Highlights From Season 3 of "The Bear"!

Season 3 of FX’s "The Bear" was released on Hulu on June 26, giving fans a continuing peek into the chaotic world of the culinary careers and the staff of The Original Beef in Chicago. Made up of an ensemble of characters and innovative editing, "The Bear" has been a show that audiences just can’t step away from. This year, the show let it rip once again. Here’s a recap of Season 3 of The Bear!

New Titles and New Demands

The season opens with Carmy creating a list of "non-negotiables" -- a list of demands that he insists The Bear and the staff operate by. After reviewing the list, tensions rise among Richie, Sugar, Carmy, and Sydney as everyone but the tattooed chef fear the non-negotiables are too much for the new restaurant. 

Carmy also takes this moment to make another announcement: Sydney is to be partner. He drafts paperwork and sends it to Sugar to move along. Sydney is hesitant about the new position; though insisting she is more than excited and just hasn’t had the time to address it, she does not sign the paperwork. Everytime she thinks about being a partner, Sydney is washed in memories of failure in the kitchen -- specifically that at the hands of Carmy. She knows the stress of the position but also blames Carmy for the hardships the business has faced with him at the helm. 

This is not the only title that Sydney is offered this season. Syd is approached by an old friend of hers: Chef Adam. He tells Sydney that he has a position for her at his own place, something they could build together. He promises her that she’ll have full control of the kitchen and that they’ll be able to make the new restaurant anything she wants from it. The offer intrigues Sydney and holds her off from any further official signing with "The Bear". Chef Adam adds a caveat -- he wants Carmy to know about the deal. He knows Carmy personally and does not want to cause any hard feelings between the two. Though Sydney insists that she’ll tell him, by the end of the season… she never does. 

Tensions In Relationships

Tensions are on the rise in every relationship in the series this season. Though it wouldn’t be "The Bear" without capturing the hardships of love and connection. 

This aspect of life is so expertly captured in this season. Strains are introduced and amplified from earlier seasons between Sydney and Carmy, pushing Sydney into a difficult spot. Carmy’s relationship with Richie also witnesses its own troubles as Carmy’s vision places Richie in a hard position handling the relationship between front and back of the restaurant. It seems that Richie and Carmy’s relationship was never healed after the previous season’s finale with their fight through the fridge door. This is obvious with how quickly the pair blow up at each other within the opening of the season. As this season develops, Richie finds himself the brunt of much of Carmy’s bad attitude. Carmy blames Richie for the bad service and late orders when, in reality, Carmy’s high level of perfectionism is to blame. This is a problem that seemingly never gets solved in this season, as whenever it's time to cook, the pair lash out at one another. 

This is not the only trouble that Richie faces this season. His ex-wife, Tiff, is engaged and asks Richie to attend the wedding. Richie is hesitant after his daughter tells him that he’s lonely. Unlike most other troubles in the series, Richie and Tiff are able to talk it out, and Richie agrees to go to her wedding. 

Richie isn’t the only one on the receiving end of Carmen’s attitude. Uncle Jimmy and Carmy’s relationship reaches new levels of intensity this season. Uncle Jimmy blames himself for spoiling the Berzatto kids and doing for them whatever they ask. This is a realization that strikes him after news that The Bear is drowning financially. When he tries to talk to Carmy about it, Carmy shuts him down, telling him that all expenses are necessary. Uncle Jimmy tells Carmy that, if they get one bad review, he’s closing the restaurant. 

Character Deep Dives

A shining moment in this season is the glimpses the audience gets on specific characters. The season spends some time dipping into isolated stories that inform the actions and characters the audience has been watching for the past 3 seasons. Not only are these episodes deeply personal, but the performances of the actors are incredibly heartbreaking.  

Tina’s life is examined, the choices and losses made along the way that led her to The Bear. Like many around her, her connection to the sandwich stop started upon meeting Mikey (Jon Berthenal). Tina lost her job and on the search for a new position and was turned away at every door. After missing her train home and in desperate need for coffee, Tina walks over to a place she spots under the L train: The Original Beef. Inside, she meets Richie, who serves her a coffee and a sandwich (on the house). When she starts crying, Mikey approaches her and offers her a job (after some sweet conversation). Lisa Colón-Zayas captivates the audience with her performance. Ayo Edebiri also makes her directorial debut with this episode. 

The journey of Carmy through his culinary education and career is explored even more. The moments we get of this explore when he worked under Andrea Terry (Olivia Colman), Chef David (Joel McHale), and new chefs. These glimpses operate both as a tactful distraction that Carmy relies on to avoid the present and inform how and why Carmy works the way he does. Time and time again, the behaviors, mannerisms, and rhetoric his previous employers used are reflected in how Carmy himself runs the kitchen. 

Hellos and Goodbyes

Another staple of the series is the amazing cast that is curated every season. Last season introduced the audience to guest stars like John Mulaney, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, and Olivia Colman. This trend continues -- even bringing back some surprise faces!

Sugar has her baby! In a heartfelt and caring episode dedicated to family and mother/daughter relationships, Sugar reunites with her estranged mother and celebrates the birth of her daughter. The two rekindle their familial bond and talk about life, motherhood, and everything in between. Though Jamie Lee Curtis’s character continues to dip back into some behaviors seen in the Thanksgiving episode, it appears that her wild and alcoholic behaviors have taken a back seat in her life. 

Some characters don’t return for as long, John Mulaney makes another spot appearance in an episode. Clare reappears for an episode or two. John Cena stars in an episode as a cousin to Fak. Jon Berthenal reprises his role as Mikey for a few episodes. 

Some stars stay longer than others. Olivia Colman’s character takes on an important role. With her restaurant closing, an end of an era shakes the culinary world of Chicago and brings together a band of chefs the audience is far familiar with. Chef David returns, sparking tense conversation between him and Carmy. Carmy, convinced he’s ready to confront David, approaches him, but David fails to see where his training steered Carmy wrong. Chef Luca (Will Poulter) visits from Copenhagen to celebrate the work of Andrea Terry. The future careers and culinary world are discussed and dissected. 

The Continuation of A Love Letter to Food

And as always, "The Bear" continues its long-running love letter to food. Whatever the audience’s connection to food, "The Bear" finds a way of making the daily routine of eating a masterpiece. From capturing home-cooking to intuitive eating to gourmet meals, the series honors the way that food brings people together, comforts, and sparks emotion.  

"The Bear" Season 3 is not streaming on Hulu!