The Star-Studded Hollywood Premiere of ‘The Bear’ Featured Two Chicago Restaurants

When The Bear needed to source seafood for its star-studded “Fishes” episode, they turned to Publican Quality Meats’ Rob Levitt.

Levitt, who had a bit onscreen role in Season 2, says show reps asked him how to properly cook lobster. He ended up blanching them without knowing what they would be used for until he watched the award-winning episode.

“And then I see Jamie Lee Curtis ‘cooking’ the lobsters that I cooked,” Levitt says. Curtis would win an Emmy for her role.

As Season 3 goes live for streaming at 8 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, June 26 on Hulu, a contingent of Chicago’s restaurant community in town for Hollywood’s official premiere party for The Bear at the El Capitan Theatre. Both Publican Quality Meats’ Levitt and One Off Hospitality Group’s Donnie Madia and Loaf Lounge’s Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader, Ben Lustbader, and Cristina Gandarilla. Madia appeared on Season 2 in a scene filmed at Avec in West Loop, while Mispagel-Lustbader worked on Season 1 and famously created a chocolate cake for the show, inspired by Portillo’s. They were the only two Chicago businesses represented in the lineup. Others included Pizzeria Bianco, Chris Bianco’s famous pizzeria with locations in Arizona and LA; Night + Market, LA’s famous Thai street food specialist; and Dave Beran from Pasjoli, a French restaurant in LA. Beran started his career in Chicago, working at Mk the Restaurant, Tru, and Alinea.

Photo by Emma McIntyre/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

Photo by Tommaso Boddi/FilmMagic

Tyler, the Creator enjoyed the cookies from Loaf Lounge.

Loaf Lounge is celebrating the Season 3 premiere with free slices of cake at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 27. Mispagel-Lustbader says she’s kept in touch with actor Lionel Boyce, who plays the show’s pastry chef, Marcus Brooks. The two worked closely in Season 1 as Mispagel-Lustbader shared dessert prowess: “Lionel came and said ‘hi’ to us right away, and was very kind as always!” Mispagel-Lustbader texts. “He’s been into Loaf Lounge and has been really great every time we’ve chatted and worked together.”

The show’s producers, including Park Ridge native Courtney Storer, a food consultant on the series, and her brother — creator Christopher Storer — have leaned on Chicago’s restaurants to ensure the show’s authenticity. They returned the favor at the premiere and created an amusement park-like atmosphere with stalls built to look like Publican Quality Meats and other restaurants. Levitt was blown away that crews had somehow built a butcher shop just based on emails and photos: “It was beautiful,” he says.

Levitt and Publican Quality Meats sous chef Kyle Huff served Italian sausage with marinated peppers — they shipped the meat to LA early because they wanted to make the sausages. They also made a crostini with PQM mortadella. Levitt says Matty Matheson, who plays Neil Fak on the show, complimented him on the latter.

One Off Hospitality Group

One Off Hospitality Group

Courtesy of Loaf Lounge

Loaf Lounge teamed with a baker local to LA, Nicole Bakes Cakes, who created the signature chocolate cake for the party. Loaf Lounge also served ruby sprinkle cookies. Rapper Tyler, the Creator was a fan: “I think he had about six and was very expressive about enjoying them!” Mispagel-Lustbader texts.

Another highlight came from actress Gillian Jacobs, who plays Tiffany Jerimovich, ex-wife of Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie Jerimovich. The former Community star proved curious about the operation and asked Levitt questions about PQM’s methods, showing genuine enthusiasm.

Courtesy of Loaf Lounge

Beyond the seafood from “Fishes,” Levitt also cut most of the steaks used in Season 2. The TV crew had specific requests, including dry-aged beef. Apparently, the show purchased a ton of product from Publican, including guanciale. Levitt’s favorite request was where to source duck prosciutto. He decided to make it himself. Those details make a difference: “It wasn’t just a prop or afterthought,” Levitt says. “The meat is treated more like a character.”

When Levitt arrives home, Publican Quality Meats celebrate the premiere with an Italian beef special running from Thursday, June 27, through Saturday, June 29. The beef is made with top round and uses a French loaf baked by Greg Wade, the James Beard-award-winning baker at Publican Quality Bread. Caruso Provisions provide the giardiniera.

Mispagel-Lustbader texts about a “refreshed excitement for the cake” back home and says she was proud of repping Chicago on the West Coast: “I think a lot of our regulars are feeling a sense of pride that their neighborhood spot got to shine in LA for a night,” she text. “I think we made some new West Coast friends, too.”