Is The Bear serving the truth about restaurant life in America? [Video]

Reckon EIC, Ryan Nave, is enjoying a well-deserved break this week, so I, the deputy editor, Michelle Zenarosa, am stepping in to share my perspective on a topic close to my heart – and stomach: the food business.

If you have yet to experience FX’s “The Bear,” you have about 24 hours to immerse yourself before the third season premieres. This critically-acclaimed series is serving up a raw and unfiltered look at the chaotic, beautiful, and often brutal world of restaurant kitchens.

As someone who’s also spent countless hours sweating it out in the back of the house in between journalism jobs, as a sous chef and line cook both in high-end kitchens and greasy spoons, I can attest to some of the show’s authenticity. The frantic pace, the razor-thin margins for error, the adrenaline rush of service, the camaraderie forged under fire – that’s all there, captured in all its gritty glory.

The series’ portrayal of the camaraderie that …