From appearing at food festivals to racking up awards, The Bear has become a huge cultural phenomenon.
And now eagle-eyed viewers of The Bear have spotted main character, chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, with a highly sought-after cookbook.
The hit American culinary comedy-drama, created by Christopher Storer, shows that Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White, owns a cookbook. by Australian chef Peter Gilmore.
Gilmore, who is the executive chef of Sydney fine-dining restaurants Quay and Bennelong, has not one but two of his titles featured in the FX original series.
Her second cookbook, Organum: Nature Texture Intensity Purity, which appears in Carmy’s apartment in seasons one and three, sells for $900 (AUD, £475) on Amazon.
Although it is still available digitally for a more modest price of $30, the 2014 physical edition is sold out, so it is in high demand, according to The Guardian.
Keen viewers of The Bear have discovered a wealth of cookbooks by Australian chefs and authors, such as Peter Gilmore, that feature in the series.
Meanwhile, Gilmore’s first book, Quay: Food Inspired by Nature, sits on the shelf in Carmy’s restaurant office in season two, alongside another book about the two-Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant Mugaritz.
However, the presence of Australian titles on an American TV show is intentional, according to The Bear set designer Eric Frankel.
He said: ‘From my earliest conversations with (The Bear creator) Chris Storer when we started designing the show, it was really important to showcase cookbooks from around the world.
“He gave me a list of books that I really wanted to own and then I spent weeks researching them further. Quay and Organum are two books that I would consider iconic.”
Jane Morrow, editorial director of Murdoch Books, added: “Peter Gilmore’s Quay was an absolute phenomenon, a luxury book, reprinted six times and a must-have for the industry. Of course Carmy has a copy!”
The Bear debuted to its highest-ever numbers in its third season. The show racked up more than 5.4 million views worldwide in its first four days of streaming, Hulu announced Monday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The comedy-drama, which received strong reviews on social media following the debut of its third season, had its best ratings since its 2022 debut when it began streaming on Hulu on June 27.
The hit American culinary comedy-drama, created by Christopher Storer and starring Jeremy Allen White as chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, features influential cookbook titles by René Redzepi, Julia Child and Peter Gilmore throughout scenes.
Peter Gilmore’s second cookbook, Organum: Nature Texture Intensity Purity, which appears in Carmy’s apartment in seasons one and three, is even selling for $900 on Amazon.
Although Organum is still available digitally for a more modest price of $30, the 2014 physical edition is out of print, so it is in high demand.
The cast includes Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Abby Elliott, Edwin Lee Gibson, Matty Matheson, Corey Hendrix and Oliver Platt.
The 5.4 million total represents full viewing of the 36-minute debut episode, which is titled Tomorrow, the outlet reported.
The total marks a 24 percent increase since the show’s second season debuted in June 2023, which had about 4.35 million views.
It represents a record for the show in a four-day span, as well as the most in Hulu history for an FX season debut or a scripted series, according to THR.
Hulu said the show’s ratings were the third-highest for an original season premiere. Outside the U.S., the series can be seen on the Disney+ streaming service.
The Bear has gained momentum in recent years, as its second season was in the Nielsen Top 10 for a five-week period in June 2023.
Jeremy Allen White won an Emmy for the cult TV hit The Bear, which streams on Disney+ outside the US.
Jeremy Allen White and Liza Colon-Zayas, ‘Braciole’ working in the kitchen in season 1 in 2022
Jeremy as Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto, left, and Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu in a scene from The Bear
The third season’s plot shows Carmy working to transition his butcher shop into a fine dining establishment and his relationships with his coworkers.
By the end of Season 2, The Beef had been completely transformed into the posh dining establishment The Bear and Carmy was locked in the freezer.
According to an official FX synopsis, in Season 3 fans will see the unlikely trio “do whatever it takes to elevate The Bear, their meat stand turned fine dining restaurant, to the highest level, all while doing their best to stay in business.”
“His quest for culinary excellence will push the crew to new levels and highlight the bonds that hold the restaurant together,” the description continues.
‘Our chefs have learned that every second counts, but this season we’ll find out if they have what it takes to make it to tomorrow.’
