“The Bear” is back. Season 4 of the Chicago-set FX kitchen dramedy dropped in its entirety on Wednesday night, and per its previous seasons, it features some local cameos from Chicago’s food world and plenty of high-stakes kitchen drama.
Here’s a look at what viewers can expect on screen this season, with some small spoilers ahead.
Once again, Chicago’s real-life culinary scene plays a leading role on screen. In the first couple of episodes alone, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) visits the Ukrainian Village neighborhood dive bar J&M Tap. Meanwhile, Gary, AKA “Sweeps” (played by North Lawndale native Corey Hendrix), gets schooled in wine by Master Sommelier Alpana Singh at her namesake Gold Coast restaurant.
Among the local cameos, restaurateur Donnie Madia, of One Off Hospitality (Avec, Big Star, the Publican), makes another appearance as himself as he has in a previous season.
Inside the kitchen, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) face a ticking clock — literally, there’s a digital clock that is counting down to when Unc (Oliver Platt) says he will pull their funding. With the countdown on, they must make their Italian beef shop-turned-fine-dining establishment into something great.
Season 4 opens by returning to the previous season’s cliffhanger: What will a Chicago Tribune review say? The review turns out to be a mixed bag, but it calls out the restaurant’s chaotic environment. Those words appear to prompt Carmy to do some soul searching.
As the doomsday clock in the kitchen hits zero, so does this season. And for now, “The Bear” has not been renewed for a fifth season, according to Entertainment Weekly. So it remains to be seen whether or not fans will find out where Chicago’s favorite fictitious restaurant goes from here.
Still, “The Bear” again is inciting local enthusiasm, as it has in seasons past. Eater Chicago compiled a roundup of the best local takeout food to order while you binge. Uber Eats is offering a special “Bear”–themed takeout menu courtesy of Chef Curtis Duffy’s West Loop lounge After. (Duffy’s Michelin-starred restaurant Ever has been featured heavily in the show.) The special menu will be available until July 28, according to Eater, and features a $14 Italian Beef, plus a Boursin omelette sandwich with potato chips (see: that one episode in Season 2) and Marcus’ honey bun — a nod to the show’s fictitious pastry chef.
Courtney Kueppers is an arts and culture reporter at WBEZ.