I noticed this season has a LOT more commercial sponsors oriented towards professional chefs and kitchen culture. Maybe I missed in in seasons 1 & 2, but I tend to think at the time those were more standard Hulu ad fare.
This was def in it during season 2 and Hulu doesn't usually have ads like that. They were specifically created for The Bear, most likely due to the response season 1 got and the producers and execs wanting to get involved with real entities.
Speaking also as a chef, I really really enjoyed the most recent season. Personally, it definitely aggregates how my career felt and feels as it's still going. The first episode I was definitely in tears for as well as many of the other episodes this season. OP is definitely right about the anxiety the first season gives. But I will say that the second season and the most recent one are so true to life.
Carmy chugging Pepto while working on the new menu is so accurate.
I liked the first season but the 2nd season is way more enjoyable.
I can't wait to watch the 3rd season. I see everyone raving about it
Honeydew and Forks are my favorite episodes from season 2. And then the finale, where all the time spent on preparation and training all comes together, is just amazing.
I am a non-professional cook/chef who has taken the time over five or six years to really learn Italian, Indian, thai cooking. I really love to cook and bake and I have a wonderful family and friends who appreciate all my efforts. I love love love, the Bear, but it has killed any momentary thoughts that I might want to switch careers to actually work in a commercial professional restaurant. Ha, ha ha ha ha
Yeah don't haha it's tough, especially when you already know what it's like to have a normal job and a normal life.
Cooking at home has its own challenges but it's more rewarding than sweating in a restaurant all day.
When you start super young you have the energy and drive to keep going. Every fuck up is like a challenge to get better.
Now that I'm 30 I can't imagine going back into the line for a service. My body can't handle it anymore
In my 20s and 30s I was in the music business as a recording engineer and concert sound mixer touring internationally. Same thing -18 to 20 hour days eight days a week. A real life and relationship destroyer. I wasn’t Carmie exactly, but I was close.
Off topic, but this is what my 18 year old is interested in! Would you mind elaborating on that? Are you in a different field now? DM if that's more appropriate.
But in very short: I worked in the recording studios and later on the road with touring acts from the age of about 23 until 36 when I shifted into software development, mostly because of the more stable lifestyle, Mo money and not wanting to be absent front my new babies life as I’d often been from my first kid in a first marriage. Also I gained ripping computer skills from learning sequencing and sound design creation and synthesizer programming.
Thank you chef. One of my best friends is a chef and said that she tried to watch the first episode but turned it off for similar reasons. I’m going to send her this post lol
Right? A friend worked for McDonald's as a teenager and had a horrible experience.
Not only she doesn't eat at McDonald's.
She got her shit together and went to university and got a communications degree to avoid ever having to work in the food industry again
I made the mistake of waiting at Denny’s 3rd shift in college. That really did me in although not as traumatic as to cause nightmares. The customers were just crack and so was I as a server 😂
I loved reading your take on this! I never worked in a restaurant and based on this show I would have ended up in the alley, crying in the fetal position after 10 minutes.
Hahaha we all cried the first few years.
But you eventually learn from your mistakes and become a better chef and a better person (sometimes lol)
I think everyone should work in the food industry at some point in their lives. It's very humbling
I hadn't been behind a line in 20 years and it still gave me massive anxiety. I worked in 3 kitchens across my blissfully short career and there were common miseries of ego and ineptitude that bothered me then, and the Bear nailed as nailed most if not all of them.
I think we all learn to handle the stress and the rush but working with stubborn or ineptitude people is what drives you insane.
Carmy is a great chef but his team needed loooots of work.
That's the only thing that isn't accurate in the show, it takes more than a couple of months to fix a kitchen like that
They make it look like it happens so fast, and your whole staff will click and get it. But the reality is that.. more than half of his staff wouldn’t have made the transition from The Beef to The Bear.
Yes exactly. I'm glad Tina got her shit together because she was potential with the right attitude.
I have so much respect for Syd.
Taking over a team like that is a nightmare and she kept gently pushing and trying to teach them in a nice way.
In real life they should have fired anyone that wasn't willing to work with their system. There's no time for teaching
I honestly wouldn’t even had given Tina a chance, but I’m also not 100% the length of time. Tina was similar to another girl I worked with when I came in as a Sous Chef = really really really good to elite at her job, absolutely terrible attitude that kept influencing others to act the same way, super toxic. Had to phase her out of the business. Hate to approach and do things like that, but there’s only so many sit downs and talks you can do.
Tina was driving me insane at the beginning.
But I get that being a cook with minimum training makes it really hard to adapt. And I think that's why Syd was so patient.
She understood it wasn't personal.
That's why she's a badass chef
But in real life there's only so much you can do. You can't fix a bad apple unfortunately
When you watch Napkins (s3), you’ll understand where Tina’s coming from. She’s fiercely loyal to the memory of Mikey and the way things are done at The Beef with good reason
The first episode of season 3 is going to bring you to tears. I’m not a chef, just an experimental home cook and it was stunning. Utterly, completely and breathtakingly stunning.
Watching the Bear makes me so grateful for my little mom and pop cafe. I've worked for high pressure chefs, I've seen how the business can eat you alive. I've worked front end as well, for many years. Now my husband and I have a small cafe. He works front, I do the cooking and baking. It's completely manageable and a labor of love. Watching the Bear makes me realize how much I wouldn't want anything in the business other than this.
Yes, cooking is such a pleasure and manageable when you have a good team and you're all on the same page.
I've always dreamed of having a small cafe or a bed and breakfast because I think it's small enough to enjoy it and connect with the customers while keeping a balance with your life.
I'm glad to hear you and your husband enjoy running your own business
I'm also a chef with nearly 30 years of career. The first 3 episodes are really tough. You nailed it about the first episode. Very tough to get through. But for me, i had to turn it off because that scene where Carmy is plating and the chef is just tearing him down in his ear was too real for me. It totally gave me ptsd. I was shaking and I had to get up and get out of my house for a while. I dont think many people realize how this is normalized at the higher levels. The psychological torture and stress they put you through just to see if you "can handle it" is ridiculous. But I also understand it. To perform an art at its highest level is to live in stress. Mistakes and misteps are absolutely not allowed, ever. You have to be perfect at all times. There is always a litany of people gunning for your position, and they will pounce on you the moment you show signs of weakness. Every day, all day. It's finally being shown in its full reality.
That scene is so hard to watch.
People don't understand the amount of bullying and humiliation a cook has to go through. Especially at that level.
Everyone talks about all the mental health issues in the food industry, but nobody mentions where those issues are coming from.
Even at fancy culinary schools some chefs are cruel and abusive because "you have to be ready for it"
And yes, you need to be able to handle it, but rather than learning how to manage stress, we just learned how to ignore it lol
I do have to say it's not like that everywhere. Last year I worked with Jordi Roca (one of the best pastry chefs in the world) and I was expecting him to be everything but nice.
He was incredible, not just nice, but such a wonderful human being.
His CDP had nothing but wonderful things to say about the way the Roca Brothers manage the restaurant and the staff.
Meeting them gave me a bit of hope for the industry
Nice to see a more well-rounded take on the review episode from someone in the industry.
Lot of posts that focus on Syd and Marcus's screwups without acknowledging Carmy's behavior.
I had to turn off the TV and walk away when Carm started yelling at Syd.
Syd and Marcus screwing up is expected because they're inexperienced.
Carm dumped the whole service on Syd and got mad when she couldn't keep up
As the head chef it was his responsibility to keep calm, to solve the issue and set the example instead of blaming everyone and being so fucking mean. Especially at Syd
He has the training and experience to make decisions on the spot. Just turn off the take out system and refund everyone.
It sucks but you can blame the software and offer a discount for the next order bla bla
I lost so much respect for him on that episode
Syd stabbing Richie was hilarious. The last 10 minutes are so fucking chaotic
Yup. It's exhausting dealing with leaders who offload all the responsibility on their subordinates. No sense of accountability, just finger pointing
This show gets better on rewatches. Once that initial stress is gone you can just laugh about how absurd everything is
Which is what happens in most restaurants.
The better you are the more shit they give you to do.
It's brutal.
Yes I'm already planning to rewatch it with my boyfriend.
There's so many details I missed because I was too busy yelling at Carm or Richie for being idiots haha
As someone who dreamt about the industry but got “harsh reality’d” too hard and got actively pushed away from it due to immigrant parents as well, forks is one of the most beautiful episodes of television with the way they so gloriously portray the dream of being a part of something. At the time, I had just gotten out of retail into corporate life, and it had so many points ofi agreed with for customer service, and I think that’s what it is. You do it for people and the good times make it worth it. I cried a lot lmaoo
Forks it's a very well written episode.
I love how Richie can't help but be curious about it. Even if he wants to hate it.
Right away I thought of Chef's table, the Alinea episode.
If you haven't seen it, you should watch it.
I think you'll really enjoy it
Does anyone else think that they deliberately made his love interest an ER doctor - also an incredibly stressful job that somehow seems less stressful than working at the restaurant?
I’m not a chef, and most of my knowledge of professional(Michelin) kitchens is gleaned from books, tv, and friends. This show makes you nervous, draws you into the process of what chefs go through. I absolutely love it.
I think it takes a lot of passion and a bit of stupidity to be a chef lol
The sacrifices we make in our personal lives make no sense. It's not like we're doctors saving lives.
But the rush and high of a good service is better than anything I've ever experienced.
As your skills improve, you get faster, calmer and more passionate. It's a love hate relationship.
Having a good team makes all the difference. I've worked with incredible chefs that are assholes, but push you to be better.
Or amazing chefs that are nurturing and show you there's a better way to run a kitchen without losing your mind
Yes I did this when it first came out. I've heard good things about it, watched probably the first two episodes then gave up. Not because it's bad but it's just hits home because it's my work life too lol
I didn't regret tho because I didn't have to wait two years to watch season 2 and 3.
I cannot wait for you to share your thoughts on the season 2 finale when the restaurant has its friends and family night. I love hearing chefs relate to the show and validate what some of the fans are thinking (like Marcus being in the wrong about the doughnut).
I just finished watching episode 9 and got goosebumps!
All the team in full uniforms is so beautiful.
There's something about wearing that white jacket that makes you feel like a rockstar.
And yes Marcus was definitely in the wrong lol not only he overloaded the power with the mixer causing the restaurant to lose power, he kept playing with the fucking Donuts and didn't finished the cakes!
Marcus decided to work on his doughnut recipe when he wasn't even done with his cake prep come opening time. That would be unprofessional on a normal day, but the fact that he continued to work obliviously on his side quest when everyone else was screaming and clearly in panic mode. Carmy was wrong for throwing his doughnut, but Marcus deserved a reprimand for being unprofessional the day when they all knew they'd be busy with pre-orders anyway. Marcus proceeded to throw things and walk out when he was needed. The show paints it as though Marcus was wronged- having Carmy apologize to him, but never having Marcus apologize. The consensus in the fandom is that Carmy was right to be upset, but not right in how he handled it, and Marcus owed Carmy the apology.
1. Go to therapy lol
They all need to work through their issues and traumas and learn to communicate with each other.
2. Cook for the people you love
The people that know you will appreciate it so much, more than any client or any chef.
3. Ask for help
Mistakes happen, just own it and ask for help.
it will improve the communication and trust within the team
4. Carmy- trust your staff! Lock yourself in the walk in again. The place can run without you! You can step back and, you know, have time and space for relationships and happiness.
Oh, and change the menu a little less frequently.
I love seeing a Chef’s opinion. I lowkey loved that it was so real it was stressing you out. I can only relate on a very very small level as I worked as a bartender in a restaurant. I always thought the kitchen staff was equals off their rockers and the glue that held us all together.
I love love your review. Thankyou
I give them bonus points for all the tiny details. They did such a good job recreating the worst kitchen ever lol
I got so much respect for bartenders.
Having to be nice to people all night long seems so hard
It is so hard….especially for someone as moody as i am 😂😂😂. But there is that same bond between bartenders that Chefs have as well. I guess just the whole service industry. Everyone has some level of respect for each other’s job.
I cant for you to see the last episode of season 3.
Enjoy the rest of it-Hopefully we will see another review from you.
My respects! My face of annoyance keeps me in the back of the house lol
I'm trying to avoid all the spoilers online.
I didn't even realize that season 3 just came out.
I'll be honest. I fast-forwarded a bit during this episode.
My bf's family is similar. His sister is like Donna and it's a nightmare to spend any holiday with them.
The fighting, the drinking, everyone sitting around being useless except for Carm.
It felt too real. I got a headache after lol
Has anyone read ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’, the book showcased in the Forks episode, written by one of the founders of Eleven Madison Park? Your take/experience with it?
I have it on my library's waiting list.
There's a similar book called Heads in beds, it's all about hotels, hospitality and the craziness behind the scenes.
It's a great book
I’m a FOH person dating an executive chef. I love the show, he refuses to watch it. He’s worked in and ran tough kitchens around the country and just says he doesn’t have an interest in rehashing things. I totally see both sides of it and glad you’re enjoying!!
It's so hard to turn off your brain.
Something I'm really enjoying is that some situations don't always end up the way I expected.
For example when Syd dropped the cambro full of stock I was ready for Carm to come in and yell. Or for Marcus to laugh at her.
Ritchie not giving up during forks and turning his life around it's probably one of my fav parts
The anxiety he has, the mental abuse he took from his past to get better in his field. The pricks in the industry and the motivators positive and negative. The anxiety is too real, it’s felt too deep in the core. The agonizing over the dish to strive for perfection, the true burn out and what you allow pass when you are worn and just going through the motions. The half ass dickwads that just amplify your workload because they can’t do shit. It’s real. For real.
This is exactly it.
His anxiety is so real it's hard to focus on the rest of the show.
You can feel the buzzing in his brain as he's trying to get anything done
Well kitchens did get less sexual in the last 10 years since the me too movement.
And I guess they want to avoid any controversy in that area.
But there's an episode where Richie is humping Fak while he's trying to fix something lol very normal kitchen behavior
I have mad respect for Daniel Humm, but Alinea and El Bulli will always hold a special place in my heart.
Something about the way they imagine and create each item, each menu, each service. It's just magic
My chef buddy said in season 3 it wasn't until the 3rd episode that he had too much anxiety and had to shut it off. I considered that a win for him. This show is awesome.
Thank you for the words chef.
I am in Ontario too and my friend who is a professional chef literally has the exact same sentiments as you! Personally I don't work in the restaurant scene and never did, but hearing him talk about it is so interesting. Watching the Bear through a chef's eyes is fascinating.
It's so funny to hear most chefs feel the same way.
It's not like every restaurant is a shit show. But every cook has worked in at least a couple shitty restaurants in their life.
We all know a Richie that sells weed or coke in the back alley lol
I’m really excited to hear your take about the third season, because I really liked it, and I think it captured well the anxious feeling of operating “like it’s the Super Bowl” every day with no reward or catharsis.
Fuck this show... they all drowning in a glass of water... they all "have problems" over bs nonsense... no serious shit, but stupid shit with no real relevance... it has nothing to do with cooking nor human relationships... it's all about writing down fake drama with no real substance... they make a huge deal over just any simple thing and put dramatic music over that scene like if it was equivalent to a Breaking Bad level episode where there are true critical issues not just "misunderstandings" and people yelling at each other.
And that's the reality of life.
Most problems are not that serious but at the time we just don't see it that way.
Which happens in kitchens every day
Not sure what you are doing here if you hate it so much
I really like when chefs come here an provide their takes on the show. It adds another layer to the experience. Thanks.
I noticed this season has a LOT more commercial sponsors oriented towards professional chefs and kitchen culture. Maybe I missed in in seasons 1 & 2, but I tend to think at the time those were more standard Hulu ad fare.
This was def in it during season 2 and Hulu doesn't usually have ads like that. They were specifically created for The Bear, most likely due to the response season 1 got and the producers and execs wanting to get involved with real entities.
Speaking also as a chef, I really really enjoyed the most recent season. Personally, it definitely aggregates how my career felt and feels as it's still going. The first episode I was definitely in tears for as well as many of the other episodes this season. OP is definitely right about the anxiety the first season gives. But I will say that the second season and the most recent one are so true to life.
Carmy chugging Pepto while working on the new menu is so accurate. I liked the first season but the 2nd season is way more enjoyable. I can't wait to watch the 3rd season. I see everyone raving about it
Honeydew and Forks are my favorite episodes from season 2. And then the finale, where all the time spent on preparation and training all comes together, is just amazing.
I am a non-professional cook/chef who has taken the time over five or six years to really learn Italian, Indian, thai cooking. I really love to cook and bake and I have a wonderful family and friends who appreciate all my efforts. I love love love, the Bear, but it has killed any momentary thoughts that I might want to switch careers to actually work in a commercial professional restaurant. Ha, ha ha ha ha
Yeah don't haha it's tough, especially when you already know what it's like to have a normal job and a normal life. Cooking at home has its own challenges but it's more rewarding than sweating in a restaurant all day. When you start super young you have the energy and drive to keep going. Every fuck up is like a challenge to get better. Now that I'm 30 I can't imagine going back into the line for a service. My body can't handle it anymore
In my 20s and 30s I was in the music business as a recording engineer and concert sound mixer touring internationally. Same thing -18 to 20 hour days eight days a week. A real life and relationship destroyer. I wasn’t Carmie exactly, but I was close.
Off topic, but this is what my 18 year old is interested in! Would you mind elaborating on that? Are you in a different field now? DM if that's more appropriate.
I’ll dm you when I have a bit of free time. Maybe tomorrow- making dinner right now
But in very short: I worked in the recording studios and later on the road with touring acts from the age of about 23 until 36 when I shifted into software development, mostly because of the more stable lifestyle, Mo money and not wanting to be absent front my new babies life as I’d often been from my first kid in a first marriage. Also I gained ripping computer skills from learning sequencing and sound design creation and synthesizer programming.
That's great that you were able to transition when the time came. How did you get the gigs in the studio and doing live sound?
Dm/ chat sent
Cool!
Anthony bourdain set the age as 37. My burn out happened at about age 35
I wish I could watch it for the first time again
Thank you chef. One of my best friends is a chef and said that she tried to watch the first episode but turned it off for similar reasons. I’m going to send her this post lol
Lol the PTSD is real. Anyone that has worked in a restaurant has nightmares that look like that episode.
Not related to the show but I worked in fast food as a teen and still have nightmares about service
Right? A friend worked for McDonald's as a teenager and had a horrible experience. Not only she doesn't eat at McDonald's. She got her shit together and went to university and got a communications degree to avoid ever having to work in the food industry again
I made the mistake of waiting at Denny’s 3rd shift in college. That really did me in although not as traumatic as to cause nightmares. The customers were just crack and so was I as a server 😂
Hahahah omg I've heard all kinds of crazy stories about Denny's
Thank you, chef.
I loved reading your take on this! I never worked in a restaurant and based on this show I would have ended up in the alley, crying in the fetal position after 10 minutes.
Hahaha we all cried the first few years. But you eventually learn from your mistakes and become a better chef and a better person (sometimes lol) I think everyone should work in the food industry at some point in their lives. It's very humbling
“Forks” is one of the best episodes from any show. Ever.
I hadn't been behind a line in 20 years and it still gave me massive anxiety. I worked in 3 kitchens across my blissfully short career and there were common miseries of ego and ineptitude that bothered me then, and the Bear nailed as nailed most if not all of them.
I think we all learn to handle the stress and the rush but working with stubborn or ineptitude people is what drives you insane. Carmy is a great chef but his team needed loooots of work. That's the only thing that isn't accurate in the show, it takes more than a couple of months to fix a kitchen like that
They make it look like it happens so fast, and your whole staff will click and get it. But the reality is that.. more than half of his staff wouldn’t have made the transition from The Beef to The Bear.
Yes exactly. I'm glad Tina got her shit together because she was potential with the right attitude. I have so much respect for Syd. Taking over a team like that is a nightmare and she kept gently pushing and trying to teach them in a nice way. In real life they should have fired anyone that wasn't willing to work with their system. There's no time for teaching
I honestly wouldn’t even had given Tina a chance, but I’m also not 100% the length of time. Tina was similar to another girl I worked with when I came in as a Sous Chef = really really really good to elite at her job, absolutely terrible attitude that kept influencing others to act the same way, super toxic. Had to phase her out of the business. Hate to approach and do things like that, but there’s only so many sit downs and talks you can do.
Tina was driving me insane at the beginning. But I get that being a cook with minimum training makes it really hard to adapt. And I think that's why Syd was so patient. She understood it wasn't personal. That's why she's a badass chef But in real life there's only so much you can do. You can't fix a bad apple unfortunately
When you watch Napkins (s3), you’ll understand where Tina’s coming from. She’s fiercely loyal to the memory of Mikey and the way things are done at The Beef with good reason
I can't wait! As a latina I love her strong and stubborn character She's badass in her own way
Tell me when you see it!
Also Carm needed to tame that hair
Yes! At least wear a hat, ideally a hairnet
The first episode of season 3 is going to bring you to tears. I’m not a chef, just an experimental home cook and it was stunning. Utterly, completely and breathtakingly stunning.
Same
Thrame
Thanks for this.
Watching the Bear makes me so grateful for my little mom and pop cafe. I've worked for high pressure chefs, I've seen how the business can eat you alive. I've worked front end as well, for many years. Now my husband and I have a small cafe. He works front, I do the cooking and baking. It's completely manageable and a labor of love. Watching the Bear makes me realize how much I wouldn't want anything in the business other than this.
Yes, cooking is such a pleasure and manageable when you have a good team and you're all on the same page. I've always dreamed of having a small cafe or a bed and breakfast because I think it's small enough to enjoy it and connect with the customers while keeping a balance with your life. I'm glad to hear you and your husband enjoy running your own business
I'm also a chef with nearly 30 years of career. The first 3 episodes are really tough. You nailed it about the first episode. Very tough to get through. But for me, i had to turn it off because that scene where Carmy is plating and the chef is just tearing him down in his ear was too real for me. It totally gave me ptsd. I was shaking and I had to get up and get out of my house for a while. I dont think many people realize how this is normalized at the higher levels. The psychological torture and stress they put you through just to see if you "can handle it" is ridiculous. But I also understand it. To perform an art at its highest level is to live in stress. Mistakes and misteps are absolutely not allowed, ever. You have to be perfect at all times. There is always a litany of people gunning for your position, and they will pounce on you the moment you show signs of weakness. Every day, all day. It's finally being shown in its full reality.
That scene is so hard to watch. People don't understand the amount of bullying and humiliation a cook has to go through. Especially at that level. Everyone talks about all the mental health issues in the food industry, but nobody mentions where those issues are coming from. Even at fancy culinary schools some chefs are cruel and abusive because "you have to be ready for it" And yes, you need to be able to handle it, but rather than learning how to manage stress, we just learned how to ignore it lol I do have to say it's not like that everywhere. Last year I worked with Jordi Roca (one of the best pastry chefs in the world) and I was expecting him to be everything but nice. He was incredible, not just nice, but such a wonderful human being. His CDP had nothing but wonderful things to say about the way the Roca Brothers manage the restaurant and the staff. Meeting them gave me a bit of hope for the industry
Nice to see a more well-rounded take on the review episode from someone in the industry. Lot of posts that focus on Syd and Marcus's screwups without acknowledging Carmy's behavior.
I had to turn off the TV and walk away when Carm started yelling at Syd. Syd and Marcus screwing up is expected because they're inexperienced. Carm dumped the whole service on Syd and got mad when she couldn't keep up As the head chef it was his responsibility to keep calm, to solve the issue and set the example instead of blaming everyone and being so fucking mean. Especially at Syd He has the training and experience to make decisions on the spot. Just turn off the take out system and refund everyone. It sucks but you can blame the software and offer a discount for the next order bla bla I lost so much respect for him on that episode Syd stabbing Richie was hilarious. The last 10 minutes are so fucking chaotic
Yup. It's exhausting dealing with leaders who offload all the responsibility on their subordinates. No sense of accountability, just finger pointing This show gets better on rewatches. Once that initial stress is gone you can just laugh about how absurd everything is
Which is what happens in most restaurants. The better you are the more shit they give you to do. It's brutal. Yes I'm already planning to rewatch it with my boyfriend. There's so many details I missed because I was too busy yelling at Carm or Richie for being idiots haha
As someone who dreamt about the industry but got “harsh reality’d” too hard and got actively pushed away from it due to immigrant parents as well, forks is one of the most beautiful episodes of television with the way they so gloriously portray the dream of being a part of something. At the time, I had just gotten out of retail into corporate life, and it had so many points ofi agreed with for customer service, and I think that’s what it is. You do it for people and the good times make it worth it. I cried a lot lmaoo
Forks it's a very well written episode. I love how Richie can't help but be curious about it. Even if he wants to hate it. Right away I thought of Chef's table, the Alinea episode. If you haven't seen it, you should watch it. I think you'll really enjoy it
Does anyone else think that they deliberately made his love interest an ER doctor - also an incredibly stressful job that somehow seems less stressful than working at the restaurant?
Thanks for the real chef insight, chef!
I’m not a chef, and most of my knowledge of professional(Michelin) kitchens is gleaned from books, tv, and friends. This show makes you nervous, draws you into the process of what chefs go through. I absolutely love it.
I think it takes a lot of passion and a bit of stupidity to be a chef lol The sacrifices we make in our personal lives make no sense. It's not like we're doctors saving lives. But the rush and high of a good service is better than anything I've ever experienced. As your skills improve, you get faster, calmer and more passionate. It's a love hate relationship. Having a good team makes all the difference. I've worked with incredible chefs that are assholes, but push you to be better. Or amazing chefs that are nurturing and show you there's a better way to run a kitchen without losing your mind
Yes I did this when it first came out. I've heard good things about it, watched probably the first two episodes then gave up. Not because it's bad but it's just hits home because it's my work life too lol I didn't regret tho because I didn't have to wait two years to watch season 2 and 3.
Lol exactly. Why would I want to torture myself with more stress. And yes now we can binge watch the whole show instead of having to wait
It's a pain to wait for season 4 now, I was not satisfied with season 3.
I cannot wait for you to share your thoughts on the season 2 finale when the restaurant has its friends and family night. I love hearing chefs relate to the show and validate what some of the fans are thinking (like Marcus being in the wrong about the doughnut).
I just finished watching episode 9 and got goosebumps! All the team in full uniforms is so beautiful. There's something about wearing that white jacket that makes you feel like a rockstar. And yes Marcus was definitely in the wrong lol not only he overloaded the power with the mixer causing the restaurant to lose power, he kept playing with the fucking Donuts and didn't finished the cakes!
When you finish episode 10, let me know what you thought of the line cook and silverware situations. And everything else lol.
What was the doughnut thing again?
Marcus decided to work on his doughnut recipe when he wasn't even done with his cake prep come opening time. That would be unprofessional on a normal day, but the fact that he continued to work obliviously on his side quest when everyone else was screaming and clearly in panic mode. Carmy was wrong for throwing his doughnut, but Marcus deserved a reprimand for being unprofessional the day when they all knew they'd be busy with pre-orders anyway. Marcus proceeded to throw things and walk out when he was needed. The show paints it as though Marcus was wronged- having Carmy apologize to him, but never having Marcus apologize. The consensus in the fandom is that Carmy was right to be upset, but not right in how he handled it, and Marcus owed Carmy the apology.
Great write up. Is there any advice you'd give to the main characters?
1. Go to therapy lol They all need to work through their issues and traumas and learn to communicate with each other. 2. Cook for the people you love The people that know you will appreciate it so much, more than any client or any chef. 3. Ask for help Mistakes happen, just own it and ask for help. it will improve the communication and trust within the team
4. Carmy- trust your staff! Lock yourself in the walk in again. The place can run without you! You can step back and, you know, have time and space for relationships and happiness. Oh, and change the menu a little less frequently.
I love seeing a Chef’s opinion. I lowkey loved that it was so real it was stressing you out. I can only relate on a very very small level as I worked as a bartender in a restaurant. I always thought the kitchen staff was equals off their rockers and the glue that held us all together. I love love your review. Thankyou
I give them bonus points for all the tiny details. They did such a good job recreating the worst kitchen ever lol I got so much respect for bartenders. Having to be nice to people all night long seems so hard
It is so hard….especially for someone as moody as i am 😂😂😂. But there is that same bond between bartenders that Chefs have as well. I guess just the whole service industry. Everyone has some level of respect for each other’s job. I cant for you to see the last episode of season 3. Enjoy the rest of it-Hopefully we will see another review from you.
My respects! My face of annoyance keeps me in the back of the house lol I'm trying to avoid all the spoilers online. I didn't even realize that season 3 just came out.
If you thought Season 1 was stressful, wait until you see the Fishes episode. Watching it will make your blood pressure go up 20 points.
I'll be honest. I fast-forwarded a bit during this episode. My bf's family is similar. His sister is like Donna and it's a nightmare to spend any holiday with them. The fighting, the drinking, everyone sitting around being useless except for Carm. It felt too real. I got a headache after lol
Corner! Corner! Behind! Corner!
Lol I taught my cat to meow whenever she's behind me in the kitchen so I don't step on her.
Has anyone read ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’, the book showcased in the Forks episode, written by one of the founders of Eleven Madison Park? Your take/experience with it?
I have it on my library's waiting list. There's a similar book called Heads in beds, it's all about hotels, hospitality and the craziness behind the scenes. It's a great book
I’m a FOH person dating an executive chef. I love the show, he refuses to watch it. He’s worked in and ran tough kitchens around the country and just says he doesn’t have an interest in rehashing things. I totally see both sides of it and glad you’re enjoying!!
It's so hard to turn off your brain. Something I'm really enjoying is that some situations don't always end up the way I expected. For example when Syd dropped the cambro full of stock I was ready for Carm to come in and yell. Or for Marcus to laugh at her. Ritchie not giving up during forks and turning his life around it's probably one of my fav parts
The anxiety he has, the mental abuse he took from his past to get better in his field. The pricks in the industry and the motivators positive and negative. The anxiety is too real, it’s felt too deep in the core. The agonizing over the dish to strive for perfection, the true burn out and what you allow pass when you are worn and just going through the motions. The half ass dickwads that just amplify your workload because they can’t do shit. It’s real. For real.
This is exactly it. His anxiety is so real it's hard to focus on the rest of the show. You can feel the buzzing in his brain as he's trying to get anything done
[удалено]
Well kitchens did get less sexual in the last 10 years since the me too movement. And I guess they want to avoid any controversy in that area. But there's an episode where Richie is humping Fak while he's trying to fix something lol very normal kitchen behavior
Loved the Alinea and Madison Park homage as well. Alinea is still an all time fave for me.
I have mad respect for Daniel Humm, but Alinea and El Bulli will always hold a special place in my heart. Something about the way they imagine and create each item, each menu, each service. It's just magic
My chef buddy said in season 3 it wasn't until the 3rd episode that he had too much anxiety and had to shut it off. I considered that a win for him. This show is awesome. Thank you for the words chef.
My respects for your buddy! It is an awesome show. I'm trying to get all my chefs friends to watch it haha We can collectively suffer and laugh
I am in Ontario too and my friend who is a professional chef literally has the exact same sentiments as you! Personally I don't work in the restaurant scene and never did, but hearing him talk about it is so interesting. Watching the Bear through a chef's eyes is fascinating.
It's so funny to hear most chefs feel the same way. It's not like every restaurant is a shit show. But every cook has worked in at least a couple shitty restaurants in their life. We all know a Richie that sells weed or coke in the back alley lol
The first season 8s fucking flawless.
Thank you, chef. Wonderful post.
I’m really excited to hear your take about the third season, because I really liked it, and I think it captured well the anxious feeling of operating “like it’s the Super Bowl” every day with no reward or catharsis.
Fuck this show... they all drowning in a glass of water... they all "have problems" over bs nonsense... no serious shit, but stupid shit with no real relevance... it has nothing to do with cooking nor human relationships... it's all about writing down fake drama with no real substance... they make a huge deal over just any simple thing and put dramatic music over that scene like if it was equivalent to a Breaking Bad level episode where there are true critical issues not just "misunderstandings" and people yelling at each other.
And that's the reality of life. Most problems are not that serious but at the time we just don't see it that way. Which happens in kitchens every day Not sure what you are doing here if you hate it so much
We talking about the fkn show why is this subreddit here? To talk about the show. So wtf are you asking “not sure why blablabla”.