What Jeremy Allen White From The Bear Eats Off Set

Just because an actor plays a chef on TV, doesn't mean they can actually cook. In fact, it doesn't even mean they have a taste for good food. Jeremy Allen White plays head chef Carmy in FX's "The Bear," a series that has been lauded for being surprisingly accurate to the restaurant industry. Despite being close to the truth when it comes to real restaurant kitchens, the actor's real diet is a little different from what his character cooks up.

Luckily, being an on-screen chef inspired a lot of food related questions, and White's preferences for good eats is well documented. While Carmy can get pretty gourmet in the kitchen, his real life doppelganger leads a much more simplistic approach to food. From Chicago-based dishes to protein-heavy meals for a bulking diet, White's tastes have a wide range depending on what's going on in his life. Here's what the TV and movie star eats while off the set and in his everyday life.

Unsurprisingly, the man who has pretended to work at a restaurant on screen enjoys patronizing them in real life. Jeremy Allen White has spent much of his career portraying Chicago residents, but in real life he is a New Yorker, born and bred in Brooklyn. As one of the biggest cities for restaurants, it only makes sense that White has shown face at some of New York City's eateries.

In an interview with Seth Meyers, White revealed his favorite to be Rolo's in Ridgewood. According to locals, this is a surprising pick and earns the actor some serious New Yorker cred. Some are a bit frustrated with White for outing their favorite bar and grill, with Redditors complaining that the viral recommendation has upped wait times.

NYC isn't the only city that fans could see White out and about grabbing a bite to eat. The actor has shown Chicago love for years, citing some neighborhood favorites as his go-tos. Bavette's and La Scarola were both shouted out when he was asked about his favorite restaurants in Chicago. He's also been spotted at other restaurants across the city. "The Bear" star now lives in L.A., and trained for the series in Santa Monica's French restaurant Pasjoli. If you go out to eat in any of these three cities, there's at least a bit of a chance you could run into the actor.

Jeremy Allen White isn't just Camry in "The Bear." After the FX series enticed the world to watch along and experience the immense stress of a restaurant kitchen, White was cast as Kerry Von Erich in the film "The Iron Claw." This role necessitated the bulking up of the actor, which very much influenced his eating habits. Allegedly, White gained 40 pounds of muscle for the role, which required quite a drastic, sometimes unenjoyable diet.

In an interview with Esquire, White revealed that he pretty much was in a constant state of eating when bulking up for "The Iron Claw." This isn't unlike what some Olympians really eat, as they also need a ton of calories everyday to maintain their fit lifestyle. Despite working off a lot of calories when lifting weights and building muscle, it turns out eating all day actually isn't an awesome feeling. According to White, force feeding yourself throughout the entire day in an attempt to bulk is "no way to live."

Though White didn't reveal just how many calories his intake was during this time, competition strong men can eat over 10,000 calories a day. The wild diet of the world's strongest man is around 13,000. If his intake was anywhere close to that, we can see how it may have felt a bit overwhelming for the actor.

Similar to his need to eat a ton of calories, Jeremy Allen White had to lay on a lot of protein while getting jacked for "The Iron Claw." For someone who is actively working on building muscle and hitting the gym often, protein is vital. When people lift weights or workout frequently, their muscles tear. This is a natural part of the process of building muscles and getting fit, but protein is needed to aid in healing and restoring those tiny tears in the muscles.

Keeping this in mind, it only makes sense that White's diet was protein heavy while he focused on building muscles and transforming his body into Kerry Von Erich. From almond butter in the morning to turkey patties at lunchtime, each meal was an opportunity for White to consume a decent amount of protein. Bodies are built just as much in the kitchen as they are in the gym, which is why we aren't surprised that White's "The Iron Claw" body was backed by strict nutrition.

Most gourmet chefs prepare to make their own sauces, but even Carmy may give a big "Yes, Chef!" to ones of Jeremy Allen White's must-have condiments. The actor sat down with GQ to talk about some of the things he uses frequently, and S&B's Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil topping was one of them. The glass jarred chili sauce, which can be found in Asian grocery stores, is packed with heat, but is a great complement to a lot of different meals.

White told GQ that he discovered the self proclaimed umami topping before portraying Carmy and before he could do much in the kitchen. When you have a secret weapon that packs quite a lot of different, strong flavors, subpar cooking skills can be somewhat masked. Even though White has been trained in the craft of cooking since, the crunchy garlic sauce still seems to have a place in his kitchen.

The umami flavor is one that pairs well with a lot of foods, making this S&B product useful in many different dish situations. Pastas, soups, eggs, and pretty much anything else you whip up in the kitchen can be topped with this flavor bomb of a product. This was confirmed by White, who claimed he put the stuff on sandwiches as well as noodles and rice dishes.

When prepping for "The Iron Claw," Jeremy Allen White needed to start his day with a hefty breakfast. In that same interview with Esquire, the actor revealed that waffles were one of his go-to breakfast items. For someone who needed to eat a large amount of calories everyday while gaining muscle, this seems like a solid pick. However, waffles may mean more to White than can be counted in their calories.

White (his voice, at least) appeared on the Radio Cherry Bombe podcast, a podcast centered around food, not long after "The Bear" hit Hulu. During his interview, he speaks about how important breakfast was growing up. His father would cook a homemade meal, and waffles were very much on the menu. Apparently this tradition is a source of fond memories for the actor. It's no wonder why White kept waffles as a front-runner for breakfast as an adult, even when bulking on muscle for a role.

Chicago has a soft spot for Jeremy Allen White, as he has now played two iconic Chicagoans, Lip Gallagher and Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto. The actor also has a near and dear place in his heart for the city. White has spent a large portion of his career in the city, starring in "Shameless" before "The Bear," both of which show off some of Chicago's culture. Considering Chicago is very much a foodie city, it only makes sense that a lot of White's favorite things to eat come from the Windy City.

We'll talk about White's preference for the famous Chicago style hot dog a little later, because his preference of hot dog toppings isn't the only way he eats like a true Chicago local. White was asked where he likes to eat in Chicago and what city is his favorite for food, and his answers help place him as an honorary Chicagoan. He gives credit to Chicago for having an amazing food scene. When put on the spot, he called out La Scarola and Bavette's as his favorite restaurants in Chicago.

White backs his claims up by supporting local restaurants regularly. He has been seen around the city patronizing food spots. Birrieria Zaragoza, a popular cantina in the city, even posted on Instagram about White stopping by the eatery, with the star posing for some pleasant photos.

Despite learning the art of gourmet cooking for his role as Carmy on "The Bear," Jeremy Allen White doesn't mind a classic chicken nugget meal. The food can come off as childish, as it's every toddler's favorite meal, but there's something about a decent chicken nugget that is hard to beat.

On the red carpet, White met up with internet personality and interviewer Amelia Dimoldenberg, who hosts and writes the comedic series "Chicken Shop Date." On this internet show, Dimoldenberg interviews famous people while on a "date" at little chicken shops throughout the U.K. Though White has never been on the cute series, an appearance may be in the future, as he said he would love to. In fact, he was enthusiastic over the idea, saying he loves a good chicken nugget. The actor appeared shocked that a person would be averse to the wildly popular fried food.

We've spent a lot of time saying how Jeremy Allen White is different from his "The Bear" character Carmy, but it turns out the actor does have at least some cooking chops. Yes, he trained as a chef for a short time ahead of his role, and he did spend some time in real kitchens. However, White has been clear that his personal cooking knowledge isn't nearly as impressive as it seems on the show. He does, at least, know his way around a kitchen and can cook some basic meals. A Sunday roast is one of the biggest meals he can pull off.

When speaking briefly on the red carpet, White reveals that cooking a Sunday roast is how he impresses people. The traditional British meal consists of a hunk of meat roasted with vegetables and potatoes. While the dish is usually beef, any type of meat can be used in its place. White doesn't specify what his roast looks like, other than he uses short ribs. He does say, though, that Yorkshire pudding is not included in his Sunday roast layout –– sorry, traditionalists!

We've already established that those building muscles need quite a bit of protein, and it's not uncommon for gym rats to favor peanut butter for a source of protein. In fact, a lot of protein smoothies and pre-workout shakes feature peanut butter as a base or ingredient. While Jeremy Allen White hasn't spoken on the practice of drinking these fitness aids, he does seem to love nut butter.

When he claimed to eat a lot of waffles for breakfast, he mentioned topping said waffles with almond butter. Almond butter is actually higher in some vitamins and minerals than peanut butter, including fiber and iron, both of which can aid a fit lifestyle.

Though not strict evidence of a personal meal choice, White's Calvin Klein ad sees him enjoying peanut butter. He is shown preparing and eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He looks like a more relaxed and jacked version of Carmy in the ad, which may be the goal. However, the simplistic choice of peanut butter could also be a more personal decision rather than a creative one. Either way, White looks beyond comfortable with consuming nut butters.

When ramping up for "The Iron Claw," Jeremy Allen White had to have a strict workout routine and a diet plan that allowed for rapid muscle gain. This included eating a ton of calories each day. Rather than opting for calorie-heavy foods with sugar and starch, White reached for leaner options when it comes to meeting his calorie quota.

When talking about foods he ate while prepping for "The Iron Claw," turkey and avocado were mentioned. Both of these ingredients are considered lighter foods that are packed with protein and good fats. Turkey, when compared with red meat, is an obvious winner when it comes to less fat and calories. Even when put up against chicken, which is a popular choice of fitness enthusiasts and comparable to turkey, turkey is considered a bit leaner.

Avocado, on the other hand, is another light food that is full of fat rather than protein. A meal made up of both turkey and avocado as the main ingredients is a powerhouse for someone who is lifting weights. The combination of protein and healthy fats contributes to the muscle health and energy level of the eater. The two ingredients together would make for a great repeat meal base, so it makes sense why they were eaten often by White.

Just like you can't go to Chicago without ordering at least one hot dog, you can't live in the city without developing an appreciation for the Americana dish. Though he is from New York, Jeremy Allen White apparently prefers a Chicago style hot dog. Now, there are some stark differences between a New York and Chicago style hot dog. The most striking is the absence of sauerkraut and the addition of neon green relish and a pickle for the Chicago style. Where White is concerned, the difference makes for a great hot dog.

Chicago does it a little differently than most places where hot dogs are considered, actually. "The Bear" explains it pretty simply in a scene about a cookout. Ketchup is mentioned, to which it's clearly stated that no decent person would put ketchup on a hot dog. While we don't know if White himself shares this contempt of ketchup, we do know that he loves himself a classic Chicago style hot dog, especially from one of the many casual hot dog stands that pepper the city.

Though Carmen Berzatto is not based on a real chef, Jeremy Allen White trained like one in preparation for making his "The Bear" character seem like he could be real. The star learned to make pasta from scratch as a part of his training for "The Bear." Pasta is featured in the show, and the spaghetti that is made for the family meal in Season 1 has become kind of iconic. So, naturally White recommended traditional Italian pasta for pairing with watching the show.

In an interview he did with our sister site The Takeout, White recommends a creamier pasta while chowing down in front of "The Bear." "I think any heavier pasta dish, like a cream-based pasta," the star claimed.

Though the pasta shown in the show has a tomato sauce base, a cream sauce would better reflect some of the richer dishes shown throughout the series. Any meal in which a family could share, though, would be great to eat while watching the show. Family meal in a restaurant is meant to bring the staff together after a chaotic shift, and families sitting at home will need something similar to get through this, at times, stressful series.