Miss hearing David Schwimmer say 'juice' all the time? Well, you're in luck. He'll be talking about a different kind of juice (read: wine) in AMC's new dramedy Feed the Beast, in which he plays a widowed, alcoholic sommelier named Tommy Moran. Set in New York's Bronx borough, the show follows Moran along with his best friend and coke-addicted chef Dion Patras, played by Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, Cloud Atlas), as they navigate the challenges of owning a restaurant against the backdrop of mob troubles, substance abuse and loss.
Now, you may remember Monica being the restaurant talent between the Geller siblings, but this isn't Friends and David Schwimmer is definitely no longer Ross. Of his character, Schwimmer tells Time Out, "I was drawn to Tommy because he's broken and lost. He's dealing with extreme loss, trying to recover from an addiction and doing his best as a father all at the same time. He's someone you end up rooting for."
An adaptation of the Danish dramedy Bankerot, the show is shot entirely in New York, with on-site consultation from New York-based chef and Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle as well as sommelier Josh Nadel. Though the restaurant, Thirios, which translates to "beast" in Greek, is fictional, Sturgess and Schwimmer both underwent real training in their character's respective crafts in order to preserve the authenticity of the kitchen.
Beyond the usual restaurant-world struggles, the show sees the duo facing more dramatic challenges, including visits from a Polish mobster dubbed the Tooth Fairy, played by Michael Gladis (Mad Men), the presence of Moran's racist, troublemaking father and Patras's penchant for getting himself in legal trouble.
"This isn't Chef's Table—it's a character piece first and foremost," said executive producer Clyde Philipps (Dexter, Nurse Jackie). "The most challenging part, really, was taking a group of people that are so fundamentally unlikable and making them likable."
Feed the Beast premieres on AMC on June 5 at 10pm EST/7pm PST. Click here to see the extended trailer.
Photograph: Courtesy of AMC
Photograph: Courtesy of AMC
Photograph: Courtesy of AMC