The hit FX series "The Bear" has garnered millions of viewers across the country and beyond, but a Chicago sandwich shop owner who has close ties to the show isn't one of them.
The critically-acclaimed series focusing on "food, family, the insanity of the grind, and the steep slippery downsides" stars Jeremy Allen White, as Carmy, a fine dining chef who returns to Chicago and takes the helm of his family's sandwich shop upon his brother's death. The show was actually inspired by Mr. Beef, a longtime Italian beef joint in River North.
Chris Zucchero, the owner of Mr. Beef, told Variety in an interview that he has yet to watch a single episode of "The Bear." When asked if he was avoiding the show out of superstition, the restaurant owner said that wasn't the case.
“No, it’s more embarrassment for me. I just feel weird," he stated, in part." 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 with ‘The Bear.’”
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MORE: Here's a list of Chicago restaurants featured in new season of ‘The Bear'
Zucchero's childhood friend Christopher Storer, who created "The Bear," based the series on the popular Chicago business. On top of that, he shot about 90% of the pilot there and even cast Zucchero in the pilot; he was the person who dealt meat to Carmy in the parking lot.
Long before "The Bear," the no-frills establishment developed a dedicated fan base, which happens to include celebrities like Jay Leno.
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“This might sound a little arrogant, but we’ve never paid for any advertisement or PR for Mr. Beef, but we’ve been very lucky,” Chris Zucchero told Variety. “Like Jay Leno and his friendship with my father is really what made Mr. Beef famous. So over the years I’ve been on the Food Network, Travel Channel, I’ve talked to reporters — but I never read or watch anything that Mr. Beef is on.”
Chris Zucchero's father Joe, who founded Mr. Beef, died unexpectedly earlier this year.
The Italian beef legend was “elated” when Storer centered the show on his shop.
“He was very proud of that,” Chris previously said.
