Savor the Taste of Ambition in Fiery Thai Film ‘HUNGER’

With two culinary powerhouses locked in a battle of wills against the backdrop of fine dining, HUNGER promises to be a feast for the eyes and mind when it premieres on April 8.

Directed by Sitisiri Mongkolsiri (Inhuman Kiss) and written by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee (Faces of Anne, Where We Belong), the film tells a story about human hunger through Aoy (Chutimon ‘Aokbab’ Chuengcharoensukying), who runs her family’s street food stall, and culinary genius Chef Paul (Nopachai ‘Peter’ Jayanama), who leads a top private chef team called “Hunger.” When Aoy was invited to join Paul, she encounters Tone (Gunn Svasti), the team’s sous-chef, who plays a key role in the ensuing showdown between her and Paul.

“This is a journey of two people, each driven by their own hunger into many situations and complications,” says Sitisiri.

Using food as a metaphor for human desire and ambition, he adds, “People can eat until they are full, but they may still be hungry for acceptance, fame, love and more.”

In the film, food is not just sustenance but a form of art, with much attention paid to crafting each element to perfection. To achieve this, Sitisiri, who is not a cook, worked with Chef Chalee Kader of Michelin fame to learn more about the art of food creation and fine dining. Chef Chalee and a team of chefs were present at every cooking scene to ensure that each dish was visually captivating.

Cast members also had to earn their culinary chops to look the part on-screen. Peter and Aokbab worked with fitness trainers to bulk up by 7kg and 5kg, respectively, and were put through lessons with Chef Chalee to gain real culinary skills.

“An advantage of having the actors know cooking skills is that they could get into their characters more authentically. This made the shoot and the performances much better,” explains Sitisiri.

Like a finely prepared dish, HUNGER has many nuances and layers.

“Some people may relate to Aoy, Paul or Tone, while others may focus on the food or social context. Or it can also be a source of inspiration for those who are fighting to achieve their dreams,” he adds. “There are many different sides to be seen, and I leave it up to the viewers to discover their own take.”

HUNGER will be released on April 8, only on Netflix.