To bring the film’s culinary theme to life as realistically as possible, Sittisiri, who also goes by “Dome”, recruited Chalee Kader—of Wana Yook, 100 Mahaseth, and Fran’s—as consultant chef. Dome tells us that Chalee was critical to the film’s production, responsible for not only training the actors to be convincing chefs but also designing every dish that we see on the screen. “I don’t have expert knowledge in the matter,” says the director, “and I see Chef Chalee as an artist in his own field. He’s able to translate a script into a menu. There are actually deep meanings in the dishes designed by Chalee for the film, andI hope this is something that viewers will be able to catch when they watch Hunger.”
In addition to culinary authenticity, true to its director’s reputation for twisted psychological thrillers, Hunger intentionally throws discomfort at the audience in order to get us thinking about cravings beyond food in real life. Passion, power, control, abuse, ambition, obsession, and success are just some of the themes presented through Aoy’s journey from street food cook to fine dining chef. Dome tells us that, despite Hunger being a culinary film, these are themes pertinent to almost every profession. Explaining his choice to tell the story through the lens of the F&B industry, however, the filmmaker says, “Being a chef is one profession that’s challenging and sees lots of competition. In Thailand right now especially, this industry is booming, but with it comes a lot of pressure. I picture it as a ‘fight’ for the career. You have to compete with others in the field, and you have to compete with yourself. There’s also the gender dynamics within the industry, which I wanted to portray in the film.”
To bring the film’s culinary theme to life as realistically as possible, Sittisiri, who also goes by “Dome”, recruited Chalee Kader—of Wana Yook, 100 Mahaseth, and Fran’s—as consultant chef. Dome tells us that Chalee was critical to the film’s production, responsible for not only training the actors to be convincing chefs, but also designing every dish that we see on the screen. “I don’t have expert knowledge in the matter,” says the director, “and I see Chef Chalee as an artist in his own field. He’s able to translate a script into a menu. There are actually deep meanings in the dishes designed by Chalee for the film, and I hope this is something that viewers will be able to catch when they watch Hunger.”
In addition to culinary authenticity, true to its director’s reputation for twisted psychological thrillers, Hunger intentionally throws discomfort at the audience in order to get us thinking about cravings beyond food in real life. Passion, power, control, abuse, ambition, obsession, and success are just some of the themes presented through Aoy’s journey from street food cook to fine dining chef. Dome tells us that, despite Hunger being a culinary film, these are themes pertinent to almost every profession. Explaining his choice to tell the story through the lens of the F&B industry, however, the filmmaker says, “Being a chef is one profession that’s challenging and see lots of competition. In Thailand right now especially, this industry is booming, but with it comes a lot of pressure. I picture it as a ‘fight’ for the career. You have to compete with others in the field, and you have to compete with yourself. There’s also the gender dynamics of the field, which I wanted to portray in the film.”
In Hunger, the conflict between the female protagonist and her male adversary spirals into a showdown for culinary prestige. It also becomes a war of classes, mirrored in the juxtaposing cuisines of Aoy and Chef Paul. Dome explains, “I was fascinated by the fact that, everywhere in the world, food has classes. There’s cheap food, food at the mid-tier, expensive food, extremely expensive food, and everything in between. But food in itself has no meaning. There needs to be someone who makes it and someone who eats it.”
When asked if his cuisine-filled movie will leave viewers hungry, Dome jokes that you might not have an appetite at all when you’re done with the film! “The truth is everyone’s hunger is different,” he says. “That’s the main takeaway, which I hope viewers will receive after finishing the film.”
The Design Issue
Discover the fascinating world of design in our latest magazine issue! Featuring design innovator Bill Bensley as our cover star, we delve into his creative process behind some of the most remarkable properties in South East Asia.
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