'The Bear' Culinary Producer Courtney Storer Talks Rose Pairings

Courtney Storer, the culinary producer of FX's Emmy-winning series The Bear, teamed up with Miraval Rose to prepare Provence, France-inspired fare for a summer fete.

"[Provence] has long been a place where artists have gone for creative inspiration — such as Van Gogh, Picasso," said Miraval's Claudia, noting that many famed artists [from Sting to Pink Floyd] recorded music at the estate's recording studio. "Our co-owner Brad Pitt is an artistic visionary for the brand."

Storer, whose brother Chris Storer created The Bear based on some of her real-life experiences, has a background in French cooking. "I had a French culinary professor who trained in Provence and advised me to take a risk and sell everything I had to go to Paris to cook," she said.

The Chicago native then moved from Paris to L.A. to be closer to her brother. "He really encouraged me that the L.A. food scene was growing," she told Los Angeles . "This was in 2012, and it was developing, and I met Chef Ludo at Trois Mec, and met Jon and Vinny and worked at Animal, and worked my way up at Animal and became the head chef at Jon & Vinny's when it opened. And then I became culinary director and grew with them, and from there, started my own business, Coco's to Go-Go , a catering company."

No one imagined The Bear would put such a spotlight on the culinary industry. "Chris had such a clear vision for what the show meant, that we thought we'd give it our best shot," she recalled. "Everyone brought their A-game, and we had no idea what would come. It felt kind of indie, first season — like, you wouldn't believe. I think we were just hoping that we got it right and that we would try to attract different kinds of communities and see if people would be into the show, and learn more about behind the scenes at restaurants. The show is really about people — and I think that's why it resonates so much."

Other than the omelet, what dishes have stood out? "I think what resonates to me are the foods I've made with Chris — the Pomodoro sauce, the chicken piccata moments, the connollis. Of course I can finesse it and do really fancy food, but to me it's the storytelling stuff that I die for."

For the event, Storer prepared apps and a grazing spread — with a grand aioli, tomato and nectarine salad, a colorful Provencal tian and radishes with whipped cultured butter. "I did get so much information from Provence but also the notes of the wine itself," she said of the Miraval Cotes de Provence 2023 ($24.99). "The beautiful nectarines, goat cheese, perfect for the rose, but all the variants you saw, from tomato to feta to baguette to melon, you can see how the wine really complements the food."

Her advice? “Less is more: It’s a common French approach in cooking and in life," she said. "Instead of a formal dinner, make a grazing style table with your favorite dishes. Create a laid-back tablescape that is elegant by not overthinking it. I like to use a few extra items I’m featuring on my menu as part of the table décor. Some extra fruit, vegetables and bread that are part of your meal will look great as décor in baskets or platters. If you’re really trying to bring Provence home, add dried lavender and a few bottles of Miraval Côtes de Provence to accent."