That gastronomy is growing exponentially throughout the world is an undeniable phenomenon. Ferrán Adrià took hold of French culinary culture and revolutionized world cuisine with what we today call “haute cuisine.” The Michelin stars, the creativity, the fame, the extreme demand to pursue something that goes far beyond filling the stomach is something that has reached ordinary people. More and more people travel the world to see monuments inside plates of food and not on the streets or palaces. More and more people watch television and go to the movies to continue soaking up this world.
The generation that grew up with ‘Ratatouille’ has had enough on television of programs like ‘Masterchef’, ‘Kitchen Nightmare’ or the Gordon Ramsay and Anthony Bourdain shows until reaching 2024 where one of the most famous series is a ‘ The Bear’ (which will soon premiere season 3). Obviously, there are many cooking movies, some of them very recent. From Japan we have received modern classics such as ‘A Pastry Shop in Tokyo’ or ‘The Last Wish Cook’. In the West we tend to give it a touch of thriller as in the viral ‘The Menu’, with Anya Taylor-Joy or the remarkable ‘Hierve’, filmed in a single sequence shot. Of course, we also have no shortage of documentaries like Netflix’s ‘Soul’, where an attempt is made to make a bridge between tradition and haute cuisine by creating unions between Basque and Japanese gastronomy.
However, there is a film that became a small phenomenon on Netflix in 2023 and that, despite appearing in the famous Top 10, failed to generate the headlines it deserved. After all, when they tell you that its protagonist is called Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, it is normal to be a little scared by the unknown. We talk, of course, about ‘Hunger’. Film directed by Sitisiri mongkolsiri and written by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee that, due to the length and complexity of its names, should have already sounded like Thai cinema to us. Here, yes, we are not faced with products from prestigious festival authors such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul but rather with a film that is quite accessible beyond the “exotic” border of the little that we usually consume of Thai cinema (even among regular viewers of Asian cinema). .
‘Hunger’ tells the story of Aoy, a young woman who runs her family’s noodle shop in Bangkok. One day she receives an invitation to work on the team at the prestigious restaurant ‘Hunger’ (‘Hunger’, like the title of the film). She will do so under the supervision of the famous chef Paul, a boss whose demands border on criminality. Drama, suspense, violence and tension soon occupy a good part of the gastronomic story of ‘Hunger’, one of those perfect films for anyone who continues looking for drama and tension in the pursuit of perfection in the kitchen.
Rafael is an expert in movies, series and video games. His thing is classic and auteur cinema, although he doesn’t miss one from Marvel or the hit of the moment on Netflix due to professional deformation. He also has a geeky side to him, as proven by his specialization in anime, k-pop, and everything related to Asian culture.
By generation, sometimes he has to write about current musical hits, from Bizarrap to Blackpink. It even has its erotic side, but limited, unfortunately, to selecting the best erotic series and movies. But he doesn’t limit himself there, since he also likes to write about gastronomy, travel, humor and memes.
After 5 years writing for Fotogramas and Esquire, the truth is that he has already done a little bit of everything, from interviews with international stars to mobile phone presentations or tastings of oil, insects and, yes, if he’s lucky, wine.
He trained in Audiovisual Communication at the University of Murcia. She later continued at the Carlos III University of Madrid with a Master’s Degree in Research in Media. In addition to beginning a doctorate on sexual representation in arthouse cinema (which she never finished), she also studied a Master’s degree in film criticism, both at ECAM and at the Writers’ School. Before, he cut his teeth writing on the Cinealacarbonara blog, continued in media such as Amanecemetropolis, Culturamas or Magnolia Magazine, and dedicated all his efforts to Mutaciones Magazine since its foundation.
He arrived at Hearst in 2018 and managed to carve out a niche for himself in the editorial offices of Fotogramas and Esquire, with which he continues to write about everything he likes and what they send him (often coincides). His good or bad taste (depending on how you look at it) also led him to get into the world of gastronomy and video games. Come on, he likes to entertain himself.
