There are few settings in this world nearly as hectic and forehead vein-popping as a modern American kitchen. The chaos found interlinked in the uniformity of restaurant staff is something worth studying en masse, and the culture dwelling in these back-of-the-madhouse families provides something fascinating to be explored not only in communication but also the lack of it.
ForThe Bearand its head chef, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (played by Jeremy Allen White), that constant dread faced with each lunch and dinner rush is simultaneously the source and the antidote of the increasingly common anxiety disorder. For the rest of Carmy’s kitchen staff, the energy of constant worry he brings into work every day may not be too far off from the secret ingredient needed to keep their dream running.
As any good chef would, let’s first have a look at the initial recipe. Carmy Berzatto is one of the most revered fine dining cooks in the nation. His reputation precedes him and, when his brother tragically takes his own life, that repertoire follows him both in word of mouth and execution back to his homeland of Chicago, Illinois. With this, lots of unattended familial drama sparks, alongside the attitude of destructive obsession and its toll on Carmy, all steamrolling local sandwich shop “The Beef” into a whole new set of problems, alongside the financial ones left behind by Carmy’s brother, Michael.The dysfunctions of family, not knowing how to handle grief, and all the worry that rests in between tough times brings a heavy toll on the Berzattos and their supporters.
Fire in the Kitchen
While the metaphor is appetizing, this show is far from the dramatized version ofKitchen Nightmaresit gets described as. The kitchen, or kitchens, sort of act as a conceptual backdrop to the real setting ofThe Bear, Carmy’s head. Flashy and hectic editing that hones in on the excruciating detail to which Carmy’s been conditioned to run his ships highlights a lot more than the intricacies to which our narrative presents in the first episode.
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Take a look at the flashbacks we’re given in the first couple of episodes ofThe Bear,mainly how they contrast the new setting Carmy is left with. When we’re taken back to his roots in New York, we see a much different image of the kitchen and what it could be than the contrast of The Beef back home. The set is flooded with white countertops and uniform precision, almost as if the crew at this establishment is under one mind in order for things to run smoothly. Shots in these flashbacks rarely stray from stock layouts of the entire kitchen (anddelicious looking food), only veering their view to highlight the dominance of Joel McHale’s chef over Berzatto. Constant abuse and an overworked, underappreciated staff showcase Carmy’s difference in temperament.
Grief and Picking Up the Pieces
Back in Chicago, it’s a whole different story. Long story short, The Beef that Carmy’s brother left for him was an absolute mess. Debt-ridden, health code violations practically spewing out its faucets, and a staff that seems indifferent toward the changes Carmy is trying to make all coincide into one big hot disaster. Carmy, trying so desperately for a healthy translation of his time in New York to follow him home, carries the burden of not only this restaurant, but the community it helps nurture.
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It’s a tough line to toe, and one not helped by a staff who sees his presence as nothing but a reminder of the past that only gets more complicated as Carmy’s relationship with his late brother unravels on screen. Carmy’s sense of self, totally skewed not only by the authoritative kitchen regimes of his past, but also Mikey’s seemingly low opinion of his brother. Rumors may run of Carmy’s prowess through Chicago, but his internal walls continue to stay upright and intact, not allowing most (if any) praise into his psyche.
Looking at the Man (or Bear) in the Mirror
Displaying similar torments as mostpeople with anxietyand those who struggle with self-worth, Carmy’s consciousness is explored much more in depth thanThe Bear’snarrative backdrop of Chicago. A sense of unbridled tension seems to follow Carmy as he aches for respect from his subordinates while denying the outreach from his sister, Sugar, and it becomes plainly clear how he views himself and his priorities.
Carmy battles his anxieties, his sense of lacking entirely within his work. Grief and how to handle it is especially difficult, as to not show weakness to those he feels a need to inspire. When that fails to be earned, its clear his purpose feels diminished because of it. Carmy is, by all accounts, a caring person. His biggest tragedy, however, is not knowing how to convey it.
UltimatelyThe Bearis an interesting look at the archetype of those unwilling to love themselves, and how that effects their interactions with loved ones. Under a tough guy facade of tattoos and an exterior of hardened expressions, Carmy Berzatto is ultimately damaged by his past, forever carrying the baggage of it with him, refusing to let anyone unpack it. He is a tormented yet truly pure character that knows the value of earnestness but struggles to express it, instead becoming almost obsessively driven by hiswork in restaurants. However, his return home is hopefully an important step in his recipe for self-redemption.
