After a very on-edge marathon viewing of Disney+’s The Bear, my ears are ringing – but in the best way possible. I was immediately brought back to my days as a waiter, slingingpizzas and pastasout left, right and centre, as chefs and cooks yelled and threw dockets my way.
While I was never privy to the nuanced ins and outs of a busy kitchen, Idefinitely picked up on some of the curt shorthand kitchen terminology, so it was a trip down an oily and greasy memory lane hearing them againon The Bear.
Not everybody has the same intricate kitchen knowledge (myself included), and for many, The Bear will be the first time they’ve been exposed to these words.
Related story:What Aussie chefs think of The Bear, the new TV drama on Disney+
So, after seeing Carmen’s (Jeremy Allen White) pure passion for the craft, I’m keen to learn.
My vocal cords have been all warmed up! Here’s a breakdown of some of the terms regularly used in The Bear.
The Bear’s kitchen terminology, explained:
‘Behind!’
This one’spretty self-explanatory. Usually yelled when you’re travelling through the kitchen to let those around you know that you’re behind them, and that you may need space to move through. This helps to minimise accidents, particularly during any rushperiods.
‘Corner!’
Similar to ‘Behind’, this term is best used in smaller kitchens with many stations, and thus, many corners and turns. Said when turning a corner, this lets team members know your movements. They’ll (hopefully) then be mindful of anything you’re carrying and of any blind spots. This also helps to reduce accidents.
‘Fire!’
Said after an order’s been read out, ‘Fire’ is usually an indication to start cooking a dish. This is not to be confused with when an actual fire happens – you should absolutely not start a dish and follow WH&S protocol instead.
‘Heard!’
This is acknowledgement in its simplest form. When you’ve been assigned a task or given an order, ‘Heard!’ lets thedelegator (usually a head or sous chef)know that you’ve acknowledged the directive and will get to it when available. Can also be seen as confirmation.
‘Hands!’
This term lets wait staff know when a dish is ready to be taken to the diner’s table. In my time as a waiter, the term was ‘Swing!’.
Bonus term: Family or Family meal
This is a quick bite or meal for the whole kitchen, usually held before a rush or before doors open. This is a goodopportunity to spend time with your crew, chat through any issues, or even just chill – given it’s the quiet before the storm.
Whether you’re in an industrial kitchen, or just cooking at home, these terms could be handy to adopt when there are way too many chefs come celebration time.
Note: These terms were taken from the show and will differ kitchen to kitchen. Aussie kitchens may use different terms.
The Bear is available to stream now onDisney+.
Related story:This new Gordon Ramsay TV show is The Voice meets MasterChef
FAQs
Some Kitchen Lingo Explained
"Yes, Chef": No matter what you're saying or asking, I hear you. "Heard": I acknowledge what you said. "Behind": I'm walking behind you, so please don't back up or turn quickly because one of us probably has a piping hot pot of something. "Corner": I'm coming around the corner, so be aware.
What does "all day" mean in a kitchen The Bear? ›
"All Day" denotes the exact number of items a restaurant has in stock for that day. So when Richard (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) says there are "12 pork shoulders, All Day," that means they will not be able to accommodate the 13th order. It's another easy shorthand to keep all the orders on track and supplies in stock.
What is the explanation of too many cooks in the kitchen? ›
There may be “too many cooks in the kitchen” when members of a team or a group of employees from different departments are having difficulty working on a project together. You may also hear someone use this expression to describea team that has too many people contributing conflicting ideas to a project.
Why is everyone chef on The Bear? ›
In the fictitious Beef kitchen, Carmy's insistency on calling everyone in the kitchen “chef” as a sign of respect helps build community and confidence within his team. However, in a real-life kitchen, our chefs said that this is purely circ*mstantial depending on the restaurant.
What is the kitchen lingo all day? ›
In chef slang, the expression all day is used to indicate the total number of orders needed. As tickets come in, a chef will shout out the orders followed by all day. If there are three orders of fries on one ticket and four orders of fries on another ticket, there are seven orders of fries all day.
Who is the nasty chef on The Bear? ›
Your browser does not support the video tag. Joel McHale's character in The Bear is based on Chef Thomas Keller, known for his high-stress kitchen environments.
What does 86 mean in The Bear? ›
"All Day": This is how many of a particular menu item we have. "86": We're running low or out of a dish, so cut it from the menu. "Hands": Someone (often a server), please come grab this food and deliver it to the customer while it's hot. Chit: A receipt, order ticket, tab, or IOU.
Why is Carmy called Jeffrey? ›
Carmy and Tina are co-workers and good friends. Upon Carmy first joining the Beef, the existing members of the staff mainly showed skepticism towards him due to the changes he planned to implement to the kitchen. She also jokingly began referring him with the nickname "Jeff" which sounds like "chef".
What does chest rub mean in The Bear? ›
In one early scene, Carmy forms a fist with his hand and rubs it against his chest. Syd at first thinks the dish they're tasting has given him heartburn, but he explains that it's sign language for “I'm sorry.” The gesture is used later in the season to quell a squabble.
What does too many cookies in the kitchen mean? ›
According to the Collins dictionary: “Too many cooks in the kitchen” means that something may not be successful if too many people try to do it simultaneously.
There is an old adage that too many cooks spoil the broth. It is not only in the well-known proverb, but also in this present instance, that too many cooks spoil the broth.
What is the old saying Too Many Cooks? ›
When too many people work together on a project, the result is inferior.
Does The Bear use actual chefs? ›
A James Beard Award winner, Beran appears with Carmy and Luca (Poulter) in the fictional restaurant Ever, which serves as the setting for many pivotal scenes this season. Owned by chef Andrea Terry (Coleman) on the show, in reality, Ever is a real eatery owned by Michelin-starred chef Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser.
What does Bobby Flay think of The Bear? ›
Flay says he's only caught a few episodes so far, but “I think they're doing a great job.” He's especially impressed by Jeremy Allen White's performance as the main character Carmy. “I think he has great moves in the kitchen,” Flay observes.
Does chef Ramsay watch The Bear? ›
Whenever Ramsay isn't working or cooking, he is watching cooking shows. “Every time I fly, I'm always downloading some new food program,” he said. That includes scripted dramas like “The Bear,” which Ramsay said offers “the closest insight to the reality that goes into restaurants on a daily basis” that he has seen.
Why does Tina say Jeff in The Bear? ›
Upon Carmy first joining the Beef, the existing members of the staff mainly showed skepticism towards him due to the changes he planned to implement to the kitchen. She also jokingly began referring him with the nickname "Jeff" which sounds like "chef".
What is The Bear phrase? ›
Although the bear safety rhyme “If it's brown, lay down. If it's black, fight back. If it's white, goodnight” sounds like good advice, you have to know why a bear is attacking you before you can decide the best way to respond.
Does Gordon Ramsay watch The Bear? ›
Whenever Ramsay isn't working or cooking, he is watching cooking shows. “Every time I fly, I'm always downloading some new food program,” he said. That includes scripted dramas like “The Bear,” which Ramsay said offers “the closest insight to the reality that goes into restaurants on a daily basis” that he has seen.
What do the numbers mean in The Bear? ›
• 9mo ago. it's actually the table numbers. when they call out the higher numbers, they're telling the kitchen to start the next course for that table. and when they say hold followed by a number, it means to wait before starting the next course for that table.
