Premier Rock Forum

I'm surprised a thread on this hit TV show set in Chicago hasn't popped up yet.

Finished Season 1 with my dad last night. It is very NC and highly relatable to anyone who has worked back-of-house of an eatery. A few characters on the show even share striking similarities in both looks and demeanor with former co-workers, it's a bit freaky to me. Cousin Richie has a few likable moments, but otherwise, I've worked with too many douchebags like him and would've been out of there by the end of my first week.

In E6, Richie bemoans the "loss" of Logan, Wicker, and Pilsen. I've visited Chicago only once for a few days over a decade ago, but thanks and ONLY thanks to the PRF and the concentration of regulars from the Windy City region, I knew he was referring to Logan Square and Wicker Park, which seemed to impress my dad when he quipped "huh?" at Richie's line.

Everyone I know who's still in the industry says I shouldn't watch it.

My Dad (retired Chef) said he made it through half an episode, before he started to get really uncomfortable,sad and angry.

I'm sure it is extremely well made, and accurate. That said, skipping out. I left the industry for many reasons. After 25 years in it, don't need any reminder.

abstaining from voting

Yeah, it's a spot-on honest depiction of a toxic work environment, can be upsetting at times to watch, sure, but I can't appreciate it enough for its realness. Mental illness is a huge theme of the show as well, almost like restaurant full-timers and mental illness go hand-in-hand????

I worked in restaurants for several years, and the environment often developed toxicity. But it seems a bit over the top on there. Maybe it's like that in really fancy restaurants.

It's good though it becomes painful to watch.

There was a bit of discussion in the Netflix streaming or whatever it's called thread. I enjoyed it, but reading Jeff Fox talking about the weird/inaccurate food prep in that thread is very funny. Episode 7 (I think, the one right after the good review published) was stressful as fuck.

Jeremy Allen White probably spilled a lot of that magnificent hair into the food. NC, better than most tv.

I enjoyed the show.

BUT for a show that has Chicago as a central character, they really airballed some key details that drive the plot. The CDPH doesn't use the letter grading system. That's a west coast thing (now adopted in NYC too). I really had to stretch to make sense of this mobster gang hanging out. I mean, Chicago is known for gangs and for the mob, but this just seemed like a ham-fisted way to 2 birds 1 stone it. The best I could come up with is that this fictional restaurant is supposed to be in River North (which I have some commuting questions based on the montages shown between scenes - but I'll allow it) and therefore Richard's Bar (known mob connections) would be right down the street. So theoretically they could have made these guys being there make a little more sense with minimal effort. No beef/dog restaurant (okay, outside of Portillo's which is MUCH bigger) has that many people working the kitchen. No wonder they aren't making any money.

I bet the original script was pretty great and ended up with too many cooks in the kitchen (pun intended) deciding to just keep throwing ideas into it.

tommy wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:50 am The best I could come up with is that this fictional restaurant is supposed to be in River North (which I have some commuting questions based on the montages shown between scenes - but I'll allow it)

I think they did say (or maybe I read in a review) River North but yeah, it sure seems like he's often walking under the Lake St green line tracks or maybe by Columbia College. Still way more believable than any of the Shameless settings. (not that the shows have anything in common beyond Allen White, and Shameless was mostly filmed in LA)

I liked it. Pretty accurately shows restaurant life. I was never back of house but I was in the kitchen enough, as I managed a bar and did some prep in the kitchen. I have a LOT of respect for kitchen people. Those guys who work in kitchens that don't use tickets and just have to recall from memory what is needed every time it's called out, changing by the second, really impress me. I don't know how they do it. I certainly couldn't. I kind of hoped Richie would end up in jail or dead. So fucking toxic. I never had a guy like that around, chef would not allow that to go on. If you can't change, leave. But, of course a drama without drama... Looking forward to season two.

The cosplaying nerds lining up outside the restaurant to play the old arcade game, it doesn't track at all that they would be roughhousing types and generally being disrespectful to others. Maybe in rare cases some can be loud and annoying depending on how drunk they are, but a nerd in costume would never, ever try to pick fights. That probably bothered me the most, as far as things the show didn't get right.

The exterior is definitely the Mr. Beef on Orleans in River North (barffff). You can see the Green Door Tavern in one scene, I believe when the nerds are lined up outside.

https://goo.gl/maps/oK7RgBEKUmg9yA748