CHICAGO — FXs “The Bear” stars Jeremy Allen White as an up-and-coming chef, Carmy Berzatto, who takes over his family’s Italian beef stand after the death of his brother. The restaurant in the series was inspired by Mr. Beef on Orleans, a long-time staple in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, where Allen made a visit recently.
“I love Chicago. Its so nice and its a great city,” says White.
White says he was trained at a culinary school and worked in a Michelin-starred kitchen to get ready for his role. He went to extra lengths to appear tired and sweaty to reflect what he saw from the chefs and cooks he worked alongside.
“We had sinks on set so pretty much before any take what I was doing was putting water in my hands and putting through my hair,” says White.
“Carmy” has a collection of tattoos that are specific to the character on the show, which had to be applied to White by friend and artist Ben Shields.
“It was a really fun process because you can kind of get to know a character through what art they have,” says White.
White says he’s impressed with the sacrifices those in the hospitality industry make to succeed.
“I see every restaurant as a miracle now because it’s so competitive, especially in Chicago, in LA, and in New York,” says White. “To have a restaurant open for years and have customers coming back and new customers come in is crazy and I don’t know what keeps that consistency.”
Viewers can find “The Bear” on Hulu.
