Who doesn’t love The Bear? The FX food show arguably got better in its equally stressful, also well-soundtracked second season, which found Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy and team struggle to turn a joint that flings Italian beefs into a fine dining experience. (It did miss out on casting Michelle Pfeiffer, but that’s okay because they got Jamie Lee Curtis instead.) But there’s one significant person who still hasn’t seen it: The guy whose Chicago sandwich shop inspired it.
Variety spoke with Chris Zucchero, owner of Chi-Town’s beloved Mr. Beef. Zucchero has been friends with The Bear creator Christopher Storer since kindergarten. He let them shoot most of the pilot there, and he’s even in that episode, as the guy who deals meat to Carmy.
It sounds like Zucchero should have seen at least one episode. Alas, he hasn’t. He doesn’t have a great reason, by his own admission, saying it’s “more about embarrassment” for him.
“I just feel weird,” he told Variety. “Food people are not the same as actors or musicians. You know what I mean? That’s the same reason why I don’t really promote anything with The Bear. I don’t want to be the guy that’s like, “Look at me. I’m the f•cking Bear guy.”
Besides, he’s busy making sandwiches.
“Somebody’s still got to wake up the next day and make beef,” said Zucchero. “The only thing I’ve ever known in my life is that restaurant.”
The two seasons of The Bear stream on Hulu.
(Via Variety)