MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: CINDY HAMILTON
“I love to cook, and I also love to take care of people – I’m the mom of the set!”
Cindy Hamilton is a First Aid/Craft Service member. She was in the kitchen by the age of five and has been cooking ever since – from landing her first Craft Service job in China, to building her own food truck business in Vancouver, and joining the Union’s First Aid/Craft Service Department. With credits to her name such as 'Kill Bill', 'The Kite Runner', and 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor', Cindy shares her remarkable journey in the motion picture industry.
WHEN HOLLYWOOD CALLS, YOU ANSWER
Cindy was rock climbing in Beijing, China, when an unexpected opportunity to cater for a Hollywood film set came her way.
For the past year, Cindy had been living in the Northern Capital, working in a career completely unrelated to the motion picture industry.
During her climb, she overheard two men discussing a major Hollywood production that was about to arrive in the city. The production was having trouble finding someone who could provide Western-style catering.
“I love to cook, but I’d never worked in film. I’d never catered before,” Cindy thought.
With a little hesitation and a deep love for cooking, Cindy turned to the two men and said, “Hey guys, I’ll cater your film for you!”
Two days later, Cindy was on set catering for Kill Bill.
She started by providing craft service for the American and Chinese crews. Craft service typically include a variety of snacks, beverages, and light meals. With just one assistant, a hot plate, a microwave, and a couple of toaster ovens, Cindy got to work.
Soon enough, light snacks turned into full meals. Cindy was preparing breakfast and lunch for about 10 people each day. Ten became 20, and before she knew it, she was making three meals a day for 100 people, providing craft service for an additional 200 crew members, and cooking for the executive team including director Quentin Tarantino and principal cast members Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu.
“I was sleeping in my kitchen. It was nuts, but it was the most fun job I’ve ever done,” she says.
Cindy and Quentin Tarantino, director of ‘Kill Bill’.
Over the next nine years, upon finishing Kill Bill, Cindy split her time between China and Canada, working on productions in both countries.
BREAD, BUTTER, AND BEYOND: THE REALITIES OF CRAFTY IN CHINA
Cindy’s time in China was unforgettable, but it came with its fair share of challenges. Looking back, a few moments stood out in particular.
“I was trying to find butter in Beijing, but there were only a couple places that would sell it.”
Ingredients that were common in North America were often difficult to find halfway across the world. Eventually, Cindy adapted by making the most of what was available. She even taught a local baker how to make Western-style bread, as Chinese bread tends to be sweeter than what the crew was accustomed to.
Things became even more complicated during the production of The Kite Runner, which was filmed in Ürümqi, a city in northwestern China.
“I had bought $100,000 worth of food in Beijing and had a reefer truck drive it across the country. It took them 18 days to get to Ürümqi.”
As if coordinating the shipment wasn’t stressful enough, the real surprise came when the truck finally arrived. Cindy opened the doors only to find that all the food was gone.
As it turned out, there had been cases where truck drivers would submit fraudulent receipts and keep the money instead of delivering the goods. Cindy was left with an empty truck and a daunting challenge of feeding the crew with no supplies.
“I had to go to three different villages to get enough yak meat and supplies to feed the crew every day. It was so hard. About a month into the job, I went to the producer and said, ‘We need to start getting food helicoptered in,’ and that’s what we did.”
Though the experience was overwhelming at times, Cindy looks back on her nine years in China with fondness and gratitude. She credits much of that experience to the people she worked with, including her staff, who stayed with her throughout her entire time there.
“I’m still really good friends with all of them. They’re awesome people.”
Cindy and a colleague pose with a prop of Lucy Liu's head in the kitchen at Beijing Film Studios.
LIFE AFTER CHINA: MOM’S GRILLED CHEESE TRUCK, FAMILY TIME, AND WORKING IN VANCOUVER
Cindy eventually returned to Vancouver in 2011, continuing her work in the First Aid/Craft Service Department at IATSE 891. That same year also brought a new chapter in her life as she welcomed her daughter. Wanting to spend more time with her family, Cindy decided to step away from the long hours of production and turn her attention toward building a grilled cheese food truck called “Mom’s”.
A favourite among customers and local media, Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck has been named top grilled cheese sandwich and top food truck year after year. Cindy sold the business to its current owners in 2020, but the food truck continues to operate today.
Cindy dressed as Gord Downie from The Tragically Hip for Halloween, posing in front of the Mom’s Grilled Cheese truck.
Looking back on the past 16 years, Cindy reflects on her return to the film industry.
“It was just a year yesterday that I’ve been back into craft service here with the Union, and I love it. It’s so much fun, like having a dinner party every day with my friends.”
Though delicious food and piping hot coffee are a big part of the job, Cindy’s role extends far beyond keeping the crew fed. As a First Aid/Craft Service member, she is also responsible for providing first aid on and off set, completing safety incident reports, and maintaining first aid facilities.
She recalls an incident that happened just an hour into her very first day on the job.
“This person was carrying a large terracotta pot, and it broke while he was carrying it. He severed his femoral artery. I had just recently completed my training, so I knew to apply pressure, and we got him to a hospital. He was fine, but it was very intense.”
Thankfully, Cindy hasn’t experienced another incident quite as serious since then. But while craft service is often associated with food, she says first aid remains the most important part of the role. After all, you’re the first point of contact when an emergency happens.
“Everybody’s more interested in the food for sure, but I love both. It’s kind of like a job that I was waiting for my whole life.”
Cindy serving up some drinks on set.
THE COMMUNITY THAT KEEPS HER GOING
Growing up as a latchkey kid, Cindy was making her own lunch after school by the age of five. By the time she was eight, she was cooking Thanksgiving turkey dinners for her brother and his friends while their parents were away at work.
“I started cooking at a really young age because I had to, but I just fell in love with it.”
From accommodating a wide range of dietary restrictions to staying within budget and managing invoices, Cindy approaches every aspect of the job with the same dedication: making sure everyone feels taken care of.
“You've got to have the vegetarian option, vegetarian gluten-free, vegetarian dairy-free, vegetarian gluten-free and dairy-free… and then there’s the meat options.”
No matter how demanding the job becomes, Cindy never gets tired of cooking. Even after a long day on set, she goes home and does it all over again – preparing dinner for her family.
“I'll go 110% for these people. I love taking care of these crews. They're awesome.”
Written by Erica Lim, Copywriter for IATSE 891.
Are you an 891 member who’d like to be featured in a Spotlight? Know an 891 member making BC’s motion picture community a better place for all workers? Email Spotlight suggestions to communications@iatse.com. Read more 891 Member Spotlights here! Visit Ourwork.ca for more on the benefits of joining the Union.
