Chrane's "The Bear" Test Kitchen
Episode 3 - Sundae
Recap: Season 2, Episode 3 - Sundae
In Episode 3, we get a glimpse into the personal lives of each character. Carmy reveals signs of troubling family history, Sydney meets with industry friends for inspiration and advice, it’s Ritchie’s day to take care of his daughter, and Carmy and Claire stumble into their first date.
Some of us are eager to get back to The Bear; others are encouraging of this work-life-balance and outside-of-work character development.
We also watch as Sydney's father gets in her head. Between falling down a google search rabbit hole of restaurants in the area that haven't made it and struggling to recreate the flavors and processes behind various dishes, it's apparent that Sydney could utilize resources from her Chrane Rep and local "The Mix" Test Kitchen.
At Chrane, our Guarantee is Your Committed Partner In Excellence (YCPIE), meaning that we will do whatever it takes to help you reach your goals. We offer various resources from culinary support, recipe ideation, equipment & supplies testing, trainings and demonstrations, and have an office staffed with taste-testers! But don't just take it from us. See what our customers have to say about their experience working on menu at "The Mix".
11 weeks to open.
“You know what a lot of restaurants suck at?” Sydney asks back in Carmy’s apartment kitchen.
“Desserts.”
The two discuss their plan for Marcus as they recipe test using plastic containers and blue tape. A little more health department friendly? How about Cambro Manufacturing's 1 & 1/2 qt CamSquares FreshPro paired with the StoreSafe Food Rotation Labels?
As the two work, they decide to pull together their miles to send Marcus to Copenhagen, a place where Carmy once received culinary training and inspiration. He shares vaguely that he knows a guy and a place.
The two get a spoonful of Sydney’s new batch of sauce. Too salty. They spit it out.
“Our pallets are f*****,” Carmy says and makes the executive decision that the two need to pause for the day, go out, and eat new things. Sydney pushes back to avoid defeat, before nodding in agreement. Carmy offers to clean the kitchen and meet Sydney at a local diner before hearing his phone ring.
“Did you really give me a fake number?” Claire asks.
“I’m sorry, it was a mistake,” Carmy says with his hand pressed to his face.
Swept up by a favor Claire’s asked for, Carmy leaves Sydney at the diner alone. Disappointed, she orders a breakfast sandwich, hashbrown, mushroom adobo, mango tart, and a matcha latte while journaling alone.
She continues to travels around town, trying various dishes and posting ‘help wanted’ signs for The Bear. She visits with restaurant owners and industry peers, trying their recipes and shadowing pre-dinner service team meetings. Her friends aren’t surprised that she’s opening a new concept, as she’s, “always trying to be the best.”
“I know your food will be good, just make sure your hospitality and service is overwhelming,” a trend we’re seeing pushed more and more in our industry – crafting the experience.
We also hear, “Make sure you have a good partner, someone you can trust,” to which Sydney puts her head down.
From short rib hummus, barbecued meats, Asian noodles, dumplings, pho, fresh pasta, ravioli, fresh herbs, dry aged meats, we’re exposed to the wide variety of cuisines and fresh food Chicago has to offer. And what a better way to end a day that didn’t go as planned than at Marquis Candy for a classic vanilla sundae with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry on top?
At the end of the day, Sydney stops back at what she was expecting to be an empty Bear, but finds Richie, Neil, Marcus, and, surprise, Carmy.
Carmy explains that they had to break down a wall because of mold. Sydney is upset. But not because of the wall, because no one called her about the decision to break down the wall. Carmy doesn’t understand.
Frustrated and confused, Sydney leaves. She leans on a peer for an available commercial kitchen space to recreate her vision of a deconstructed pesto ravioli dish. She rolls out her pasta, pipes out her cheese mixture, rolls her raviolis, and assembles her sauce. She lays some of her sauce on a spoon, tastes it, and spits it out, collapsing on her workspace and sighing in defeat. She never finishes the dish.
What do you value most in a business partner? What’s the most important thing to keep in mind when starting a restaurant? What advice would you give to Sydney right now?
Products Featured Throughout Chrane's Series:
Alto-Shaam | For more product info, visit: https://www.chranefs.com/manufacturers/alto-shaam
American Metalcraft | For more product info, visit: https://www.chranefs.com/manufacturers/american-metalcraft
American Range | For more product info, visit: https://www.chranefs.com/manufacturers/american-range
Cambro Manufacturing | For more product info, visit: https://www.chranefs.com/manufacturers/cambro
ThermalRite by Everidge | For more product info, visit: https://www.chranefs.com/manufacturers/thermalrite
Mercer Culinary | For more product info, visit: https://www.chranefs.com/manufacturers/mercer-culinary
Waring Commercial | For more product info, visit: https://www.chranefs.com/manufacturers/waring-commercial
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