Food is at the center of many cultures around the world and chefs take great pride in delivering that. Filmmaker Daniele Sestito utilizes this idea to cook-up his latest bittersweet series pilot, Off The Menu. The 37-minute episode puts forth a self-respecting Italian Chef, charged with fulfilling the culinary requests of an unusual set of patrons. He meets his biggest challenge when pushed to think beyond his old-school style and deliver a recipe beyond his grasp.
Daniele debuted Off The Menu on the festival circuit in 2023, surprising audiences and earning praise and awards for its leading actor, George Lombardo. The project was created while Daniele attended Emerson College as the result of the Black Box Theater Grant and an EVVY Award for Outstanding Writing for Film. Originally from New Jersey, Daniele seeks to create even more stories about life and humanity.
The Official Trailer for Off The Menu by Daniele Sestito
indieactivity: Briefly explain your new series pilot Off The Menu.
Daniele Sestito (DS): Off The Menu tells the story of Chef — a grandiose, proud, and demanding Italian cook who works for an unordinary institution. When faced with an unsatisfied client, he’s stumped when he’s forced to make a meal that’s culturally beyond his grasp. Told with a cartoonish and comedic liveliness, the story reveals itself to be more human and timely as it continues. It comes to a surprising yet inevitable conclusion, pushing Chef to go beyond his stubborn ways.
Where did you discover the idea?
Daniele Sestito (DS): There are two sides to the idea — Chef’s unique position, and his cultural pride. The first came simply when I got caught up in a string of thoughts while observing some cooks work in an open kitchen. This unique position popped into my mind, and I thought, “They typically don’t have anyone remarkable to cook this meal…but what if they did?” The second came when trying to discover Chef’s essence and limitations. I grew up surrounded by many Italian immigrants and realized this would be the perfect way to challenge the mix of passion and pride that they, and really a lot of humanity, has. The will to share this drove me to complete this project through thick and thin.
What were the first steps you took to make it happen?
Daniele Sestito (DS): After writing the script, I applied to do it as my undergrad thesis at Emerson College, as well as for their annual production design grant. Once I was accepted for both, there was no going back. My amazing producers came on board in the coming weeks — Cooper Yeager, Eric Dyer, and Mackenzie Zambo — as well as my outstanding production designer Beatrice Black and cinematographer Matheus Bastos. We met frequently throughout our 3 months of pre-production. That’s where the project really came together and where we overcame some tricky “how the hell are we gonna do this?” moments.
Anything you wish you could “do-over” on the project?
Daniele Sestito (DS): Of course. If I’m being honest, those regrets ate at me for months after production. But my perspective has opened up a lot after completing the project. Making a film isn’t about me living up to my idea of perfection. Now, I feel it’s about making my best attempt to convey truth, at that time in my life, under those circumstances. A vision is a path, not an exact blue-print.
How did you get into filmmaking?
Daniele Sestito (DS): As a kid, my brother and I made a couple of homemade films, and I approached them in a very detailed manner. In high school, I took a tv production program for 3 years and a film studies class once. My core understanding of and experiences with filmmaking came from those. The production program, in particular, was immensely collaborative yet competitive, and I remain good friends with several of my classmates. Doing filmmaking as a career came naturally since hardly anybody discouraged me.
What types of stories are you interested most in telling?
Daniele Sestito (DS): As time goes on, I feel that my creativity has no boundaries. When I create, I navigate by with a handful of truths and unraveling them — no matter the format, genre, or theme. That being said, I often focus on telling cinematic stories that deepen our appreciation for and life, and that challenge internal or external tyrannies.
How do you balance creativity and financial restrictions?
Daniele Sestito (DS): I try to stay in touch with the core of the story, and honor that as best as I can. Maintaining a story’s consistency and integrity can often be simpler than we think. If my understanding of the story is superficial, then I’ll probably be looking at money to fix issues. Additionally, if my project’s gotta be good and it’s gotta be cheap, then time has to be on my side throughout every stage of production. I’ve seen indie projects be compromised when they didn’t value their time, schedule efficiently, or allow room for the unexpected.
Any tips for other filmmakers?
Daniele Sestito (DS): Love the craft, but don’t become obsessed with it. There’s no movie, no book, or no interview that’s gonna make you the creative you want to be. Put your energy towards becoming a more open and remarkable human being, and you’ll naturally become a better creative. If you can appreciate life rather than being bothered by it, things can pivot in an instant.
What do you want to change about the film business?
Daniele Sestito (DS): Cinematic stories literally change the way people perceive the world and behave in it. If the
industry’s focus is one-dimensional and superficial, that’s gonna reflect on the viewers. Not to sound like a commune hippy, but a dream of mine is to gather communities of emerging filmmakers practicing mindfulness or spirituality in low-rent buildings. The idea is to cultivate higher values, a purer sense of creativity, and to make sure that those qualities uplift others and are not corrupted as their careers develop. If deeply-rooted people like that end up creating in and leading the industry, I think the masses will gradually find something more profound and truthful in theaters / on tv, and will be inspired by that.
Who is your creative idol and what do you love about their work?
Daniele Sestito (DS): Anyone who knows me knows that I’m the biggest Paul Thomas Anderson fan in the tri-state area! I feel his films are well-crafted and meaningful on every level, and he doesn’t create a division between the dramatic and the comedic. As I grow older though, I admire how he — and other directors like Francis F. Coppola and Richard Linklater — see their films as more than just a piece of art that they have ownership over. They are immensely collaborative, flexible, and uplifting. During Licorice Pizza, actress Alana Haim told Paul, “You saw a side of me that I’d always hoped would come out one day, and you brought it out of me years before I was ready to do it.” I hope to uplift those I collaborate with in a similar manner.
Tell us what you think of the interview with Daniele Sestito. What do you think of it? What ideas did you get? Do you have any suggestions? Or did it help you? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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