Amy Welborn wrote about the series The Bear in 2024:
Carmy’s a brilliant, promising chef, but as the season-opening episode-length montage — of him endlessly arranging peas and rosemary buds, haunted by memories of mentors villainous and virtuous, screaming family members and his angel ex-girlfriend — clearly shows is that at this point, it’s all about him. His kitchen art is all about working out his trauma, he’s on a quest for that Michelin star, and it’s his star.
In this creative quest, he’s built his team and they’ve grown too, discovering and nurturing their own gifts. But they’ve also been exploited and abused.
He’s determined to bring his unique vision to the table. But this particular table stands in a place built by others out of a tradition in a particular community, all of which he’s ignoring, as if the only way to heal is to amputate.
