The Independent: Sizzling kitchen drama The Bear is spicing up the dating game for chefs

A photograph from Marco Pierre White’s ‘White Heat’

We truly live in a post-Bear society. The show smashed onto the small screen just over a year ago; screaming, swearing and on fire. It followed the successes of similarly pube-straighteningly tense kitchen dramas such as Boiling Point, with scripts and situations so realistic I know ex-chefs who refuse to watch more than one episode, for fear of it reopening long-healed wounds.

Everyone else can’t get enough of it. The vertigo-inducing high octane, the strained relationships, the tomato sauce-stained jeopardy. There’s no doubt it makes for romantic watching, but with little to no scenes of intimacy, it’s been rather curious to see just how many people are now thirsting after chefs. Until quite recently, this was an occupation associated with antisocial hours and substance abuse issues, if seriously considered by a potential romantic partner at all. I’m endlessly fascinated with how pop culture can shape and skew perceptions of the industry I love, so I spoke to several chefs about exactly how The Bear has impacted their dating lives.

Read the full article written for The Independent here.