Kitchen chaos can be bittersweet.
The fervour for the sandwich has surely reached its zenith, spilling into television and across our screens as The Bear, a fresh TV show from FX that accompanies the life of Carmy and colleagues as they set about “makin’ sandwiches”.
it’s somewhat stressful to watch a show about people stressing
“Chicago, right?” sous chef Sydney shrugs off to customers whilst mobsters jostle and yawp nearby. Ducking out to quell the situation with tact, reason, and 'Italian beef' sandwiches, fellow chef Richie alternatively tries to find his own solution, raging through the kitchen abusing, “who took my fucking gun?”. This scene captures the entire show. It’s chaos. It’s an old world versus new world fighting. The old world is full of privilege, hierarchy, the he-man, and a fatuous burying of mental anguish. The new world is civil, diverse, a bit more feminine, and grounded. Sydney smooths out the situation whilst Richie watches from afar, carrying his finally-found gun with a face of concession. Perhaps the new world ain’t so scary?
Carmy, the tattooed 30-something year old owner-chef in de rigueur white t-shirt and cigarette-studded blue apron is very honestly played by Jeremy Allen White. Taking over his deceased (by suicide) brother’s diner, he arrives from a culinary world of the brigade system, toxic kitchens, and ironic perfection. But just like Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Pulp Fiction attests whilst also sitting in a diner, “I’m trying… trying real hard to be the shepherd”, Carmy is trying too. Battling flashbacks, PTSD, the loss of his brother, and a diner that had been left to socially crumble, The Bear follows the trials and tribulations as Carmy and the motley crew try to just "get something good going".
The show gets it right, white men on top, blacks and hispanics below.
And that’s where the assortment of characters all shine. From Matty Matheson as the itinerant handyman, to the cleaner who once played for the Cubs, they all have their place, story, and individual personalities - which seen clashing in a kitchen is frightful. But it truly is Sydney who is the star of the show. She’s from this great place, with a wealth of experience, knowledge, and skill. In the first episode Sydney applies for a job at Carmy's sandwich shop because "it was my dad's favourite spot... it's a special place". Sydney wants to see it succeed, be something better, and different. She’s the only one in the show who can explain and discuss feelings, kitchen issues, and put forward new ideas.
The show gets it right, white men on top, blacks and hispanics below. This can be gleaned alone from Carmy’s collection of cookbooks and references throughout the show to The French Laundry, Noma, Eleven Madison Park, and the $1000 cookbook Modernist Cuisine. For any chef watching, this is all too real. Whilst at times a bit slow and meandering for all the busyness and chaos, the final episode is exalting and brings much together, including a neat little surprise to everyone’s joy, characters and viewers alike. It really felt like the show needed that resolution, because it’s somewhat stressful to watch a show about people stressing.
Overall, like pastry chef Marcus’s donuts which end up smashed to the floor, it’s a bittersweet series that somewhat reveals a lot about the restaurant industry today, and where it might be heading. Is it ‘worth’ the current 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, no, is it worth watching - most definitely.
Ibis Tip: The Bear will be available in Australia on Disney+ from August 31st 2022.
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