I put a call out to my friends for a recommendation of a good tv show, and resoundingly The Bear was the clear winner. So, I sat down with no prior knowledge of the show, the actors, or anything else. In short, it is the tale of a former Michelin star chef who returns home to Chicago to run his deceased brother’s beef sandwich shop. But in actuality it is a warts-and-all look at the blood, sweat and tears behind the scenes in a commercial kitchen, while human dramas play out in parallel. Filmed in an almost documentary style, it brought back very real memories of working in a kitchen in my twenties. It felt really authentic and a great snapshot of the artistry & creativity of a masterful chef. And the performances, especially by Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri, are super strong, with humour and pathos throughout. I was engrossed from start to finish, and my only quibble was the deus ex machina escape from ruin in the final episode. But you forgive the showrunners for the pure quality of the show overall. The episodes are short (30ish mins) so it is easily watched in a short sitting or two. In the US its available on Hulu, and in Ireland it’s available on Disney+. Worth a watch!