In Netflix's newest Thai thriller, Hunger, we come across a young woman who finds herself as a rising chef after leaving her family's noodle business and joining the restaurant of one of Thailand's most desired chefs, Chef Paul (played by Nopachai Chaiyanam).
Although Chef Paul has a brutal way of spearheading his kitchen, he manages to get the respect of his audience and the loyalty of most of his staff. So even when the tough gets going, Aoy (played by Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) can't seem to quit her job. She gets more intrigued by her mentor, as she seeks to gain his approval.
Why Did Aoy Leave Hunger?
Unfortunately, there is one incident that convinces Aoy to leave Chef Paul's kitchen. After leaving the hospital, Chef Paul accepts a client who loves to hunt. He brings Chef Paul and his crew to a remote jungle, where he hunts down a hornbill as his next meal.
Upon realizing this, Tones (played by Gunn Svasti), one of Chef Paul's most loyal sous chefs, quits. Aoy confronts Chef Paul and reminds him that it is illegal to hunt and cook an endangered bird. Chef Paul tells her that they were simply hired to cook. And true enough, they did not kill the bird since it was their client who shot it down. This, however, upsets Aoy who decides to leave Hunger and get in touch with Chef Paul's rival, Mr. Tos (played by Varit Leesavan).
Why Did Chef Paul Get Arrested?
After making a name for herself at Flame, Aoy gets hired to cook at a party hosted by a socialite. She later uncovers that they weren't actually invited to the event but Mr. Tos had to pull some strings to get in. It's possible that Mr. Tos convinced the socialite, Madam Milky, to hire them for her event so there will be an interesting cookoff between Aoy and Chef Paul.
At the party, it appeared like Chef Paul won his cookoff with Aoy. But before he could leave, police come to arrest him. It turns out that Tones was actually filming Chef Paul as he prepared the endangered bird for cooking. Since this is illegal in Thailand, the seasoned chef was escorted by the police for questioning.
What Are the Lessons Chef Paul Teach Aoy?
There are a number of life lessons that Chef Paul taught Aoy without her realizing it. Apart from the culinary lessons she got from her mentor, Aoy got guided with the realities of her chosen career. Here are some of the lessons that Chef Paul taught her:
- Cooking for the rich is like an exhibit. They do not really care about the amount of effort or history of a dish that a chef prepares for them. They are simply looking at a dish's intricate design.
"What you eat represents your social status. It has nothing to do with love."
"The poor eat simply to satisfy their hunger. But when you have more than enough to eat, your hunger doesn't end. Your hunger for approval, for something special, for exclusive experiences."
"You're a famous chef now. My comments… mean nothing. Only your customers' do."
"It's scary, isn't it? From now on, all you will ever think about is 'When will I fall off the edge? Am I still relevant? Is this really for me?' You'll cling to your success at all cost without realizing what you've lost. But don't panic yet. This is just the start. There is so much more for you to lose. That, is the price for being special."
"No matter how good your food is, how sophisticated it looks, or how creative your menu is, prejudice is something you can never overcome. These people know who I am. They've already crowned me the winner because they are hungry for me."
Does Chef Paul Hate Aoy?
We believe that prior to the cookoff, Chef Paul did not really hate Aoy. When he visited Aoy's restaurant, Flame, he gave her some sound advice that reminded her of what she was missing in her life. He spoke sincerely and with kind eyes.
At Madam Milky's party, however, Chef Paul believed that Aoy was so hungry for validation that she stooped so low by embarrassing her former mentor. He did not know that it was actually Tones and Mr. Tos who released the footage.
This realization also convinced Aoy to return home and be with her loved ones, before she loses them too. In the end, Aoy was content with cooking Pad See Ew at her family's restaurant, where she will be the chef.
The Thai movie, Hunger, is now available to stream on Netflix. You can watch its trailer here:
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