‘The Bear’ Culinary Producer Courtney Storer on How Her Restaurant Burnout Impacts the Story: ‘It Feels Like Art Therapy’
variety.comSelome Hailu “The Bear” became an overnight sensation when its first season debuted in 2022 because of its visceral honesty about how it looks and feels to work in a restaurant.
Much of the credit for that belongs to Courtney Storer. Storer, sister of series creator Chris Storer, has worked in high-profile kitchens from Verjus in Paris to Jon & Vinny’s in L.A., but her most recent job has been to serve as “The Bear’s” culinary producer, getting the writers, cast and crew acclimated to the world the series takes place in. “In Season 1, it was it was a lot of storytelling with the writers, but also providing my journals and different training guides to give insight into the ethos of restaurants,” Storer says. “It’s bigger than the conflicts: It’s the decision-making, the structure, the procedures, the recipes.” Her role extends beyond just the technicalities of teaching writers the steps to opening a restaurant and actors how to carry their bodies through a kitchen.
Many of those show’s most emotional pieces — Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen White) difficulty processing his family’s past, Sydney’s (Ayo Edebiri) struggle to feel taken seriously at work — stem directly from Storer’s personal history.
The triumphs are informed by Storer’s achievements and relationships, too. By the end of Season 2, Carmy and Sydney have designed a tasting menu that’s both personal and (hopefully) Michelin star-worthy.
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