“Every Second Counts”
Representing Chicago’s Urban Identity in the TV Series The Bear
Abstract
The article examines Chicago’s identity through the portrayal of the city’s hospitality industry in the comedy‑drama series The Bear. The daily operations of the show’s main restaurant, The Original Beef of Chicagoland, serve as a metaphor for the complexities of work encountered by the entire hospitality sector. The restaurant’s staff are presented within the context of the Kitchen Brigade system, with its transparent chain of command outlining the workers’ hierarchy. The show’s overview of the city’s gastronomy reflects Chicago’s ethnic history. The article analyses how the series broadens its focus from depicting the hospitality industry to articulating Chicago’s identity through portrayals of the city’s emblematic culinary locations, visual displays of architectural landmarks, and a soundtrack representing the city’s distinctive music. The sense of place conveyed by the sign “Every Second Counts” reflects anxiety in the hospitality industry and signals the characters’ adaptation to the city’s dynamics.
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