The Bear & Bob’s Burgers: Food is connection
Oh look. Another article on the internet about The Bear…
It seems everyone, everywhere has used FX’s hit dramedy as some form of inspiration or shoehorned one of its principles into an article about corporate leadership or marketing trends. What The Bear actually nails perfectly is the cost of excellence and creative expression. With a restaurant as its canvas, each member of The Bear’s staff paints their desired work of art. But as expected when a bunch of people try to paint on the same canvas at the same time, chaos ensues. However chaotic, the medium of the kitchen staff is the same; food.
Food is a great uniter; a great connector of people of different beliefs and backgrounds. And since I’m all about creating connections through art, any film or TV show featuring the act of making meals for loved ones really grabs my attention and admiration. One show that successfully demonstrates cooking as a form of love and expression is one of my favorite animated shows of all-time; Bob’s Burgers…
Fox’s wacky, heart-warming family comedy currently in its 15th season has become known for its incredible Thanksgiving-themed episodes; a holiday that, however complicated, attempts to bridge gaps of misunderstanding through the structure of a feast. The good nature at the root of this effort inspires me, and the show itself has even inspired some of the meals I’ve prepared.
Pictured above, Season 4, Episode 5’s “Turkey in a Can,” features a determined Bob meticulously preparing the family turkey to have a perfect Thanksgiving. But, to his horror, he finds that someone then dumps the turkey in the toilet in an act of Thanksgiving sabotage. A hilarious concept, this episode also gives us a Thanksgiving turkey recipe entitled “Father of the Brine.” This is a recipe I have used three-years-straight, and it hasn’t failed me yet. Just yesterday, my partner and I hosted our annual Friendsgiving, and one of my friends said “This might be the best Thanksgiving meal I’ve ever had.” Obviously, there was more than just turkey (it was actually chicken); our celebration featured everyone bringing a dish they cooked with care and attention, with the purposes of making the connections I mentioned earlier. Food is a powerful thing.
I’m currently in the process of pitching a huge documentary project about a new restaurant opening close to where I live. It’s nerve-wracking and exciting, but it stems from this calm and peaceful idea of eating together brings us closer. I’ll be sure to keep y’all posted on its progress, but for now, I hope this little blog post inspires you to cook something for someone you care about.💙👨🏻🍳
What I’ve Been Watching
We’re officially in Holiday movie season, and my plan is all over the place. From new and guaranteed cheesy Netflix originals and Hallmark movies to high-quality seasonal films I revisit yearly, I will update y’all next week on what I’m enjoying. But for now, I’ll say that I did watch Hot Frosty (2024) and laughed a fair amount. Take that for what it’s worth.
I’ll probably watch Die Hard this week…
