Carmen

This article contains spoilers for seasons 1, 2 & 3 of the FX TV show, 'The Bear'.

“I like the people, you know."

Carmen Berzatto is a character who we feel is always on the verge of being consumed by his family trauma. That trauma is a thread that runs through all three seasons of The Bear, but it is presented alongside a flip-side, which is the love and support that infuses Carmen's family and more specifically, his relationship with his older brother, Mikey.

In the context of their attitudes to work, the two brothers represent a dichotomy of sorts. In his conversation with Tina in the 'Napkins' episode, he talks to her about his brother as one of those people who know exactly what they want to do in this world and are also really good at that thing, the implication being that he doesn't see himself as this type at all. He fell into the restaurant business to pay the unpaid bills his errant father left behind and the only joy he gets from work is the chance to spend time with people he loves and admires. He prioritises relationships over the work itself.

Carmen obviously sits at the other end of this spectrum. His is obsessed with the perfection of his craft and struggles to reconcile himself with the relationships that might distract him from his mission. In the Bear Wiki's page on Carmen, it states how "he works in the kitchen all day only to come home to a nearly bare apartment and watch cooking shows", which tells you pretty much all you need to know about his emotional health and the quality of his relationships.

Despite their differences, they are bonded. The brothers share a positive spirit and an appetite for risk and action which whilst obviously serving the narrative (inaction doesn't tend to work well as a plot device), also imbues this story with a positive force that is relatable and attractive. This spirit is captured in the message Mikey leaves for Carmen in tomato sauce cans that also contain the huge sum of dollars needed to set up a new restaurant: 'I love you dude. Let it rip.'

Despite his trauma, despite his anxieties, Carmen displays a consistent appetite for risk and adventure, which has been nurtured by his elder brother. He leaves the comforts of family and his hometown in order to follow his dream, he ignores the instructions of his tyrant boss in New York to create the dish of his dreams (the very same dish that provides Sydney with her epiphany moment) and he chooses to open a fine-ding establishment in a market where similar eateries are closing down.

"I'm gonna fix this place."

As a father of two boys, I am a sucker for any stories about brothers, and what divides and connects them, but these two brothers really get to me and I have so enjoyed the moments in The Bear when we get to learn more about their bond and the energies that direct their behaviour.

I love the phrase that Mikey wrote to his brother so much that it's a pleasure just to write it again: "I love you dude. Let it rip". What a philosophy. It's very much in keeping with a phrase from The Manual by The KLF (a guide on how to have a No.1 chart hit) that I have often plastered on the walls of workshops I've been facilitating: "Always find the positive angle. Always run the risk". Take chances, keep love at the centre of your intentions and there's a good chance that everything will work out ok in the end. I like to think that the people who've worked with me across my career (to date) would recognise that positive spirit and intention, but can I be sure? Is it really how I will be remembered?

In the best moments of my working life, I feel that I might have got close to combining the best of both brothers' attitudes to work, striking a balance between Mikey's love of people and Carmen's love of the craft. And in my worst moment, I've failed on both counts, achieving only a fusion of selfishness and sloppiness. Most of the time I'm moving up and down that scale but whereas I like to think I'm more of a Carmen, if I'm really honest with myself I'm definitely more of a Mikey.

"I think I would want my legacy to be: I kept my chin up. Listened and learned. I did honest work, fun to be around, an excellent emergency contact."

Season 3 of The Bear is preoccupied with legacy. Our intentions, actions and priorities and how they impact and shape our working environments. Handling a napkin dispenser is enough to trigger Tina's memory of Mikey's love and compassion, Carmen finds himself in a community of chefs, sharing thoughts on how best to pass on their craft to the next generation. We all have choices to make when shaping our legacy. Will it be people? Or the craft?

Perhaps Marcus's thoughts on legacy (shared above) could provide us with a more balanced and pragmatic ambition. We know that everything is transient, that restaurants will close, magazine profiles will be forgotten and cherished colleagues will depart, so perhaps it serves us better not to chase an elusive legacy and commit instead to a more level acceptance of the joys and sorrows of our work?