Food

San Antonio culinary professionals weigh on FX hit The Bear’s depiction of the food business

BY NINA RANGEL

FX’s smash hit The Bear has unleashed a powerful mainstream representation of the stresses and strains endured by the nation’s foodservice workers.

The eight-episode dramatic series follows Carmy Berza o (Jeremy Allen White), a young chef from the fi ne-dining world, as he returns to Chicago to run his family’s sandwich shop after the death of his brother.

The show is full of details familiar to those who have worked in restaurants: from the plastic quart tub the main character chugs water from to the constant shit-talking amongst co-workers. Beyond those, the show unfl inchingly depicts the pressure that drives many restaurant workers to addiction and isolation — whether it’s to dull the noise or to keep up with the fast-paced environment.

The series is so spot-on that Carmy’s emotionally driven outbursts have reportedly triggered PTSD in foodservice veterans. For some, the show can be a reminder of the screaming, harassment, sexism, overinfl ated egos and overwork they endure on the job.

We caught up with six San Antonio foodservice pros to get their perspective on The Bear’s accuracy and what they think the show conveys to viewers outside the industry.

Chef Jeff White

Executive Chef, The Palm

The show vindicates all of us that have chosen to be “lifers” in this fucked-up business, and it helps make sure our eff orts are not diluted through Food Network and social media. Our stress and struggles are all too real. The show hits on all the real points of the struggle of owning a restaurant: bills, health inspections, employees, payroll. I could go on for days. It is a business meant for stress-mongers and not for the faint of heart. It also shines light on the family dynamic of a lot of kitchens. It seems like everyone in the kitchen knows more about their co-workers’ lives than their own family. We support each other, not only through day-to-day work struggles, but also mentally with advice and support about dayto-day life. The Bear has been the only “chef” show that has nailed it.

Joel Rivas

Founder, Saint City Culinary Foundation

Apart from it just being a very well-done show, it was incredibly accurate about the details … the emotional a achment many chefs have with their knives; drinking out of delis; dealing with a solid long-time team member that refuses to buy into a new way of doing things; the anxiety that can sometimes set in when the ticket printer won’t stop going; the stress of an independent owner to pay the bills, pay the staff and still put out a quality product. Adding the piece about his own demons relating to family substance abuse in Alcoholics Anonymous was incredibly moving. Like a lot of people, [the episode] “Review” was a li le triggering for me. I’ve been an eager line cook that got screamed at for not staying on task, but I also lost it on an employee once because I was stressed out when the computer went down, and we had to do everything manually one night. It felt like I was right back there. When the episode ended, I was completely silent. [My wife] Allysse looked over at me and asked if I was OK. Trauma sticks with a person, and it’s hard to shake, even when you’ve gone through lots of therapy.

Brooke Balli

Private Chef

I mean, obviously, the entertainment level was there for me because I could relate to it. And to see [actor Jeremy Allen White] in another show, aside from Shameless was cool. But ... it was a li le upse ing for me because it felt like it was perpetuating the abusive nature of the kitchen, which is something that I feel like the industry has been trying to move away from. I think San Antonio has always kind of been removed from that, in my experience. Where I did experience these toxic environments, actually, was in Austin. When I was 18 years old and working in kitchens in Austin, I was having glassware thrown at my station when I messed up, and pans thrown at me. And that seems extreme, but it happened. It was actually very prevalent, unfortunately. San Antonio’s culinary forefathers, Mark Bliss and Bruce Auden, [have] done a really good job about fostering cool-headed environments. I was never treated improperly in either of those chef’s kitchens. I was never sexually harassed — none of that ever happened — and I was working with all men for the most part. So, I think that speaks a lot to San Antonio’s collective kitchen culture.

Alex Cabello food

Courtesy Photo FX Productions

Manager, Back Unturned Brewing

The scene where [actor] Jeremy White fi nds his knife on the kitchen fl oor literally made me scream, “What the fuck?” out loud. When he was screaming, looking for a permanent marker, it showed how vicious the service industry can be — and expresses all the demanding aspects perfectly. It also showed all the diff erent relationship dynamics, like all the love and hate between everyone working together and how it can and cannot work.

Chef Ryan Ryhs

Chef/Owner, Satisfried Food Truck, Enzo’s Culinary Events

Loved the series, but it was, for sure, triggering. I think all chefs are Carmy at some point in our careers, especially in the fl ashback scene when he was in the fi ne-dining environment, and his chef was telling him he was basically going to be nothing. I took it as Carmy telling himself all those negative things because that’s how he was feeling about himself. It’s that feeling that you’re trying your hardest and pu ing out your best, but still doubting everything you’re pu ing out. It’s relatable.

Chef Geronimo Lopez

Executive Chef, Botika

One thing that I really liked is the fact that, when talking about traumas that happen in the kitchen, [the show conveyed] that it’s not one big thing — it’s usually an accumulation of li le things. So, there’s a couple of scenes where the fi ght erupts, and everybody goes nuts, but it’s not because just one thing happened. The main character gets thrown into owning and operating a place, when all his life he was cooking, you know, and that resonates a lot. Because when you own the place and the toilet breaks, then you’ve got to fi gure out how to fi x that. The lights go out, or the gas is turned off , and all of a sudden,

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you have to become an engineer. Maybe somebody’s having some real personal issues, and you become a psychologist, and you’re still trying to run the restaurant, still trying to cook and still be creative and enjoy your craft. I have received messages from some friends from high school that were like, “Dude, is this for real? Is this your life?” And I’m always just like, “That’s one of the reasons why we’re so damn crazy.” For somebody that is not familiar with the kitchen it’s fun and interesting to watch, and for those who are familiar, you know that that’s not what happens in a kitchen every day, but the representation, you know, is nice. [Chefs] can be so badly represented, so this was something fun and new, and it resonated with me.

Chef/Owner, Clementine

There are a few scenes that are totally relatable as an owner and chef, and I think it was really well-researched and acted. The hazing and shit-talking in the show is pre y light compared to the things I’ve seen as a younger cook. Those aspects are in the hyper-competitive kitchens where the cooks and sous chefs are disposable. Fortunately, San Antonio chefs, on the most part, see our staff as the greatest asset we have. It’s a much be er drama than an industry biopic. Although, the scene where both the chef and sous chef are outside at the end of episode three, where the fi nal words are “fuck brunch?” Yeah, fuck brunch.

OPENINGS

Carriqui, the forthcoming restaurant in the former, Pearl-area Liberty Bar building, will open Friday, Sept. 2, serving a menu focused on South Texas fl avors and ingredients. 239 E. Grayson St., carriquitx.com.

New River Walk eatery Fiume Pizzeria & Wine Bar is now open, boasting a Ferrari-red Fiero pizza oven on its open-air patio. 200 S. Alamo St., fi umepizzeria.com.

NEWS

Freetail Brewing and JW Marrio San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa have released a Hill Country Honey Blonde ale brewed with honey collected from hives on the resort’s 600-acre property.

Loaded baked potato purveyor Jacked Potato has closed, citing the pandemic and escalating food costs. Owner Jacci Castille said she’s already working to secure a new location in a higher-visibility area. 8340 Old Seguin Road, Suite 4, Converse.

California-based Nékter Juice Bar will open a location near Camp Bullis, the company’s second in San Antonio. Both stores are party of a rapid expansion that includes plans for at least 55 new locations by the end of 2022. 1304 Borgfeld Drive, Suite 200

Snack shop Chamoy City Limits has temporarily reduced hours at its brick-and-mortar location and is now open only on weekends. 447 W Hildebrand Ave., (210) 744-0000, chamoycitylimits. com

All-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and hot pot chain KPOT is expected to open its fi rst Alamo City location next June as part of a 22-state growth plan. 12485 I-10 West, Suite 100

Puro Nitro Coff ee is the only San Antonio-based food company picked to contend for grocery giant H-E-B’s Quest for Texas Best contest. The homegrown venture is vying to get its canned cold coff ee on store shelves across Texas.

Downtown restaurant Landrace will host a Wednesday, Aug. 31 charity dinner featuring dishes from owner Steve McHugh and fellow San Antonio James Beard Award nominees John Russ, Esaul Ramos and David Cáceres. 111 Lexington Ave., (210) 942-6026, landracetx.com

The Taco Rumble will return Thursday, Sept. 15, pi ing local chefs against rivals from Houston, Dallas and Austin in a cooking competition at the San Antonio Museum of Art. The event raises money for the Texas Food & Wine Alliance. 200 W Jones Ave., (210) 978-8100, samuseum.org

Popular downtown watering hole The Local Bar has closed after 10 years. The building’s landlord decided not to renew the lease. 600 N. Presa

THURSDAY,FRIDAY&SATURDAY AUGUST 25-27

IN-STORE ONLY

*Dollar Sale runs Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 8/25/22 - 8/27/22. Valid on wine and spirits 750ml or larger. Sale items can be shopped in-store ONLY at all Twin Liquors and Sigel’s locations. Selection varies by store. Items and prices subject to change without notice. No further discount on Sale Items, Final Few, or Closeouts. No rain checks. Some exclusions apply. Please drink responsibly.