While his own Italian sandwich shop directly inspired the hit drama seriesThe Bear, Chris Zucchero has his reasons for why he avoids watching it. The series is created by Christopher Storer, a lifelong friend of Zucchero’s who was inspired by the story of his Chicago restaurant, Mr. Beef. Around 90% of the show is shot in the Chicago sandwich shop and Zucchero even has a cameo in the pilot episode interacting with series lead Jeremy Allen White.
In a new interview withVariety, Zucchero spoke about his restaurant andThe Bear, and he revealed that he still hasn’t seen a single episode of the show. He says that it has nothing to do with the quality of the show, but it just makes him “feel weird” as someone who doesn’t like to be the center of attention. While he was happy to help out a friend withThe Bearshooting on location in Mr. Beef, Zucchero says he can’t watchanythinginvolving the real restaurant, even his own appearances on television.
He continued, “It’s more embarrassment [than superstition] for me. I just feel weird. Food people are not the same as actors or musicians. You know what I mean? That’s the same reason why I don’t really promote anything withThe Bear.I don’t want to be the guy that’s like, ‘Look at me. I’m the f**kingBearguy.”
Related:The Bear: Every Episode from Season One, Ranked
The Bear Is Filmed in Mr. Beef
Zucchero also points out that there are some major differences between Mr. Beef and the sandwich shop inThe Bear. While Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy might be trying to bring a more “upscale dining” feel to the joint, Zucchero says this is something he would “abso-f**king-lutely not” ever do in real life. He also says he’s making sure to keep the TV series separate from the restaurant as their own separate entities, though he has allowed a single poster of the show to be displayed on the wall.
“I kind of built a wall in my brain not to lose sight of what we really are,” he explained. “We’re just the set for them. They gave me a bunch of promotional posters, so I just put one poster way in the corner, so people can see it. Storer has said Mr. Beef inspired the show, but for the record, he said that, not me.”
He added, “I attempt to distance myself from it, because somebody’s got to wake up the next day and make beef. I try to just keep everything and myself the same. It’s what I’ve known my whole life. The only thing I’ve ever known in my life is that restaurant.”
