The Bear is closer to showing the hell that culinary life can be than I ever expected a video series to get (unapologetically, no less). I had to stop at a couple of points in the first half of S01, not to mention completely skipping defensively through the Xmas episode. The whole thing choked me up and had me twisted around feelings I’ve not battled in years. Therapeutic, but still. Gawdamn. 😅😬😭😅🤌🏽
I retired from the profession, and watching this series was like reliving the life.
Same, more or less. When Bourdain checked out, I hung up the apron, but I was already making moves that direction at that point. Just the last straw. Watching this series was difficult at times, blissfully cathartic and nostalgic at others, but masterfully informed always. A beautiful piece and well worth the regurge ambush moments.
The xmas episode was brilliant, but man did I hate carmy in season 2. I get why he is the way that he is but he’s kind of an idiot.
You don’t have to know anything about the series to watch the episode. Is a movie inside a series, a masterpiece, just perfect.
Yeah, the way he completely fucked it up with Claire cut me deep. I was all “Noooo, you dense fuck!!” Why don’t you learn from my mistakes‽"
Damn I guess I need to recommend this show to my cook (chef?) friend, he already hates his job and restaurant 💀
I mean. Yes? Though, I’d certainly couple that with a disclaimer that it’s pretty fuckin’ rough to get through at times. The more one has in common with the story, the deeper it hits. (let’s just say that, other than the older brother aspect and the location of the culinary school abroad, most everything else had me shook for days)
I legit had to take a break because I started having the same nightmares that I used to get when I worked in restaurants.
Same. Talked to my PTSD doc and we worked on that together. Eventually, I finished the series, put a bow on that, and feel better for having come through the other side a better and healthier person.
p.s. If you’re regularly having nightmares about past experiences, please talk to a professional that specializes in occupational trauma recovery. It took me decades to ask for help, and if there’s “one thing I would’ve done differently” (besides pursuing a medical career instead), it would’ve been to find the strength in being vulnerable enough to accept outside help. ✨
the strength in being vulnerable enough to accept outside help
Get out of my head. I lost my first apartment because I refused to ask for help when I needed it. I wasn’t evicted, but when they turned our power off the landy decided he wasn’t gonna renew our lease. I had to get humble and move home, then I was able to finish my degree and get a new career (I went tech instead of medicine but the parallels are there). Now I’ve got the dopest job ever where I’m respected and well paid, I’m married, I own a home and I’m happy.
Great to hear you’re good and getting better, man! Keep on keepin’ on! As long as the planet doesn’t burn up too soon, maybe we can all make humanity a kinder, wiser species by being like the people we needed when we were on that raggedy edge. 🙌🏽🔥
video series
Those are words.
25¢ ramen??? In this economy???
Glamming up cheap ramen is a joy.
I like to add butter, a slug of soy sauce and chilli sauce, spring onion and sliced chillies.
It’s not gonna win me any awards, but it’s bloody tasty.
some broccoli or chopped up ham too
mmmmmmmm
Butter! Never woulda considered that one. I do most of your others though. Also fish sauce, or hoisin, I really like adding a spoonful of red miso.
My more surprising one is a slice of American cheese on top - sounds wrong but it’s killer.
All good options.
Never tried the American cheese one, but I’ll have to give it a shot now!
The slice of American cheese sounds like Korean street food.
I add a handful of dehydrated mushrooms and a small handful of dehydrated veggies (corn, peppers, peas, etc.). Super easy and definitely kicks it up a notch.
BAM!
Fried slices of a good garlic sausage are a great extra as well (fried fake chicken works well as a vegetarian option). If you eat them dry, some pickles, corn and roasted onions are awesome (but with sweet indonesian soy sauce not salty soy sauce).
Damn good movie with fantastic performances.
Why are cooking movies always so good?
Chef and Boiling Point too.
Cuz everyone likes food.
If you’re gonna make a movie about cooking you probably have a clear vision of what you want to do
I can’t watch the bear. I worked in a low rent kitchen. Shits too real
Very real, but not enough substance abuse.
they tried to add a bit in season 2 with the one dude smoking crank out back. It’s just wedged in there though, probably because that was the universal feedback
The food is cooked AND SO AM I!!!
Lmao yeah I watched it and immediately thought of the writers like “ok which one of you fuckers worked BOH?!” It’s TOO realistic, besides yeah the drugs and grease trap blow jobs.
Chef told me a story of his restaurant days I’m the 80s. They had a tray of coke in the drop down ceiling in the bathroom.
Only rule was if you did a line you had to cut and get another ready for the next person.
Accessed by standing on the toilet and getting in the ceiling.
This story, among others, made me go “yeah fuck this I’m gonna get out of food service”
Everyone I respected looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. You gotta be a dude with a whisk tattoo to put up with the institutional abuse of food service. Hats of to you insane fucks.
They had a tray of coke in the drop down ceiling in the bathroom.
2000s, oxycontin, break room but other than those little details hard same
Been there comrade. We will find out a way for people to work and thrive, not just survive.
Season 2 was pure gold. They sneakily made one of the best seasons of television of all-time, in my opinion.
18 years in restaurants checking in: The Bear is a documentary. As soon as I saw the promo shot of Jeremy Allen White sitting on a loading dock next to a dumpster, wearing an apron and a thousand yard stare, with a cigarette in one hand and a quart to-go container full of ice water in the other I knew that the people who made this show knew what it was like to work in a store that gets absolutely blowed out every day. I binged the first season in like 3 days, then I had to take a break because I started getting panicky server dreams again like I did when I was in the business.
If you’re ever in Chicago check out the restaurant it is based on, and even filmed at for parts: Mr. Beef
Last time I was in Chicago I went there. The food was amazing and it felt like I was a background character in the show. The show nailed the vibe
Would also like to call out Wasabi on Milwaukee for a great bowl of tonkotsu ramen and amazing pork belly buns.
Whenever I talk about adding an egg to my ramen people think its a softboiled egg but what I really mean is breaking an egg in the pan after it finished cooking, stir with low heat and then eat. Usually I do 2 eggs and it makes the dish much more filling and tasty
Same, the first time I did this, I was actually full, AND it tasted better.
Cousin!
If you want some bomb-ass Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen, get this stuff.
Looks like it’s out of stock right now on amazon.com, but it’s available on amazon.ca.
I lived for a while in Hakata and went out for ramen at an entirely unhealthy frequency, so I’ve got some cred lol. This stuff isn’t the same, but it’s by far the best ramen broth I’ve had at home.
I haven’t tried too many different noodles, but so far this has been the best. Kinda steep price per bowl tho, so I only use them once in a while. You might be able to get better, maybe fresher ramen noodles from a local Asian grocery store.
With that combo, you’ve got the core of a damn good bowl of at-home ramen that you can make in 5 minutes. See if you can find some pork belly, cut into slices or hunks (your preference), add whatever you use for garnish and you’ve got a cheap bowl of ramen you could probably justify charging money for.
Enjoyed this show way more than I thought I would!
S U G A R B E A R
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(Fried) Tofu,
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chives (cut with scissors of course),
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bell pepper,
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croûton (hack the last toast and fry it with seasoning and call it something french),
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nori,
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corn,
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cheese,
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PB,
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cocunut milk,
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sesame,
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garlic
etc…
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Vegetable soup base, can of mixed veggies, a ton of seasonings, some sriracha and soy sauce, and an egg. Almost makes the ramen taste good
