‘Game Of Thrones’ Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Trades In Sword For A Chef’s Knife In New Film ‘A Taste Of Hunger’

The only thing scarier than a knight facing an attacking horde of White Walkers — being a chef who thinks his team sent out a bad dish to an undercover Michelin inspector. Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau handled many fantastical challenges as Jamie Lannister on ‘Game of Thrones,’ but in his new film ‘A Taste of Hunger‘ he takes on the more down-to-earth role of a chef trying to balance the demands of bringing his restaurant vision to life while dealing with the home pressures of a wife who is also his business partner. I spoke with Coster-Waldau about the film, the Danish food scene and why your next vacation should be in Greenland.

Which is harder to handle: Valyrian Steel or a chef’s knife?

It’s definitely a chef’s knife. I handled one for only 28 seconds before I cut my finger. A real proper chef’s knife is more difficult.

Did you do any chef training for the film?

I got some basic training. I did try my best but obviously it takes a long time to master. You don’t just jump in and become an elite chef. I’ve gotten to spend time with chefs, and the focus and dedication it takes is inspiring. Over the last ten years I’ve had so many great experiences at restaurants. It’s good food but it’s the whole experience that is incredible — you think, wow, what a gift they give to you as a customer. It’s an art form. 

Were you an early fan of the Danish food scene?

It’s a small country, so yes. I spent time with Rasmus Kofoed who won the world championship of chefs, the Bocuse d’Or. And then I met René Redzepi with Noma and his idea of only using resources you can get within 100 miles of the restaurant. That kind of changed the food scene in Denmark and then all over the world. I’ve been lucky to visit these restaurants. I recommend!

Was there a specific chef you based your character on for the film?

Sometimes you get scripts and the character description is just his job: Chef. Cop. Writer. And there’s more to a character than that. What I could relate to with this role is the guy has a job that is also his passion. And his circumstances are unique and I wanted to dig that out myself. So there wasn’t a specific chef in mind but I’ve been inspired by meeting a lot of them. You also try to avoid the pitfalls of having watched too many reality chef competitions. I didn’t want to be Gordon Ramsey.

I read that you said you were raised by a single mom who didn’t cook…

My mom will never let me live that down. The fact that I mentioned that was not a good idea. It’s the truth though. 

…so I was wondering if you enjoy cooking now?

I can cook, but I’m not a great cook. I do enjoy cooking with my wife and I like the daily ritual. I insist that we are sitting together at a table as a family. That’s important. It’s about the time together. And screens are off.

What should Americans know about Danish cuisine?

There’s a lot of fish. And a lot of pickled stuff. When people go ‘what is this?’ — this is a delicious picked herring. I think we have incredible bread and if you like any kind of pork, theres a roast we do at Christmas which is spectacular. It’s all the old foods.

Are you a wine person?

I’m really good at drinking good wine. But I’m not an expert. I just assume if it’s over a certain price it’s very good. Which is not very clever, I know.

How about spirits?

What kind of actor am I? Every actor seems to have their own tequila brand.

Is there a Danish spirit you like?

Snaps. I think Danish spirits should be introduced to the whole world. It loosens people up and it’s a very tasty thing. People make their own. You go out and cut your herbs, my favorite is from Greenland. My wife is from Greenland. They take all these local herbs, put it in snaps and leave it for months. My father-in-law is 80 now. In the morning he drinks one and he’s set for the day.

Do you enjoy Greenland?

I love it there. I’ve been going there for 24 years now. We have a second home there. What I love is my family and friends and the nature is breathtaking. It’s so big it kind of puts your own existence into perspective — in a healthy way.

In the film, your character has an intensity as a chef and then a different intensity in his home life.

Before you have kids the focus is on your job and ambition. And you’re younger. It’s all you think about. Then you meet someone and fall in love and and there’s no space for anything more in the brain. And then, for this character, his wife gets pregnant. And he wants to move on like always. He wants to fulfill his vision for the restaurant but he also want to be the best dad in the world. That’s difficult. And he finds out that what he is best at is what he sticks with the most — his job. That takes over so he misses things he shouldn’t with his wife. 

Do you have a memorable meal that stands out for you?

I was with some of the cast from Game of thrones at Noma. One Saturday a month the young chefs will present a dish to René and we were allowed to join for this in the kitchen. We were told we’re not allowed to clap or even say whether you liked something or not. We tasted the dishes and they were all incredible. And this young kid, about 21, said his ambition was to make a bread that tasted like the ocean – that sounded weird. René took a bite. We all took a bite. It was a very intense moment. Suddenly René leaned back and started clapping! Everyone was so happy for the kid, it was beautiful. You could relate to the work he put into it and the accomplishment when his idol applauded him — when applause was not allowed. 

‘A Taste of Hunger,’ Written and Directed by Christoffer Boe will be available in theaters and on demand January 28, 2022. Also being released on January 28 is ‘Flee,’ a documentary produced by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau which tells the story of  Amin Nawabi, a child refugee from Afghanistan.