Coach K Is the Improbable MVP of 'The Bear' Season 2

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If a chef needs inspiration, you'd think they would turn to Anthony Bourdain, Dominique Crenn, or Jiro Ono. But nothing on The Bear—where inspiration is the name of the game—is traditional. After all, the show's two leading characters, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney (Ayo Edibiri) set out in Season Two to turn a sandwich shop into a Michelin-Starred restaurant with a "chaos menu."

So, how do they pull it off? Well, Sydney turns to the basketball world. Specifically, former Duke basketball coach Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski—and his 2000 memoir, Leading with the Heart: Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life. Published just halfway through Coach K's long career, the book becomes a vital source of inspiration for Sydney. From 1980-2022, the famous Chicagoan coached the Duke Blue Devils to five NCAA titles and 15 Final Four appearances, becoming one of the most successful coaches of all time. He was also known for his ability to execute a comeback under pressure. You know, a valuable skill for a kitchen that screams at each other all day and night.

"I think in the pursuit of a championship or, when you have that exceptional team, it's not one moment," Coach K told Esquire in October. "A lot of times you're having a ball getting over an obstacle. Having a rough time. When you figure it out, then it leads to something more. And the relationships that I've had with my coaches, the guys on my staff, the guys on the team, and where they are at now. So, the friendships and relationships that have developed—those are better than any just one moment."

Though Sydney often quotes the book throughout the season, it takes pure panic for the young chef to put Coach K's words into action. In the Season Two finale, Carmy accidentally locks himself in the fridge. Without their leader, The Bear crew is forced to quite literally lead with their heart and execute the overflowing orders together. Everyone on the team shines—showing they've overcome the chaos that almost destroyed them at the end of the first season.

As Coach K said, the journey is about the friends we made along the way. Maybe he'll teach Carmy how to defend the pick-and-roll in Season Three.

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