If you liked 'The Bear' you have to watch this Netflix movie: a 'Whiplash' in the world of haute cuisine

With 13 Emmy nominations under its belt for its second season, The Bear has landed on the streaming platform in Spain with the episodes of its third installment, in which the protagonists open the doors of a new restaurant with firm aspirations of obtaining a Michelin star. If after watching them you feel like a second course of chaos and stress to meet high standards in an elite kitchen, Netflix has the perfect movie for you.  

Appropriately titled Hunger, a term that not only refers to the name of the restaurant it focuses on, but also to the ambition and voracious desire to achieve success or acquire notoriety, in this case, the "hunger" of its young protagonist.

The movie follows Aoy (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying), a talented cook who runs a modest family restaurant in Bangkok, and her attempt to enter the world of haute cuisine. After a chance encounter with Tone, a junior sous-chef working at the prestigious haute cuisine restaurant of Chef Paul, Aoy auditions for a position at the restaurant and wins thanks to her excellent skills with the wok, perfected after years of cooking noodles.

From there, the story delves into the hellish and demanding world of the kitchens of the best restaurants, in a slowly cooked movie that will soon come to a boil, threatening to explode at any moment.

A psychological thriller that acts as a sort of culinary Whiplash that makes a commentary on "foodie" culture, the egos of chefs elevated to genius status, and a class critique in the style of The Menu, The Triangle of Sadness, or Parasite.

What the critics are saying

Vultured Cultured said the movie is "A fascinating exploration of how the food we eat defines us. If you liked movies like The Menu or Pig, this one will satisfy you."

Other media like Ready Steady Cut highlighted the tension "that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat with precise explorations of a toxic work environment, social status divisions, and human obsession with perfection."

The visual style has also been positively evaluated, which A Geek Community defined as "Impressive. Director Sitisiri Mongkolsiri and writer/producer Kongdej Jaturanrasamee have created a successful culinary thriller reinforced by the talented cast performances."

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence