FX’s The Bear is proving to be one of their most wildly successful television shows to date, thanks to its deft balance of high-strung drama interspersed with profound emotion. Set against the backdrop of a Chicago restaurant run by Jeremy Allen White, it claims to provide a glimpse into the stressful realities of professional gastronomy. But how does fiction stack up with facts? We’ve asked some industry chefs to review The Bear to find out.
The real challenge in asking chefs to review The Bear is finding chefs who have time to view The Bear. Undoubtedly, if you’ve watched the show, you’ll know that the work-life balance of a chef is skewered towards extremely long hours in the kitchen.
Nonetheless, a select few F&B professionals in Bangkok did manage to squeeze in the time to watch The Bear, and many have been wholly impressed. Of the many people we asked, almost every single one responded with a stress-related reply, either claiming “PTSD” from having watched the show, or a fear of PTSD after being told about the show.
What is The Bear about?
The Bear releases its third season in Thailand on Disney+ this week. The comedy-drama is centred around young chef Carmy, who moves from the fine dining world in New York to his family sandwich shop in Chicago. A tale of personal and professional transformation follows, as Carmy faces the realities of running a small business, training fresh kitchen staff, and handling new and old relations throughout.
How has The Bear been received?
Praise for The Bear has been plenty, and critics have lauded the show for its script and direction especially. So far, The Bear has won 10 Primetime Emmy Awards, including acting wins for Jeremy Allen White as Carmy, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie, and Ayo Edebiri as Sydney. The show also won four Golden Globe Awards in 2024, again including acting wins for White and Edebiri.
Whilst we can admit that The Bear is beautifully executed as a television show, we were curious to know what those in real-life kitchens thought about its handling of the subject. Does the crew really use words like “corner” and “behind”? Is it really so hectic in there? And do they actually find wads of cash in canned tomatoes occasionally?
Read on for these chef reviews for The Bear, and see for yourself, cousin.
Real chefs review The Bear: What do F&B professionals think of the show?
“The show adeptly captures the comedic yet genuine issues faced in American kitchens”
Having grown up and worked in America, particularly NYC, this series resonates deeply with the reality of the kitchens I’ve experienced. From encounters with the health department and navigating supplier challenges to the camaraderie and chaos depicted, the TV show adeptly captures the comedic yet genuine issues faced in American kitchens.
I’m eagerly anticipating a drama series that explores the dynamics of kitchen work across Asia and Bangkok.
—Anthony Burd, Tony’s
“I can hear the ticket printer sounds in my nightmares”
I like the show overall. They capture the stress level of operating a restaurant pretty damn accurately.
Including the ticket printer sounds. My husband liked it too, and he’s a chef. I had to take breaks though. It’s not something I can binge-watch because it stressed me out so much at times.
—Chanel Adams, The Bamboo Bar
“It is the most accurate representation of restaurant life that I’ve seen”
I love The Bear, and for someone that’s worked in the industry for over 15 years I think it’s the most accurate representation of restaurant life that I’ve seen. The sense of urgency, the back door culture of the kitchen is really ingrained in the show. The smallest details, even down to the dry storage room meltdowns, give it a sense of authenticity that’s hard to compare with any other movie/show. Sometimes it feels too realistic, giving flashbacks of hard-fought days and the kitchen camaraderie of everyday life.
—Steve Doucakis, Laad Phuket
“The most accurate aspect is how they highlight the mental and emotional rollercoaster that is working in the food industry”
I really like The Bear. It’s a very realistic depiction of restaurant life. I think they really manage to capture the stress of the food industry. The most accurate aspect is the authentic kitchen environment, and how good they are at highlighting the mental and emotional rollercoaster that is working in the food industry. It touches on issues like stress, burnout, and impact on personal relationships, which I really appreciated while watching. Also the attention to detail is pretty spot on.
They don’t get much wrong, apart from some of the mistakes the chefs make, I guess, for dramatisation. It’s a bit overdramatic at times, as the kitchen is not really that chaotic — or at least not the ones where I’ve worked. Also, the chefs pick up complex skills incredibly fast during the series, which are not as easy in real life.
—Ricardo Nunes, hom Phuket
“Some of my friends don’t understand why I would subject myself to this stress as entertainment”
I think it really captures the constant pressures of restaurant life where countless things can go off the rails at all times, and at the end the only people who can truly understand all this are the people working beside you. I really love the show even though it often stresses me out watching it, and I guess I can say the same about working in F&B. I think you really have to be a little psycho and addicted to this stress-inducing life to be able to make it.
Some of my friends watch it and it almost induces a panic attack for them and they don’t understand why I would come home from work and subject myself to this type of stress as entertainment [laughs].
—Toey Na Ranong, Fowlmouth, Crackhouse, and Chu
“The pressure, joy, pain, ecstasy…I connect with that”
I love the show, not just because of Matty Matheson. [winks] Clearly, it’s a show done right, because not only does it resonate with people in the industry, it’s also top-notch entertainment across all demographics, from what I understand.
The pressure, joy, pain, sadness, exhilaration, ecstasy of being in the kitchen, I connect with that.
What it gets wrong, well, some of the scenarios seem so over the top, like all the money found in the the canned tomatoes. Honestly though, if there is one thing I learned in this industry, it’s to expect the unexpected, and no matter how far-fetched, anything is possible. If a friend told me that happened, I’d be inclined to believe them.
—Andrew Martin, Fatboy Izakaya
“It offers a reality for those who own their own restaurant”
I would say it offers a reality of the struggles and the dilemmas that chefs face every day, especially ones that own their own restaurant.
—Mark Jones, The Nai Harn, Phuket
“It shows how complex it is to work with people who don’t share your ideas”
It’s good, entertaining, and even though it’s not entirely realistic, it shows how complex it is to work with people who don’t share your ideas. It shows you that doing what you like does not always mean that it is enjoyable, and how routine can sometimes be good and sad.
The Bear presents the real life of a restaurant or bar, such as the economic problems, the differences between the people who make up the team, and how difficult it is to accept changes after many years doing the same thing.
—Alberto Garcia, La Lupita
“Hopefully shows like this will garner a different level of respect for what we do”
For those of us who grew up in the industry, I think we’re all excited to finally be realistically portrayed, shining a light on the darker sides of our industry, and showing outsiders the hard work, dedication, and hazards that go in to creating a top tier restaurant. I know the team has put deep thought into making this hit different, and hey, we appreciate it. Hopefully shows like this will help shed some light and garner a different level of respect for what we do.
–Dustin Joseph, Left Hand Coffee Roasters
The Bear Season 3 premieres in Thailand on 27 June on Disney+. The show is currently rated 8.6/10 on IMDb, and 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Written by
Lisa Gries
Creative Content Director, Bangkok
Lisa is the Creative Content Director at Lifestyle Asia and Prestige Thailand. When she’s not knees-deep in SEO analysis or editorial calendars, you’ll likely find her in downward-facing dog at the yoga studio, or immersed in conversation at a secret bar in China town. Lisa writes mostly on dining, travel, and pop-culture, and is a huge fan of soup dumplings, Riesling, and power napping — in exactly that order.
