If there is one show on air today that captures the essence of what it's like to work in a professional kitchen, it is, without a doubt, the FX original The Bear. Premiering on FX on Hulu in June 2022, this American drama television series created by Christopher Storer perfectly encapsulates the stress of a struggling family-owned shop nestled in the heart of Chicago. The series has garnered a great deal of critical acclaim since it premiered at has been nominated for 13 Prime Time Emmys, including Outstanding Drama.
Updated July 27, 2023: If you're a fan of The Bear then you'll be glad to know this article was recently updated by Amanda Minchin to include information from new and upcoming seasons.
Season two premiered in June 2023 and saw an increase in viewership, suggesting this show's audience is growing thanks to positive word of mouth. Now that season two has wrapped, and fans eagerly await season 3, let's take a look at what makes the fiery drama on this half-hour series really sizzle.
The Collaborative Ensemble of The Bear
A large part of the show's success is its excellent cast. The story follows young Michelin-star chef Carmy, a stressed-out fine-dining chef on the rise. He returns home to Chicago after his brother Mikey's suicide, where he has, for better or worse, inherited his family's run-down sandwich shop. He soon hires Sydney, a culinary school-trained sous chef, who has not had much of a chance to showcase her ambition and talent. Once on board, he throws her right into the deep end. Even us viewers feel like we're being thrown into our first day on the job, a sauce to stir here, a mince to chop there. This show is not afraid to emphasize the chaos right from the get-go.
The Bear is a refreshing look into a distinct world with a great ensemble. We're given a whole slew of different characters to unpack as Carmy attempts to rein in a crew of old employees from his late brother's debt-ridden management: from curious pastry chef Marcus to Somalian immigrant Ebra, to line cook Tina, to his non-biological "cousin" and his street-smart, grief-ridden manager, Richie. That alone is chaotic enough!
As we watch the growth of these realistic restaurant workers, we are instantly given an insight into the workings of the kitchen, realizing just how difficult it is to manage staff and work collaboratively as a team. The audience easily becomes accustomed to the natural and necessary rhythms of the kitchen and the restaurant lingo that goes with it, from "yes, chef," to "corner," to "hands!" - most of which would be learned on the job in real life.
What Sets The Bear Apart From the Competition
That being said, viewers are no strangers to the pressure of the kitchen, thanks in part to the plethora of competitive cooking shows on just about every platform, from Master Chef to Hell's Kitchen, to The Great British Bake-Off and Chopped. From yelling across the restaurant (we're looking at you, Gordon Ramsay), to the ticking of the timer, to humanity's naturally competitive nature, food porn and reality TV go hand in hand.
This dynamic has rarely been brought to scripted television... until now.
Scrumptious platters made in twenty minutes or less aside, most communication on the show is in the form of heated arguments, with near-constant yelling between staff. The ticking timer is silent, but everywhere, from the renovation of the restaurant to the next bill or food order. Carmy is no stranger to this, of course, having worked for several highly-rated eateries in his day. His own internalized anxiety acts as a near-constant unseen but always heard reminder. This near-audible tension only grows as things get more complicated throughout the series.
Just How Realistic is The Bear?
The Bear is one of those shows that perfectly captures the frantic, stressful, and barely controlled chaos of a professional kitchen. The show's easily binge-able half-hour episodes manage to capture the visceral, adrenaline-pumping intensity of the food industry, the financial responsibility of a small business, the gentrification of urban spaces, and the drive real restaurant workers experience to produce amazing food.
While by no means a perfect representation (their white t-shirts, for instance, are practically incapable of staining), this unglorified look at the ins and outs of a chef is melodramatic but highly relatable.
Said Chef Patrick Keefe of the series, "It might be a little sensationalized but make no mistake between food, people and facility it shows how much a chef has to manage to stay afloat. Restaurants big and small are a true labor of love."
Unfortunately, a lot of the trauma that's unpacked in The Bear is realistic as well, and not just in its portrayal of issues like addiction and grief. Chefs have since come out to say that some of the disrespectful and downright demeaning dialogue, such as that in the opening sequences, could have been taken word for word from behind the scenes of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Even worse, the only acceptable response to such verbal abuse is often a downright distasteful "Yes, Chef".
But back to the addiction and grief. The Bear takes an unflinching look at addiction, particularly for family and friends of the afflicted, as well as grief after the sudden loss of a family member from suicide. Each character deals with this in their own way. Carmy, for example, self-isolates in his work until he reluctantly joins a group. Others, like manager Richie, turn to their own vices.
The Bear is a Needed Thank You, Chef
As dishes clang, chefs shout, and food is served, it becomes clear that we as a society are quite unaware of just how intense the food industry is.
This is especially relevant when, in season one, episode seven, the director conveys a particularly stressful day by maneuvering the camera through the shop as orders pile on. To the audience, it seems unimaginable that anyone could ever work in such stressful conditions (especially the essential workers who endured this hell during a global pandemic). Viewers are left struggling to keep up as Carmy attempts to keep everyone sane during the rush. In doing so, the audience is made to feel like one of the staff without ever lifting a finger. And, when things inevitably fall apart, as they often do, we can't help but feel just a little bit guilty for not having jumped in sooner.
Yet, cooking is an art, and that's why (despite the stressful working conditions) chefs still love it, and we, as the ravenous audience, are eager for it. In doing so, The Bear teaches its audience to appreciate the work and talent that goes into producing beautiful food.
Why The Bear Excels at Fiery Drama
At the end of the day, The Bear is a dramatic success because of its ensemble cast and use of real-life influences. Each member of the staff must always expect the unexpected. The audience can't help but respect these workers. It's that very feeling which makes this series so compelling. Each scene is tense and magnificent, but more importantly, realistic, a rendition of what it is like in real life.
Season two brought viewers more into these characters' personal lives, and even while the kitchen has changed, the stress remains the same. The characters, like real-life people, are constantly evolving and changing and need to adjust to an ever-changing world. As the series continues, it will be interesting to see how the format changes and which characters find new purpose.
This FX original mixes drama and food in a way that makes us want to get up and start cooking. Next time you go to a restaurant, you'll have a better idea of where your food comes from. You might even leave saying, "Thank You, Chef."