When asked if he had seen the hit show "The Bear," Chef Don Agate did not hesitate — it gave him PTSD.
The chaos, the screaming, the pressure of the pass — Don says the show got it right. He knows because he lived it. While working at Cafe des Artistes in Manhattan, he was routinely screamed at by a notoriously intense Australian chef while still being expected to get the food out perfectly.
That said, Don is quick to point out that the show exaggerates a few things. Not every kitchen runs that hot every single day, and the "chef" title being thrown around constantly is a bit much. To him, it is simply a term of respect — not something handed out to everyone in the building.
The Bear nailed the chaos. The reality, according to someone who has lived it, is somewhere in between.
