A writer describes how a distressing year as a waitress in a high-end Cotswolds restaurant left her avoiding formal dining and fearing future work. Watching The Bear initially triggered memories of kitchen chaos and humiliation, but its candid, comic portrayal of hospitality gradually helped her reframe those experiences and rebuild her confidence.

A particular episode, Forks, proved decisive: Richie’s discovery of pride and purpose in attentive service made the writer reconsider why exacting restaurant standards matter. After university, she applied that renewed attitude to her work as a writer, persisting through rejection and deadlines, and now feels able to revisit her former restaurant with greater appreciation and empathy for its staff.