The Bear Season 2: How Matty Matheson Went From The Kitchen To The Producer's Chair
Fans of "The Bear" — one of the best shows on Hulu — know Matty Matheson as the actor who plays Neil Fak, a mechanic and childhood friend of protagonist Carmy (Jeremy Allen White). Viewers previously unfamiliar with Matheson might not know that he's a real-life chef who utilizes his knowledge of the restaurant business as a producer of "The Bear."
On the same date that "The Bear" Season 2 dropped on Hulu, Interview Magazine published snippets of a conversation with Matheson organized by topic. Though this nonstandard interview format, Matheson detailed just how he transitioned from legitimate kitchen work to a gig on the production side of a popular TV show about a restauranteur. He specifically credited Vice Media for his big break as a public-facing personality. "That first cheeseburger video changed my life," he said. "Without it, I'd still just be a chef, or maybe not. Maybe I'd be dead."
Regarding how he ended up working on "The Bear," Matheson simply explained that series creator Chris Storer reached out to him personally. "I'm just lucky that Chris Storer called me one day. Being a part of that crew and that team and that cast—it's crazytown," he said. It was this direct offer from Storer, then, that landed Mattheson his present-day gig as one of the producers of "The Bear."
Chris Storer hired Matty Matheson for his restaurant knowledge
Between the first and second seasons of "The Bear," the New York Times published a lengthy profile of Matty Matheson, at one point including quotes from both him and series creator Chris Storer about his involvement with the show. This piece notes that Matheson and Storer knew one another well prior to their joint work on "The Bear." Storer ultimately decided to bring on Matheson as a culinary producer, working together with his sister Courtney Storer.
"Matty's been through it. He's seen every peak and every valley of small business. He was prepping his new restaurant as we were shooting so we had a direct line into what the chaos of opening a restaurant can be," Storer said. "He's honest and kind and loud and genuine and thoughtful. It's rare to find somebody so naturally gifted at taking care of people."
Matheson then explained that his production job at least in part consists of ensuring restaurant scenes in "The Bear" are accurate to how real-life kitchens operate. For example, he might have to correct how an actor holds a pan. Viewers have Matheson and his extensive kitchen experience to thank, then, for the commitment to realism throughout "The Bear" Seasons 1 and 2.