Pack Your Knives

Every episode of television is a series of creative decisions. Which characters do we spend the most time with? In which settings? How will the conflict occur?

Season Three of “The Bear” took some unconventional risks — some worked and some didn’t.

PYK Producer Anthony Mayes joins Tom and Kevin to break it all down, and to look ahead to the show’s final season. 

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Chef Eric Adjepong knows restaurant kitchens and he knows television — he hosts “Alex vs. America” and “Wildcard Kitchen” on The Food Network. He stops by PYK to chat about what “The Bear” gets right.

Tom and Kevin also ask him which is more beneficial: A love-letter of a review of a restaurant in a big city newspaper, or an Instagram reel of Kamala Harris & husband raving about the dining experience.

He also shares why so many chefs both love the show, but also are triggered by the intensity of the kitchen experience. 

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Sandwiched between two bottle episodes, “The Legacy” puts Sydney on the spot — will she take Shapiro’s offer to become Chef de Cuisine at his new joint, or will she finally sign the partnership agreement and fully commit to the Bear.

Tom and Kevin debate what Sydney will — and should — do. They also lament that the show’s shot selection, opting for more scenes of the Fak brothers esoteric and unfunny shtick over more dramatic beats that heighten conflict and deepen characters.

Tom enjoyed “Ice Chips” and the interplay between Natalie and Donna on the verge of delivering her firstborn into the world.

Kevin appreciated the stage play, but wonders how much the series can devote to deep dives between supporting characters before losing the central thread.

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Bottle episodes can be risky business for a series, but “The Bear” has shined with its one-off productions, from Season’s 2 family stage play “Fishes” to this season’s mood poem of a premier.

This episode, “Napkins,” marks the directorial debut of series regular Ayo Edebiri (Sydney) and focuses almost entirely on how Tina (played remarkably by Liza Colón-Zayas) found her way to The Beef/The Bear.

Friend of PYK C.J. Krawczyk stops in to share with Tom and Kevin his conflicting thoughts about the episode. On one hand, the half hour is an affecting portrayal of the heartbreak and frustration of job insecurity. On the other, it also takes us away from the central dynamics of “The Bear" in the middle of a season that has spent precious little time in the kitchen — and virtually no time in the dining room.

Whatever misgivings the guys have about the trajectory of Season 3, they agree that the music has been pitch perfect. 

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Richie’s character is starting to cultivate grace away from the restaurant, even as he and Carmy persist in their sometimes-hot-sometimes-cold war.

Tom shares his love of the scene between Richie and his daughter, Evie, and why the two-handed scenes represent The Bear at its best.

The two episodes are at their strongest when Carmy and Sydney occupy the kitchen, honing their collective vision. Sydney is learning how to carefully check Carmy’s worst instincts, even as she struggles to sign the partnership agreement and codify her relationship with the Berzatto clan.

Episodes 4 and 5 are also marked by two big cameos — Josh Hartnett and John Cena respectively. The first works a lot better than the second, as Kevin kvetches that there are few things he cares less about than the Fak brothers’ ‘haunts,’ and the fate of Sammy’s SD cards. 

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Kevin and Tom examine the moments when the show performs at its best: is it the introspective, brooding Carmine scenes at The Bear or when the show “goes home” with secondary characters?

Kevin draws a spot-on parallel of Syd/Carmy as Peggy/Don in Mad Men while Tom campaigns for more Richie exploration. 

The Bear can’t be discussed without a dive into the show’s musical choices. With the Gen X sounds of Eddie Vedder and R.E.M taking center stage, the topic of needle drops surfaces and Tom and Kevin analyze whether the FX show becomes too navel-gazey (the PYK stance: it doesn’t).

A central question of the show: what does joy for Carmy look like? For Tom and Kevin, joy looks a lot like Oliver Platt on the television screen. Say it with us now: God Bless Oliver Platt.

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As one season ends, another begins.

With Top Chef off the air, PYK’s Kevin Arnovitz and Tom Haberstroh have taken a seat at the table of The Bear, the hit TV show on FX. Kevin and Tom explain why they love the scripted series about a family restaurant in Chicago and unpack the unconventional Season 3 premiere. Plus, a discussion about musical choices and which character is the true star of the show.

If you’d like to catch up, all episodes of The Bear (Seasons 1-3) can be found on Hulu. PYK will be posting Season 3 recaps on a weekly basis. Stay tuned for Top Chef alums to join us along the ride…

(Yes, Chef, the audio this week isn’t our best work. It’s the summer. We’re on the road. Apologies. *rubs chest in circular motion*)

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Tom Colicchio is Top Chef’s ranking authority, a lifer who has been with the show since its inception.

Less than a week after Season 21’s finale riled some longtime fans of the show, Colicchio visits with Tom and Kevin to discuss what went wrong with the finale edit.

He explains the various roles of producers, editors and professionals who create a season of Top Chef, shares his candid thoughts about Quickfires, and explores how this season’s cheftestants measured up to previous fields.

👇Hear the full episode right now on the Pack Your Knives Substack👇

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The Top Chef judges table shocked audiences with a surprise verdict in the finale.

Tom H. sounds off against the decision, as he and Kevin debate what the outcome says about what the show values most in a Top Chef contestant.

Also, an interview with chefs Dan Jacobs, Savannah Miller and Danny Garcia about how this season changed their lives.

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There are inspired challenges in magical destinations on the eve of the finale that bring out the best in our aspirational cheftestants.

With the title of Top Chef only two cooks away, they reach deep into their imaginations and execute the meals of their lives!

This week aboard a cruise ship in Curacao was decidedly … not that episode.

Tom and Kevin break down what went wrong in an elimination challenge where only two of eight dishes were successful, and look ahead at who might be able to pull it together to claim the crown. 

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