Paco Morales, chef of the three-Michelin-starred Noor Restaurant in Córdoba, will preside over the jury of the 21st National Pinchos and Tapas Competition in Valladolid. Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij, The World’s Best Female Chef 2025 and chef-owner of Potong in Bangkok, will chair the jury of the 9th World Tapas Championship in Valladolid.
PRESIDENTS OF THE JURIES ANNOUNCED FOR THE NATIONAL AND WORLD TAPAS COMPETITIONS CITY OF VALLADOLID
Paco Morales, chef of the three-Michelin-starred Noor Restaurant in Córdoba, will preside over the jury of the 21st National Pinchos and Tapas Competition in Valladolid.
Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij, The World’s Best Female Chef 2025 and chef-owner of Potong in Bangkok, will chair the jury of the 9th World Tapas Championship in Valladolid.
21st NATIONAL PINCHOS AND TAPAS COMPETITION
Celebrated chef Paco Morales, awarded 3 Michelin stars and 3 Repsol suns at Noor Restaurant in Córdoba, will chair the jury of the 21st edition of the National Pinchos and Tapas Competition, to be held on Monday, November 11th, and Tuesday, November 12th.
About Paco Morales
Known for both his intellectual curiosity and creative vision, Paco Morales has become an international reference in Spanish gastronomy. His long career, built on discipline, technique, and rigorous training alongside leading chefs such as Ferran Adrià and Andoni Luis Aduriz, has given him the solid foundation he brings to every one of his creations.
Nine years ago, Morales opened the doors to Noor, his personal project aimed at uniting gastronomy and culture. Through constant research and development, he has shaped Noor into a historical narrative told through food, now entering its 10th season in 2025–2026. Today, Noor shines with three Michelin stars, showcasing Morales’ unique interpretation of Andalusí cuisine and positioning him as an ambassador for his hometown, Córdoba.
About Noor
Noor—meaning “light” in Arabic—is Paco Morales’ personal project in Córdoba, his native city. The restaurant seeks to rediscover the culinary history of the region, reflecting both respect for its roots and the chef’s extensive professional experience.
With its dazzling design and cuisine inspired by the splendor of Al-Andalus, Noor blends history, gastronomy, and culture. Morales has taken on the role of “gastronomic archaeologist,” reviving forgotten flavors while creating a contemporary dialogue with the past.
Each season explores a new era, starting from the 10th-century Caliphate of Córdoba and moving through the Taifas Kingdoms, the Almoravid and Almohad Empires, the Nasrid Kingdom, the Andalusí New World, the Age of Light, and 19th-century cuisine—soon to culminate in the highly anticipated 10th season. Noor is not just a restaurant; it is a cultural project and creative R&D space dedicated to recovering and updating the culinary grandeur of Al-Andalus.
Noor—meaning “light” in Arabic—is Paco Morales’ personal project in Córdoba, his native city. The restaurant seeks to rediscover the culinary history of the region, reflecting both respect for its roots and the chef’s extensive professional experience.
Awards and Recognitions
2016
● Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal 2017: 1 star●
● Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal 2017: 1 star
● Fuera de Serie Design & Innovation Awards: Best Restaurant
2017
● Award Tapas Magazine “Chef del Año”
● Nominated “Best Head Chef” at the 2016 National Gastronomy Awards, Real Academia de Gastronomía Española
● Repsol Guide 2018: 2 suns
2019
● Repsol Guide 2019: 3 suns
● Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal 2020: 2 stars
2020
● Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal 2021: 2 stars (confirmed)
● Noor confirma sus dos estrellas Michelin en La Guía Michelin de España y Portugal 2021
2021
● The Best Chef Awards: ranked among the world’s top 100 chefs (#54)
2022
● Flag of Andalusia Award, recognizing his cultural contribution
● Amigos del Santo Reino Gastronomy Awards: Honorary Member
2023
● Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal 2024: 3 stars
● The Best Chef Awards: ranked #43 worldwide
9th WORLD TAPAS CHAMPIONSHIP
At the 9th World Tapas Championship, Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij, head chef of Potong in Bangkok and recently named The World’s Best Female Chef 2025 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, will chair the jury. The competition, held on Wednesday, November 12th, will celebrate the global excellence of tapas with 15 chefs from across five continents, joined by the reigning Spanish champion.
About Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij
Born into a family with a long tradition in plant-based Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pam is Thai, with Chinese-Australian heritage, and was raised in Bangkok.
At just 21 years old, she became the youngest chef to win the Asia Youth Hope Cooking Contest, organized by Les Disciples d’Escoffier. In 2012, she was named one of Her World’s “Young Women of the Year,” and was a finalist in the prestigious “Young Talent Escoffier” competition in France.
Pam studied at the Culinary Institute of America (New York), graduating top of her class in Culinary Arts and Management with honors. During this time, she trained at Jean-Georges, a restaurant awarded four stars by The New York Times and two Michelin stars, under executive chef Mark Lapico.
Upon returning to Bangkok, she founded The X Project, a hospitality group now operating ten restaurants and bars. Its crown jewel, Potong, is a fine-dining restaurant located in her family’s former home and business in Bangkok’s Chinatown. Potong has achieved one Michelin star, international acclaim, and was awarded “Opening of the Year” by the Michelin Guide in 2023. Pam was recognized as Asia’s Best Female Chef 2024, and in 2025, she was named The World’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Potong currently ranks 13th on the global list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Beyond her culinary achievements, Pam is a prominent media figure in Thailand and internationally, appearing as a judge on Top Chef Thailand, Top Chef Arab World, Iron Chef, and The Restaurant War Thailand. She also created Women for Women (WFW), a program designed to support future generations of Thai female chefs.
About Potong
Located in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown, Potong is named after Pam’s ancestral family business, which operated for over 120 years in the same building producing traditional Chinese medicine. Following a meticulous restoration, the space now houses multiple dining concepts across five floors, with the second and third dedicated to Potong’s fine dining experience.
Pam’s culinary philosophy is rooted in the Five Elements—salty, sour, spicy, texture, and the Maillard reaction—creating dishes designed to awaken all five senses. She describes her approach as:
Pam’s culinary philosophy is rooted in the Five Elements—salty, sour, spicy, texture, and the Maillard reaction—creating dishes designed to awaken all five senses. She describes her approach as:
“It only takes a moment to create a memory, but a lifetime to forget it.”
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Awards and Recognitions
● Thailand Favourite Restaurants Awards: “Thailand’s Best” (2023)
● Michelin Thailand: Opening of the Year (2023)
● Asia’s Best Female Chef (2024)
● The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Asia: ranked #7 (2024)
● The World’s 50 Best Restaurants: ranked #57 (2024)
● World’s Best Chef Award: 3 Knives (highest distinction, 2024)
● Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants: ranked #13 (2025)
● The World’s 50 Best Restaurants: The World’s Best Female Chef (2025)
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
November 10th, 11th and 12th M
10, 11 y 12 de noviembre
at the Cúpula del Milenio in Valladolid.
#TapasValladolid #TapasVLL2025 #SpainIsTapas
@spainistapas
ore information is available at www.concursonacionaltapas.com.
PRESS CONTACT
For press, interviews, consultancy and proposals:
Laura Rubio Vicente, Communications Department – Sociedad Mixta para la Promoción del Turismo de Valladolid, comunicacion@valladolidturismo.com, +34 983 219 310 Ext. 3475. Jessica Isidro, Mateo&Co, jessicai@mateoandco.es, +34 627 053 486.Laura Rubio Vicente, departamento de comunicación Sociedad Mixta para la Promoción del turismo de
Valladolid – comunicacion@valladolidturismo.com – Tel. 98 321 93 10 Ext. 3475
Jessica Isidro, Mateo&co – jessicai@mateoandco.es – Tel. 627 053 486
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de la identidad gastronómica española que manifiesta la versatilidad culinaria del país en dosis de degustación.