Disney+, the streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, hosted an unforgettable evening at Acid Food & Wine Bar in Parktown North, inspired by “The Bear”.
Season three of FX’s ‘The Bear’ follows Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto, Sydney Adamu and Richard ‘Richie’ Jerimovich as they do what it takes to elevate The Bear, their beef stand turned fine dining establishment, to the highest level, all while doing their best just to stay in business. It’s not easy, and with each character fighting uphill battles of their own, it’s easy to feel their anxiety as Carmy pushes himself harder than ever, and demands excellence from his crew, who do their best to match his intensity.
Acid Food & Wine Bar in Parktown North was transformed into an immersive experience, with the ambiance showcasing the series’ dedication to culinary excellence, passion, and precision. Every detail was considered; from the arcade coin-op game machine at the entrance to the ‘every second counts’ signage in the kitchen, it was easy to appreciate the meticulous planning that goes into bringing the storyline to life.
Led by Chef Greg Czarnecki, the waiter-to-patron ratio, the timing and curation of the menu and the education that took place illustrated the importance of communication; between the establishment and guests but also between the kitchen and its components. Imagine hosting more than one service an evening – that is the reality of many fine dining establishments.
The French-born Michelin-star-trained chef’s career is riddled with awards, prestigious fine dining experiences and expert judging. He describes his food style as contemporary minimalism, and aims to portray how a sophisticated, elevated experience can be achieved using ingredients one can find at a local supermarket.
Chefs kiss
“Just as cooks can transform into chefs, these humble sandwich shop ingredients have been transformed to satisfy even the most discerning fine dining palates. It’s not what you start with, it’s what you make with it.” This fabulous quote found on the bottom of one of the meal descriptors encapsulates the chef’s approach to the 3-course service.
The hake quenelle, served on a lake of champaign sauce and garnished caviar was a delight in unexpected ways. This may sound odd to admit but due to texture sensitivity, I am not a fan of caviar so I would have been just as happy without it.
Introduced by an endearing memory of the chef’s childhood, the poached chicken, morel & port jus and crispy skin easily illustrated how simplicity can be illuminating.
As a dessert lover, the star of the show was the rum baba, vanille bleu de la reunion & passion fruit. As briefly explained to us, rum baba or baba au rhum is a small yeast cake saturated in syrup made with hard liquor, usually rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream or pastry cream.
The dining experience offered adventure and familiarity all at once which is not too far off from what The Bear is trying to do from season 2 into season 3.
And the award goes to…
Named an AFI Television Programme of the Year for two years running, FX’s “The Bear” has garnered significant awards attention for its critically acclaimed first and second seasons including nominations and/or wins from the Emmy® Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Peabody Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Writers Guild Awards, Directors Guild Awards, Producer Guild Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, MPSE Golden Reel Awards, CAS Awards, ACE Eddie Awards, TCA Awards, amongst others.
