Serving Passion on a Plate
Words: Ahmad Al-Dabagh | Photo credits: Job Cherdchay
The Year of the Horse carries with it a promise of movement, rapid transformation and intense energy, qualities that gallop through the work of Job Cherdchay (@jobjirach). A creative director and photographer currently based in London, Job’s practice moves between image, space, and story, inviting audiences into experiences that feel intimate and visceral. Tracing a recent journey through Rio de Janeiro and across cultures, Job brings us into the intimate ritual of shared meals through his supper club (@wanderersupper).
We chatted about creativity in motion and the art of never standing still.
Some cities demand stillness; others demand passion and movement. You recently travelled to Rio de Janeiro, what did it awaken in you creatively?
Rio sits in an extreme balance between life, play, and samba. I’ve never been to a city where everything feels this alive. For a moment I thought ‘don’t people work here?’ but it’s the Carioca way of life. The beach is the only place I’ve experienced that everyone feels truly equal. Status disappears. Rio reminded me that liveliness itself can be a form of inspiration.
Your supper club is rooted in intimacy. What drew you to creating shared meals as an experience?
Being Thai, food is our unspoken love language. We don’t always express care with words but we do by asking, “Have you eaten yet?” Wanderer Supper naturally grew from combining that instinct to share, with my passion for photography and travel. I wanted to bring people to different parts of the world through food. When people eat together, they open up. There’s a natural intimacy.
The Year of the Horse speaks to momentum and freedom. What does freedom mean to you right now? When you’re cooking for others, what are you hoping they feel?
For me, freedom is the ability to express myself honestly. I do that through food by sharing stories, memories, and culture on a plate. Today, expectations are high, attention spans are short. I’m not trying to impress anyone. Just reminding people how important it is to feel present, to feel free. When I cook for others, I hope they feel transported, curious, and connected to the meal and surrounding.
Every city has a soundtrack. What were you listening to in Rio?
Jorge Ben Jor.
Maybe I romanticise Rio more than I should, but when you listen to his music, you understand the soul of Brazil.
How do you know when it’s time to move on — to a new place, a new project, or a new version of yourself?
There’s no checklist. You just feel when you’ve reached the limit of what a place or chapter can offer you.
I believe every chapter has its own ending, and that ending always leads to a more exciting beginning.
Your personal style is refined yet fluid. How has it evolved over time?
It’s understanding who I am. That comes with age and experience.
I started as a sneakerhead, then moved into a more sartorial way of dressing. Now, I’m collaborating with artisans to make pieces I want to wear with my own set of usage, palette and material. A balance between sharp tailoring and comfortable casual pieces.
Growing up in Thailand shaped your cultural lens. How does that inform the way you travel and see the world?
Thailand is known for clear water and sandy beaches, but we have a long and deeply layered cultural history. It taught me to look beyond the surface when I travel. I’m always searching for something deeper, the context of what makes the place. Asking more of How, Who, What, When, Why and Where.
Where did you stay in Rio, and what places would you recommend?
I stayed in Copacabana, on the western end of the coastline.
If we were to pick you brain, what would be your key recommendations?
• A martini at Copacabana Palace @belmondcopacabanapalace
• Caipirinhas in Ipanema
• Cold beer at Jobi
• A walk inside Jardim Botânico @jardimbotanicorj
• Picanha at Braseiro da Gavea @braseirodagavea
• An evening at the theatre: Peça Infantil, starring my dear friend Chay
• Lunch with a view at Aprazível
• Sunday race at Jockey Club Brasileiro @jockeyclubbrasileiro
Finally, what’s always in your suitcase?
1. Loopwheeled T-shirt
3. Pablos