9 Sizzling Snaps of The Bear's Chef Carmy, Played by Jeremy Allen White

Introducing Chef 'Carmy'

jeremy white, the bear — Matt Dinerstein/FX

The kitchen just got hotter! Shameless' Jeremy Allen White stepped into the role of Chef Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto in the new FX hit, The Bear.

Since the eight-episode series premiered on June 23, Chef Carmy has not only established a name for himself in the fictional foodscape, but he's been deemed the "Internet's new boyfriend" as well. (And, well, we'll just let this New Yorker cartoon speak for itself.)

One look at the cook will leave you hungry for more!

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Cool as a Cucumber

A tormented culinary genius, Chef Carmy knows how to keep his cool in the kitchen, even when the heat is being turned way up.

As a chef who's made a name for himself having worked in some of the best restaurants in the world, you'd think Carmy would have bigger fish to fry than trying to keep a greasy spoon afloat — but after his older brother dies and leaves his sandwich shop to him, he returns to Chicago to take on a new challenge.

We love a family man!

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Hair Apparent

Chef Carmy puts the grease in "greasy spoon!" The tousle-haired hustler is known for a few things: his lightning-fast vegetable chopping, his manhandling of meat slabs, and his untamed mane.

(For those wondering: No hairnet was worn in the making of this series. You can't hide that light under a bushel!)

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Tat's the Ticket

In addition to Carmy's uncontrollable hair, fans have been fawning over the chef's ink adorning his biceps, forearms, arms and hands — and thanks to his signature fitted white t-shirt, they are on full display.

But are his tats real? The short answer: no. White explained in an interview with Vulture that he worked with an artist to create custom ink for the show.

"I created all of them with a friend who is a tattoo artist. His name is Ben Shields," he said. "He has an incredible knowledge of the history and art of tattoos, and even the geography of it."

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Looking Like a Snack

If there's one thing sharper than knives in the kitchen, it's Chef Carmy's aquiline facial profile.

"I understand people having a crush on Carmy. I think I have a bit of a crush on Carmy," White told GQ.

While the actor's aware of his character's sex appeal, he believes they're attracted for different reasons, like Carmy's undeniable drive.

"What I find attractive in people is a determination," he said. "If you're truly good at something, that's incredibly attractive."

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Serious Acting Chops

Chef Carmy makes his job in the kitchen seem as easy as polishing off one of his signature sandwiches, but White's preparation for the role was grueling. In fact, he went full method in the culinary world and trained in Michelin star-rated restaurants prior to production.

"I was completely clueless in the kitchen before this show, and then I progressively got to kind of mediocre," White told Entertainment Weekly. "I went to two weeks of cooking school. I worked in several really wonderful restaurants in Los Angeles, Chicago, and in New York."

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Cream of the Crop

White learned from the best of the best chefs to master the culinary craft. One in particular was celebrity chef Matty Matheson, who also serves as co-producer and appears on the show.

"I was really struck by the commitment and the time," White told EW. "I have such a tremendous amount of respect for people in restaurants now."

He added, "It's these 12-, 14-, 16-hour days that these people are putting in to really perfect their craft, and that was just really bolstering."

08 of 09

Down to Business

"Yes, Chef" is a phrase you'll surely be familiar with (and potentially triggered by) after watching The Bear, as it showcases the toxic restaurant culture in a "painfully real" way, according to Bon Appétit.

"I could barely get through The Bear. Not because I thought it was bad television—but because it was the most accurate portrayal of life in a restaurant kitchen I've seen in a while," wrote former Michelin-starred restaurant worker Genevieve Yam.

(No word on whether all chefs are as smoldering as Carmy, however.)

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