High Five: Food for Thought

Spark & Riot director Claudia Biondini serves up five campaigns that prove great food advertising is about far more than making audiences hungry.

Food is an evolving creature and, for me, a beautiful obsession. Directing food is about exposing the visceral connection between the table and our deepest desires. Over time, I’ve realised that I am not driven by a predefined style, but by pure intuition — a fluid pursuit of beauty that gives meaning to personal experience. Whether in my commercial work or personal projects, I continue to explore the raw potential of food and the intimacy it creates.

I would like to define my work as quirky, feminine, and sexy. On set, I find joy in creating powerful visuals that treat food as something simultaneously sacred and profane. This is why, when you ask me about my favourite food pieces, my simplest answer would be: any film, recent or old, with a food scene! That is enchanting to me, as the food part is always an explanatory, summarised version of the film's style and the anima of the work.

From Luis Buñuel’s work to 'Fried Green Tomatoes', these scenes instantly expose the underlying humus of a movie. Whether it’s Buñuel using a dinner table to dissect bourgeois hypocrisy through surreal satire, or 'Fried Green Tomatoes' turning cooking into a visceral celebration of sisterhood and rebellion, food is never just a prop. It is the raw, emotional core that mirrors the entire film's soul.

I’ve been truly honest and shared my most authentic food pieces crushes, selecting them from my Instagram archives and, of course, my memory. Sometimes, even if a project isn't yours, you just feel that spark when you look at it -- and that spark is what keeps you going.

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The works I've done that I like to look back on are those where I remember the ease I felt when I first received the briefs; I was able to portray the vision instinctively. In some cases, having more room to maneuver allowed me to implement the original ideas and make them even better and more beautiful. It made the whole process feel so much more meaningful. Of course, the more I am free to explore the brief the way I want, the more I enjoy it. I love working with the cast, and when I have to create an impactful scenario -- and yes, it is always a hustle!

My personal works are always an important part of the process, as they allow me to create freely and to inspire myself, enriching my work. This is one that I created after the pandemic, and it talks about us being nicely and comfortably trapped at home, drinking and eating alone. It takes inspiration, of course, from so many remarkable movies I’ve seen.

We all had different experiences of the pandemic, and as crazy as it was, I used this 30” to explore the dreamy world of food and drinks we all experienced in isolation. It’s intentionally a bit unsettling -- a reflection of that strange intimacy. But honestly, thank God cinema and food exist to make our lives fancier; they were the only things that gave that period some sublime.

Nadia Lee Cohen is one of the most inspiring directors for me, and I’ve followed her since the beginning of her career. I remember when I first saw 'Dinner’s Ready', the way she explores the dining scene and the sheer richness of the visuals completely captivated me. She manages to be fun, weird, and very sensual all at the same time.

Food has become an iconic symbol in advertising, and I really admire the way Ffern showcases their perfumes, using food to evoke a natural and ancestral power. It’s simple, effective and invigorating. This campaign channels the most pure and rich natural side of food.

This is an Instagram crush! The craziest, most beautiful thing I’ve seen recently (and a dream shoot I’ve always wanted to explore) is the recent work 'Une Table Pleine de Vaisselle Qui Flott' by Alix Lacloche. She is a culinary scenographer whose work I deeply admire because it is so poetic and vigorous, leaving you simultaneously hungry and enchanted. For Tuba Club, a restaurant in Marseille, she staged a dining scene right in the beautiful waters of the sea.

The exact same, if not even more absolute charm, goes to 'Winner' by Marianna Simnett. Even though it’s a bit disturbing, I love that even if I don’t fully understand why she did it, I still felt completely amazed watching it. The beauty of not having to explain why is what makes art so powerful and free.