CHICAGO — Although Carmy Berzatto and his kitchen crew are fictional, the many parallels between the show and actual Chicago restaurants make “The Bear” feel deeply rooted in authenticity, a trait that is not lost upon viewers working in the city’s culinary scene.
Chicago restaurant Soul and Smoke shares some particular similarities with “The Bear.” At its helm is Chef D’Andre Carter, who first started his business serving smoked meats out of a food truck.
Soul and Smoke has since expanded past its food truck beginnings. With four locations and plans to grow even further, Carter and his partner, Heather Bublick, have turned this humble startup into a barbecue empire.
Much like Carmy, Chef D’Andre has a background in fine dining. He spent years at Chicago restaurant Moto, which specialized in molecular gastronomy. Carter is also an avid fan of “The Bear,” finding both comfort and humor in the chaos Carmy is faced with while in the kitchen.
“[Carmy] is trying to make this dream come true, right? But it’s a lot of reality and making a dream come true,” Carter says, as he recounts how the show mirrors much of his own experience finding a balance between passion and business.
“We weren’t business owners in the past, you know? We just had a dream and a vision, and we have to figure out the rest of that stuff on the way to make everything come to life.”
Bublick, who is Soul and Smoke’s CEO, has a background in both food and business. A value she and Carter share is the importance of community outreach. Through their restaurant, the duo has provided an estimated 250,000 meals for an array of charitable foundations.
Along with spearheading community service efforts for the restaurant, Bublick oversees the restaurant from a business perspective.
“I’m always the one who’s keeping everything on time and on track, making sure our budgets aren’t blown,” Bublick explains; her role at Soul and Smoke mirrors that of Natalie Berzatto, whose character in “The Bear” manages much of the restaurant’s development.
“I’m always keeping D’andre on task and on target!”
On-screen, Carmy and his kitchen crew’s determination is palpable, and at Soul and Smoke, Carter and Bublick strive for an environment that’s no different.
“It’s like an emotional connection with your team, your community, the product that you’re serving, the details, you know? You’re trying to do it the best you can with as little finances as possible, but you don’t let anything stop you – and I think that’s what I saw in “The Bear.” They didn’t let anything stop them from opening up that restaurant, and we won’t stop anything from opening ours, either.”
You can now stream all episodes of FX’s The Bear on Hulu.
Disney is the parent company of Localish and this ABC station.
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