Pongcharn “Chef Top” Russell

MANAGING PARTNER, MIA RESTAURANT

Industry :

Phuket-born Chef Top spent his formative years on the Isle of Wight, UK, and honed his skills at various Michelin-starred restaurants in London and Singapore, with such mentors as Alexis Gauthier, Jun Tanaka, Pierre Gagnaire, and Jason Atherton. Overcoming the challenges of repetitive kitchen tasks, Chef Top made rapid progress. Fueled by a deep respect for French cuisine, he returned to his roots and opened Mia in Bangkok, a modern European fine dining restaurant. Here, he explores diverse flavour combinations, pushes technical boundaries, emphasises local produce, and elevates his creations to new heights. Supported by the loyalty of his Thai chef team, he aspires to train a new generation of homegrown chefs, especially those who may lack access to private culinary schools, enabling them to excel on the international stage while achieving financial self-sufficiency. Chef Top’s culinary heroes include Fernando Adrià, Heston Blumenthal, and René Redzepi of Noma. Chef Top was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia. Additionally, Mia Restaurant earned a place among the top 30 Best Restaurants in Thailand by Thailand’s Favourite Restaurants 2023-24 by Koktail, followed in close succession by a Michelin star.