Daniel Milder: Consuming passions

Daniel Milder is a foodie's dream. Best known for his work on documentary series, such as the Netflix shows Chef’s Table and Street Food, his work has helped to transform the way people think about eating.

The Bodega director's varied career has seen him work on shows that have been nominated for seven Emmy Awards, including three nominations for Outstanding Documentary Series and five James Beard Awards. 

The first season of Street Food (Asia) garnered more viewers than any other food-related documentary series that Netflix has ever produced. In addition to his work around food, his short films have been selected for festivals all over the world including Sundance and Tribeca, and is about to embark on directing a campaign for El Pollo Loco with agency Organic.

He shares his inspirations – which range from the Marx Brothers to music, and his dog – and ruminates on how streaming services have enhanced the viewing public's appetite for increasingly tasty documentary fare. 

Where did you grow up? Did your childhood/environment/family influence your creativity? 

I grew up in Seattle in a family where the arts were very much a part of daily life. My mom was a dancer. My grandmother was a concert pianist. My grandfather had a second career as a poet. Having that background was extremely important in my decision to pursue a life in creative expression. 

The first time I really fell in love with a film was watching old Marx Brothers movies at The Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle. Pure chaos. No rules. Total joy.

Can you tell us how you first became interested in film and filmmaking?

The first time I really fell in love with a film was watching old Marx Brothers movies at The Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle. Pure chaos. No rules. Total joy. Filmmaking came much later when I started making my own work with a group of friends in NYC, which led to making short films, which in turn led to having to figure out exactly how to do it.

Milder produced the Netflix series Street Food: Latin America.

What was your route into the industry? Did you have any mentors?

I began my career as an actor. Then I started making short films. And then I was fortunate enough to start working in documentary when the form really took off for a larger audience. 

Along the way I certainly have had people who helped me and guided my development but most important for me was finding a community of peers; actors, writers, directors, editors, cinematographers, painters who pushed me, inspired me, and lifted me up when I needed it. That was key for me early in my career and still is today.

Editors are your best friends, or should be. When you find one you jibe with hold on tight.

How did you come to work on food documentaries?

To be honest I really don’t think of these projects as ‘food documentaries’, because for the most part they are not about food. They are about people and culture. Character and story is paramount.

But food has always been extremely important in my life. It’s how we communicate in my family. My brother is a writer and editor in the food world and really was the first person to make me look at food in a deeper way. 

I was very fortunate to start working with Boardwalk Pictures around the same time they were doing the first season of Chef's Table. When the second season came around they offered me the chance to be a part of it and things took off from there. 

I really don’t think of these projects as ‘food documentaries’, because for the most part they are not about food. They are about people and culture. Character and story is paramount

You have worked as an editor on a number of your projects can you tell us how editing food films might differ from other types of film editing?

I started out editing out of necessity. Knowing the nuts and bolts has proved extremely helpful. But I am not a professional editor. Editors are your best friends, or should be. When you find one you jibe with hold on tight. It can be an incredibly rewarding relationship.

Chef's Table season 2, produced by Milder for Netflix.

Your short film Dead Cat is a touching exploration of male characters and friendships. Are you interested in pursuing more dramatic work in the future?

Absolutely. And thank you for watching! I started in narrative and made my way into the documentary world, which I love. But the directors whose career paths I admire the most went back and forth between the two and I intend to do the same. I have a couple projects I am developing with that in mind.

What is really interesting is that food is now accepted within the conversation of these other art forms, which I don’t believe it necessarily was thirty years ago.

Would you say that a country or region’s cooking can be a more important element of cultural identity than say, music or art?

I don’t believe in a hierarchy of art forms. Culture is something we interact with every day whether we do it intentionally or not. Music, art, theatre, dance, film, food are ways people find to express themselves individually and as a community. 

What is really interesting is that food is now accepted within the conversation of these other art forms, which I don’t believe it necessarily was thirty years ago. And of course I’m not just talking about haute cuisine but all kinds of cooking. 

Series such as Chef’s Table and Street Food have helped changed perceptions about eating – when and why do you think this transformation started to happen?

I think a lot of that is thanks to David Gelb and Jiro Dream of Sushi which paved the way to Chef's Table. The other major contributing factor is the explosion in streaming platforms which opened up documentaries to a wider audience.

I think there will always be an audience for well made documentaries. What the streaming platforms did was give access to people who in earlier times might not have thought to watch a doc. 

Street Food: Asia, produced by Milder.

Are we in the golden age of food documentaries? 

I think we have been living through that golden age in the last decade. It will be interesting to see how long it goes on. But of course I think there will always be an audience for well made documentaries. What the streaming platforms did was give access to people who in earlier times might not have thought to watch a doc.

What have been the most challenging/ rewarding moments of your career?

Every single project is an enormous challenge. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past, you start from zero. Finding your way through to the other side is the rewarding part.

My wife inspires me. My friends inspire me. My family inspires me. My dog inspires me!