As the third episode of "The Bear" unfolds, Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (portrayed by Jeremy Allen White) finds solace in a stroll along the serene beach. Suddenly, a woman (embodied by Molly Ringwald) approaches, her voice filled with an inexplicable sadness. She confesses that there's something she cannot articulate, control, or heal. For most of her life, she believed she was a victim, blaming her husband's alcoholism for their troubles. She thought that removing his liquor or hiding his vices would suffice, but she soon realized that chaos cannot be tamed without a shift in mindset. She holds herself partially responsible for the abuse and harbors guilt over it. She has come to the conclusion that the best course of action is to keep her own affairs in order, avoiding toxic situations rather than attempting to fix everything.
Inside the restaurant, the atmosphere is tense. Richard "Richie" Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) shouts angrily, accusing the others of lagging behind. Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) retaliates with her own rebuke. Carmy apologizes profusely to the customers waiting impatiently for their orders. Marcus (Lionel Boyce) complains about someone stealing his trays, only to be interrupted by Sydney, who claims she was merely preparing them for him. Richie and Sydney's argument escalates, their voices echoing through the restaurant, while Carmy struggles to restore order.
The next morning, Carmy pores over pamphlets on alcohol abuse, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. The advice he reads urges him to be humble, honest with himself, and forgiving. His alarm jolts him out of his reverie, and he surprises everyone by arriving at work unusually early. He discovers that Marcus has hung pictures torn from his cookbooks on the wall, an act that Carmy surprisingly accepts with equanimity. He informs the staff that it takes a team of twelve to prepare even the simplest dish, recounting his nights spent plating each one meticulously. As he regales Marcus with the intricacies of the dishes, memories of his former collaboration with Chef de Cuisine (Joel McHale) flood his mind. Carmy confesses that they struggled to replicate the chef's desired consistency until a sous chef finally nailed it one day. When asked for the secret, Sydney quickly answers "veal fat," to which Carmy nods in agreement.
Later, Carmy pulls Sydney into his office, his expression serious. He confesses that last week was a nightmare and they must put a stop to it, warning that it will only worsen if they don't. He turns his ire on Ebrah (Edwin Lee Gibson), demanding to know why Michael hadn't ordered the larger cans of supplies, which would have been more cost-effective. Ebrahim shrugs, admitting that as he learns more about Michael, he finds himself increasingly perplexed.
Carmen approaches Sydney with a proposition, hoping she would helm an old-fashioned brigade in the kitchen. However, Sydney balks at the idea, fearing it would lead to a hierarchical mess. Carmen counters, arguing that they can approach it differently, alleviating the constant shouting matches. He suggests dividing the responsibilities, with him handling the business side and her taking charge of everything else. After some deliberation, Sydney agrees to give it a try.
Eager to get started, Carmen hands out aprons to Marcus, Tina, Manny, Angel, and the rest of the team. He emphasizes that he doesn't want to disrupt their existing system but rather harness its potential. He believes that organizing them like a French kitchen, with a clear chain of command, will be more effective than their current chaotic approach.
Richie enters the scene, cracking jokes and refusing to wear the apron. Ebrah, on the other hand, shares a dark past in a brigade where many lives were lost. Carmen explains that in a real kitchen team, everyone has their designated role and is responsible for maintaining their area.
As Carmen steps away to answer a phone call, Sydney seizes the opportunity to introduce the new hierarchy. She announces that Carmen will be the CDC or chef de cuisine, while she will serve as the sous. When she reaches Tina, the latter pretends not to understand English, adding a comedic touch to the situation. Ebrah, now designated as the chef de partie for meat prep, quickly accepts his new title.
The caller on the phone asks if Michael is around, and Carmen informs them that he's not present. Nico, the caller, asks Carmen to relay the message to Michael. Richie, hearing that Nico called, threatens to confront him, dismissing him as a mere idiot. He confesses to Carmen that for a fleeting moment, he felt like Michael was still alive. Carmen, visibly shaken, takes a seat to compose himself while Sydney continues to outline the new roles and responsibilities to the team.
She ushers them into a pre-shift meeting, followed by a front-of-house walkthrough. She concludes with an end-of-day review, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement. Sydney assures them that this new structure will bring about smoother and calmer operations, setting the tone for a more organized and efficient kitchen brigade.
As Carmen made his exit, he hastily announced that he had an errand to run, cutting through the chatter. His destination was a serene church, where he promptly set to work. Meanwhile, Sydney, after a grueling shift, ducked into the cooler for a moment of solitude. But her break was cut short when a sharp box cutter sliced into her finger. Tina and the others rushed to her side, but Sydney waved them off, muttering to close the cutter and scurrying away.
Tina, unaware of the commotion, turned on the stove. Carmen returned to the kitchen, catching a glimpse of Richie in conversation with a man named Nico. His eyebrows furrowed as he entered the kitchen, surveying the scene. The stock was spoiled, having been overcooked by the soaring heat. Sydney claimed to have turned it down, but Tina had inadvertently cranked it up earlier, and neither knew the other's actions. Carmen instructed Tina to reduce the heat, estimating it would take about half an hour to salvage.
His attention then shifted to the onions, which Sydney insisted Tina should have attended to. Frustration boiled over, and Sydney took matters into her own hands. Her alarm blared, signaling the start of the walkthrough. She surveyed Ebrah's station with a critical eye, finding it wanting. She ordered Tina to clean up her mess, including her nails, and assigned someone else to scour the fridge. Sydney informed Sweeps that she would need bags and napkins ready for service.
As she inspected Marcus's bread, Sydney gave a grudging nod of approval. If he was content with his work, so was she. Returning to her station, she discovered her onions missing, a maddening discovery. Storming into Carmy's office, Sydney demanded answers. Carmy suggested outsourcing the bread, but denied any involvement in the missing onions. He reminded her that this was just part of paying her dues, as they had done to him the previous week.
Marcus returned with the onions, admitting they had coerced him into taking them. Sydney's ire flared, refusing to let Marcus assist her with anything. Ignoring his warnings about the heavy veal stock, she ended up spilling the entire container on the floor. Marcus, resigned, helped her clean up the mess, urging her to keep going.
Carmen sifted through the paperwork, his brow furrowing as he pondered Mike's actions. Dialing one of the numbers listed, he discovered it was no longer in service. The shout of "family's up" echoed through the kitchen, prompting Carmy to abandon his investigation. Sydney, meanwhile, tended to her cut finger. Marcus informed her that the family was ready, and moments later, Carmy joined her outside, bearing a plate laden with food. He confessed that the bookkeeping was a mess, while Sydney admitted that the brigade was equally chaotic.
Sydney vents about the challenges she faced today, lamenting that Carmy allows everyone to behave as they please. Despite her struggles, Carmy holds her to a higher standard, expecting nothing less than excellence. She harbors a vision of transforming this place into something unlike any other they've encountered, realizing that a different approach is crucial for such a transformation to materialize. When she voiced her doubts about the brigade's effectiveness, Carmy disregarded her opinion. She believes that mutual listening is paramount to achieving their desired outcomes. Carmy acquiesces, acknowledging her point.
Sydney's presence here is fueled by her desire to stand out and leave a lasting impact. She resents Carmy's abrupt departure, feeling abandoned in her pursuit. However, Carmy reveals that he attended an Al-Anon meeting due to his brother's addiction, acknowledging the weight of his past. He insists that this is not an excuse and that he is aware of his responsibilities. Sydney is now aware of his knowledge, and they both resolve to face the challenges head-on tonight.
Later, Carmy's attention is drawn to several missed calls from Sugar. He listens to her voicemail, hearing her thoughts on Michael's birthday, her mind wandering back to him. As the episode draws to a close, Carmy stands gazing out at the water, his expression pensive as he reflects on the events of the day and what lies ahead.
