As the curtains of The Bear's first episode part, the crackle of igniting stoves fills the air. Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White, strides purposefully towards a cage, releasing its occupant - a bear. With cautious steps, he coaxes the beast out of its confinement. Suddenly, as the bear lunges towards him, Carmy jolts awake, finding himself in the midst of his restaurant's bustle.
He answers the door, only to learn that he's fallen short on his payment, having only settled for 25 pounds when he actually needed two hundred. Desperately, he calls Luanne, hoping to work out the discrepancy. Carmy confesses that he's still grappling with the reins of this place since Michael's departure, marveling that they're still afloat after all that's transpired. Their shared longing for Michael hangs heavily in the air.
After the call, Carmy's ire is drawn to the arcade games, tempted to unplug them. But Tina (Liza Colon-Zayas) intervenes, warning him that they'll be rendered useless if he does so. When he queries about the last time they were emptied, she's clueless. Undeterred, Carmy proceeds to rid the machines of their coins, before reaching out to Chi-Chi to inquire about his meat connections.
Tina doesn't hesitate to criticize Carmy's vegetable-chopping skills, branding him as inept. As he meets with Chi-Chi to offload some items and stock up on more meat, he announces a Ball Breaker tournament at the restaurant for the evening, hoping to drum up some excitement.
Carmy reaches out to Natalie 'Sugar' Berzatto (Abby Elliott), requesting the jacket that Mike had bestowed upon him. He expresses his gratitude as she assures him of bringing it to him. Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) announces her intention for the sous chef position, and Carmy quickly scans her resume, revealing her UPS driving past to finance her culinary school dreams. Sydney shares that this restaurant was a favorite of her father's in her childhood. Carmy assures her that they'll create a family here, emphasizing their mantra of 'meat plus three' - a reference to their culinary philosophy. She's aware of his reputation as a top chef, yet she's puzzled by his current role. Carmy offers a candid response, revealing that he's currently relegated to making sandwiches. As he instructs Tina to start a fresh batch of giardiniera, Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) voices his concern about the beef, insisting on sticking to his tried-and-tested methods. He warns Tina against tampering with the pot that's been simmering for 12 hours, but she retaliates, claiming it as her own domain.
He politely requests her to utilize an alternative pot before instructing Marcus (Lionel Boyce) to prepare a double batch of bread for today. Marcus explains that the mixer is malfunctioning, forcing him to perform everything manually. He adds that Tina altered the temperature, which is affecting the dough's rise. Carmy acknowledges their financial constraints and promises to procure a new mixer soon. Suddenly, the buzzer rings, indicating the arrival of the beef. They learn that Sydney has kindly come to their assistance.
As Gary enters, Carmy assigns him the task of setting up a compost for the day. Sydney inquiries about a family shelf in Spanish, but Tina curtly dismisses her. Ebraheim directs Sydney to the shelf's location, situated on the bottom right corner of the walk-in. Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) joins the group and sternly warns them against meddling with his program.
When Richie inquiries about the Ball Breaker tournament, Carmy emphasizes the importance of attracting customers and nerdy enthusiasts from Rockford. Richie chastises Tina for ruining the recital and demands that Carmy consult with him before making decisions. Carmy dismisses the need, sparking a heated argument. As Richie is introduced to Sydney, he privately urges Carmy to be more circumspect and proactive.
Richie mentions the six months he spent caring for his mother, backed by receipts from his divorce lawyer. He laments that Carmy's absence has disrupted the smooth running of the restaurant, as the staff constantly texts him for guidance. He pleads with Carmy to refrain from reversing their established routines, as it's causing confusion. Richie reminds Carmy that this was his brother's establishment, which he managed efficiently without Carmy's interference.
Carmy, returning to his tasks, complains about the dull knives. Richie counters that Carmy has been here for two weeks, and financial woes have persisted. As they hustle to prepare for the Ball Breaker tournament, arguments flare up. Carmy emphasizes the importance of housekeeping, urging everyone to clean their stations amidst the chaos. He addresses everyone as chefs, a gesture of respect, hoping to unite them in their common goal.
Carmy broke the news to Richie that Neil Fak, alias Matty Matheson, intended to hike the tournament's entry fee to a dollar. Richie, meanwhile, was busy digesting the intricacies of meat cooking, realizing it needed a bit more time. Carmy confided that they were strapped for cash, forcing them to settle for bone-in meat that required braising. Richie balked at the idea of deviating from their established routine, but Carmy countered that the current system barely kept them afloat. Richie insisted that the bread and gravy must remain unchanged.
As Fak arrived, he expressed skepticism about the price hike. He apologized for missing the funeral, to which Carmy revealed he hadn't attended either. Fak joked that it would take him an hour to notice Carmy's bleeding. As Carmy made his exit, he ran into Ebraheim and quickly patched up his finger with a band-aid.
Amidst the buzz of the impending event, Carmy heard a bear's roar echo in the distance. He repeatedly reminded everyone that they had customers to serve in an hour, but his cousin's antics kept everyone in stitches. Spotting a knife on the ground, Carmy picked it up, his gaze momentarily wandering to a religious photograph. The sound of a police scanner and a glimpse of someone at the morgue added to the surreal atmosphere.
Carmy confided to Tina that he needed to visit his sister, puzzled by her absence. Sugar handed him a jacket, her tone betraying her dislike of seeing him there. Richie grumbled about the labels, and the revelation of why Marcus was nicknamed "Sweeps" added to the confusion. Natalie told Carmy that their mother would cherish seeing him, adding that Uncle Jimmy had expressed interest in buying the place. Carmen's determination to fix it up was met with Natalie's reminder that no one had asked him to do so.
Inside, Carmy discovered that the bread was too crumbly. He instructed Marcus to fill a baking sheet with water, place it on the oven floor, and bake another batch. As they sampled the sandwiches, Ebraheim's candid feedback likened them to Carmen - redundant and plain. Gary offered Sydney a taste, quizzing her on how she would fare in the family test. When asked if the sandwich would be delicious or impressive, Sydney wisely responded that deliciousness was indeed impressive.
Outside, the sight of guests dressed in costumes added to the festive mood. Carmy realized they would need more bread. As Fak tinkered with the mixer, he shared a poignant anecdote about his friendship with Michael, which had soured in the end.
He candidly confessed that Richie was far from being a pleasant individual, harboring a sorrowful interior. Richie, keenly aware of the admission, made sure to convey that he had heard every word. As everyone filed in to take their seats at the dinner table, Sydney boisterously announced that the family gathering was about to commence.
The conversation soon shifted to expressions of gratitude, with Fak mentioning his beloved cats amidst the chatter. However, as the commotion outside grew increasingly chaotic, Carmy urgently requested his cousin to provide him with assistance. Richie, however, firmly stated that this was his responsibility.
When Carmy ventured outside, his efforts to restore order only escalated the situation, ultimately leading to him getting hit. Richie, exasperated, fired a solitary shot into the sky, berating them as incel, QAnon, 4chan losers. Carmy, despite the situation, offered a grateful nod to Richie.
Richie announced that they would be hosting a tournament and everyone was expected to behave in a civilized manner, without frightening away their regular patrons. The victorious participant would be rewarded with a year's supply of complimentary Italian ice. Given his aversion to litter, he sternly emphasized that the participants would be responsible for tidying up after themselves and recycling accordingly.
As they retreated indoors, Carmy mused that it was a positive sign to have attracted such a large crowd. Richie, however, remained skeptical, arguing that they were far from being prepared. He instructed Carmy to prepare the spaghetti, while Marcus informed Carmen that he had been correct about the steam tray. Carmen, however, in a fit of frustration, opened the tomato sauce only to discard it into the garbage.
