Watch Raw

Raw is a gritty Irish drama series that airs on RTE. The show revolves around the staff of a busy Dublin restaurant as they navigate the pressures and politics of the service industry. At the center of Raw is head chef Pavlov Mitchel, an intense and uncompromising taskmaster in the kitchen. Mitchel runs a tight ship and demands nothing short of perfection from his staff. While he pushes them hard, it comes from his deep passion for food and desire to run the best kitchen in Dublin.

The show also focuses on the lives of the other restaurant staff members outside of work. This includes Maxine, the restaurant manager struggling with a troubled personal life. She turns to alcohol and bad relationships as unhealthy coping mechanisms. Or Jojo, the naive young waiter trying to make it in the high stakes world of upscale dining. Raw portrays the cast as complex characters leading messy lives, making poor decisions as they reach for success in work and life.

Raw has been praised for its unflinching look at the volatile hospitality industry in Ireland. The show is known for tackling timely issues like the mental health pressures of working in professional kitchens, as well as broader themes like economic uncertainty, relationships, addiction, and ambition. The dialogue is raw and profane, and the show does not shy away from the uglier sides of its flawed characters.

The high pressure environment of the restaurant is captured through tense scenes set during busy dinner services. The camerawork is dynamic during these moments, conveying the rapid fire hustle and bustle of the kitchen. The perfectionist chef Mitchel can be merciless, scowling with disdain when a dish is improperly executed. The show revels in this kind of kitchen drama, creating moments of conflict that ratchet up the stakes.

While Raw captures the intensity of the restaurant world, it also shows the way the staff forms an unconventional family. They support each other when things get tough, banding together when external threats emerge. The show balances its darker moments with levity and humor, finding lightweight joy in the day to day grind.

Raw has become popular for its unvarnished take on the professional food world. It sheds an honest light on what goes on behind the doors of a trendy restaurant. With its dynamic pacing, complex characters, and mouth-watering food cinematography, Raw provides a spicy drama centering on the exploits of a talented but troubled chef and his weary staff. It has cemented itself as a must-watch show for foodies seeking a juicy and incisive look at the restaurant business.

Raw is a series that ran for 5 seasons (32 episodes) between October 10, 2019 and on Amazon Addon