he trained at some of the top kitchens in the UK. This includes Hibiscus, which had two Michelin stars, Albert Adrià’s experimental 50 Days, and the well-known Taiwanese restaurants Bao and Xu.
But coming back to Southeast Asia helped him find his voice. He started as a development chef at the Blue Elephant Group, which has been part of his family for years. It was there he realised he didn’t want to just copy Thai food. He wanted to cook something that felt more personal, and more connected to his Laotian roots.
In his first year running 80/20, the restaurant kept its Michelin star. That’s a big win for any new head chef. But more than the award, Thav has added new meaning to what the restaurant stands for. He’s not chasing status. He’s telling stories through food.
Chef Thav Phouthavong is part of a shift in how Thai and Southeast Asian food is moving forward. He’s not stuck in the past. He cooks from a place of connection—to his heritage, to his surroundings, and to the people he feeds.
In an impressive climb up the global culinary ladder, the chef-owner of Potong in Bangkok, has just been named the World’s Best Female Chef for 2025.
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