How to Shop ‘The Bear’ Chef Aesthetic

WDC NEWS 6 STAFF

3 weeks ago

How to Shop ‘The Bear’ Chef Aesthetic

It started with the T-shirt. When The Bear first hit Hulu in 2022, viewers, instantly taken with Carmy and the lure of the “dirtbag line cook,” had to know: Where did he get his signature, cut-just-right white tees?

The Strategist confirmed them to be the tees from the German brand Merz B. Schwanen. The show’s influence perhaps persists; as of this writing, the shirts are sold out from many retailers, despite running anywhere between $96 and $105 a pop. (Carmy also wears Japanese-made Whitesville T-shirts — equally in-demand.) Some people seem to think that a little of the chef’s short-king swagger can be shared through the simple act of sartorial mimicry.

The show has, clearly, taken off, becoming not only a piece of entertainment but also an aesthetic, as the New York Times’s Tejal Rao recently wrote. (Understandably, this kind of kitchen cosplay has come with some frustration from members of the service industry.) Bear fans want not only Carmy’s T-shirts but also his patchwork jacket (the brand NN. 07, which cites its appearance on the show, is planning a restock this fall) and his vintage jeans (many pieces have been dedicated to Carmy’s style alone). They want to know where Sydney gets her hair scarves and what cookbooks Carmy has on his shelf.

To that end, should you want to shop The Bear, here are some other as-seen-on-the-show items that you might consider.

What to buy to cook like a Bear chef

Scotch rough surface painter’s tape

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Carmy and his former boss David Fields, played by Joel McHale, are both partial to neon green painter’s tape for kitchen labeling over the more run of the mill blue stuff. (Thomas Keller in particular is known for his preference for green too.)

Kuhn Rikon peeler

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Speaking of neon green things, the kitchen peeler we briefly see in-use in the kitchen at Daniel is the popular one from Kuhn Rikon.

Brass fish scaler

Prices taken at time of publishing.

A Japanese-style brass fish scaler can be seen poking out of Carmy’s knife roll.

In the kitchen of the Bear, Carmy uses stainless steel cookware from both All-Clad (classic) and Made In (modern).

Vitamix 5200 blender

Prices taken at time of publishing.

No surprise: Carmy uses a Vitamix blender. They’re known for being workhorses.

Benriner mandoline

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Benriner mandolines are popular among chefs for their simple, no-frills design. Of course one appears in the show.

Hay color crate

Prices taken at time of publishing.

While most of the storage supplies we see in the kitchens throughout the show are restaurant supply store standards (like Cambros), we also get a peek of a trendy Hay crate in dark blue.

What to buy to live like a Bear chef

Leuchtturm1917 notebooks

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Carmy’s notebooks of choice, at least when he’s wrapping up his stint in Copenhagen, appear to be from Leuchtturm 1917. The one he labels “Copenhagen” looks like the company’s special edition “Nordic Blue” color, which would be fitting.

Pilot G2 pens

Prices taken at time of publishing.

His pen of choice, meanwhile, is the no-nonsense, retractable Pilot G2, which clips nicely onto an apron. Judging by his writing, I’d wager it’s a larger nib, like the bold 1.0 mm.

What to buy to dress like a Bear chef

Birkenstock Tokio Super Grip

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Carmy’s kitchen shoe of choice is the Birkenstock Tokio Super Grip, a shoe designed with higher traction on the sole that’s ideal for being worn in professional contexts.

Bragard Travail bib apron

Prices taken at time of publishing.

A few different aprons can be seen throughout the show, but the most iconic ones (the ones everyone tried to copy for their Halloween costumes) came from the French company Bragard. The specific ones used on the show were an off-batch originally meant for the French Laundry, Vulture reported.

Viso Project silk scarf

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Sydney is known for her great collection of scarves. She wears this Italian-made scarf in Season 1.

Sydney wears this mushroom-print cotton bandana in Season 3. It seems to be sold out everywhere, which is a shame since the print is great. Luckily, the cactus-printed bandana from the same brand has a similar vibe.

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