The Ultimate Guide to Decoding Kitchen & Chef Lingo at The Bear

Summary

The Bear kitchen lingo, including terms like "Corner" and "Behind," helps prevent accidents and keep the kitchen running smoothly.

A "Chit" in the kitchen is a receipt or order ticket that is essential for maintaining order during chaotic moments. Shorthand terms such as "Fire" and "86" are used to quickly convey important messages and save time in a high-pressure kitchen environment.

The Bear kitchen lingo is just as popular among fans as the captivating storylines themselves. Jeremy Allen White portrays Carmine Berzatto, a skilled chef who leaves his fine dining career to manage his family's sandwich shop in Chicago, bringing the rich culture of cooking to the forefront. This engrossing aspect of the show is both informative and entertaining, particularly when Carmine's staff communicate using specific kitchen language. However, for viewers unfamiliar with working in a kitchen, it can be overwhelming to absorb and understand.

The show's authentic cooking vernacular, with its coded shorthand, references to kitchen responsibilities, and specific mentions of products and equipment, adds to its realism. Even concepts like a "Chaos Menu" can be challenging to fully comprehend without firsthand kitchen experience. There is a lot to learn, but once these terms are understood, the explanations are actually quite straightforward to remember.

Corner & Behind

To optimize efficiency in the kitchen, it is essential to establish a verbal shorthand among the staff. In the acclaimed Hulu original series The Bear, Carmine and his team consistently use the phrases "Corner" and "Behind" to communicate the restaurant's physical layout. This allows chefs to alert one another when walking behind someone or approaching a blind corner.

Due to the cramped and busy nature of kitchens, it is crucial to vocalize these terms loudly, clearly, and frequently to prevent accidents and mishaps with hot plates. "Corner" and "Behind" are typically used in the "Back of House" area, referring to the kitchen, while the "Front of the House" pertains to the customer ordering and serving area.

Chit

"Chit" is a term frequently used in the show, but it doesn't really stand out. It is shorthand for a receipt or an order ticket, which is frequently handled by the kitchen staff. However, it is not a central focus in the main storylines or major scenes. There are two significant instances where "chits" play a vital role in the show.

The first instance occurs in season 1 when The Beef's online ordering system goes live too early, resulting in a flood of "chits" before the official opening. This leads to a chaotic sequence, adding to the already abundant chaos in the show. The other notable moment happens in the season 2 finale when Richie takes charge of managing all the order tabs for the kitchen, striving to keep things running as smoothly as possible.

Staging

In the inaugural episode of The Bear, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) informs Carmy about her upcoming "staging" gig. Pronounced as "stahj-ing," this term refers to the training ritual where a junior chef shadows the more experienced counterpart, absorbing the restaurant's protocols. Occasionally, staging is an unpaid position that lacks recognition, with remuneration often taking the form of meals rather than money. Fortunately, this process typically spans a week or so and yields valuable benefits in the future. For Sydney, this experience elevates her culinary skills while being mentored by Carmy.

Fire & 86

In most cases, when people shout "fire," it is to alert others and evacuate a building that is on fire. However, in The Bear kitchen language, the word "fire" is frequently used to immediately request a dish to be prepared. This shortcut, which essentially means "start cooking the food order now," saves valuable time in a fast-paced kitchen environment where time is highly valued.

To cancel an order for any reason, chefs simply say "86" to quickly communicate the need to stop working on that specific order and move on to the next one. So when Carmy says "86 ribs," he is not referring to the quantity of ribs in the order, but rather instructing his staff to eliminate the dish entirely.

Hands

"Hands" is a frequently uttered term within the vibrant atmosphere of The Bear's kitchen, serving as the title for its second episode. In the fast-paced and intense environment of a kitchen, akin to a pressure cooker, a sense of urgency is essential. Hence, whenever someone in the kitchen requires immediate assistance in carrying or holding something, the word "Hands" reverberates through the air. Typically, it denotes a chef's need for a server to present a piping hot plate. In The Bear, where many staff members adeptly multitask between the Front and Back of the House, attentiveness to the call of "Hands" becomes doubly crucial, as it signifies their services are urgently required.

Heard

In the popular food-related TV program, efficiency reigns in the kitchen as a means to save time and money. When a character responds with "Heard," it signifies their complete comprehension of the given instructions and their readiness to carry out the task at hand. This catchphrase is frequently used on the show, even outside the culinary domain, highlighting how deeply ingrained their professional jargon has become. Importantly, "Heard" signifies not only understanding between characters, but also a genuine respect for their colleagues' desires and an unwavering dedication to supporting the team.

All Day

Proper planning and preparation are crucial elements in the success of a restaurant. This includes accurately gauging the amount of food available in relation to the potential number of orders for the day. In The Bear kitchen, Carmy consistently checks with his staff about the quantity of each product available on any given day, and the response is always accompanied by the phrase "All Day."

The term "All Day" represents the precise number of items that the restaurant has in stock for that particular day. So, when Richard mentions that there are "12 pork shoulders All Day," it signifies that they will be unable to fulfill any additional orders beyond the 12 already accounted for. This simple phrase serves as an efficient shorthand for keeping track of orders and maintaining an adequate supply of ingredients.

In The Weeds

When a chef on the cooking TV show The Bear mentions being "in the weeds," it signifies their current inability to assist another chef due to being overwhelmed or occupied with other tasks. While this phrase typically implies confusion or becoming lost in a situation, in the culinary realm, it simply implies that a chef is too inundated to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

As frequently observed on The Bear, the staff often communicates being "in the weeds" when they are unable to attend to "Hands" requests from Carmy and other chefs. It is a well-known fact among chefs that their profession demands immense dedication and unwavering focus to ensure timely completion of tasks. "In the Weeds" serves as a useful expression to indicate their current concentration solely on the task at hand.

Family Style

Cartouche

The term "Family Style" or "Family Meal" is a recognized term in the culinary industry that describes a communal way of dining together among employees. At The Bear, the chefs take turns preparing the daily family meal, fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. While Family Meals are typically informal, they also serve as occasional meetings where managers discuss the evening's or next day's plans. Interestingly, Carmy, unlike many other chefs, seldom joins his staff for these meals.

In the inaugural episode of the highly addictive Hulu series, Sydney promptly addresses Carmy's demand with the response, "yes, chef, do you require a Cartouche?" "Yes, Chef" serves as the unquestionable catchphrase in every culinary setting, conveying complete comprehension of the task at hand and a commitment to promptly execute it.

The term "Cartouche" denotes a folded piece of parchment paper that serves as a practical solution in specific cooking techniques, mainly to absorb excess moisture. Essentially, it acts as a gentle cover or a deceptive lid for braising liquids, soups, stews, and similar preparations. In response to Sydney's inquiry, Carmy acknowledges the suggestion by saying, "yes, chef, thank you," affirming that employing a Cartouche was a judicious choice for the particular dish.

The Brigade

The division of labor among staff members in every eatery is governed by a specific protocol. Over the centuries, the Escoffier-Style French Brigade, famously known as "The Brigade" in The Bear, has been the traditional system followed by restaurants. One of the conflicts in the show arises from Carmy's managerial vision for his sandwich shop, prompting Sydney to propose the incorporation of The Brigade.

Carmy learns that he cannot simply follow his brother Mike's instructions, so he takes Sydney's advice and implements a system to improve the efficiency of his staff. Following this advice, Carmy assigns specific roles to his team members, naming Marcus as the Boulanger (Baker). This system, known as The Brigade, serves as a clear and structured way to establish the hierarchy within a kitchen environment, resembling a military formation.