The Bear kicks off in the summer of 2022, months after the death of Mikey Berzatto, owner of a beloved local eatery, The Original Beef of Chicagoland.

After Mikey’s death by suicide, The Beef is passed to his younger brother, Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto, who until that point had been building his name as a fine-dining chef away from Chicago and his family.

But Carmy, who is still struggling with the grief of losing his brother, has no idea how to run a business, let alone an already struggling one. His staff are set in their ways, his brother’s best friend ‘Cousin’ Richie is making reckless choices to keep the business afloat, and Mikey left behind a staggering amount of debt.

With pressure rising and his own dream slipping from his grasp, can Carmy find a way to make it work without succumbing to his own personal struggles in the process?

Here’s how season one plays out.

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The Bear starts in the summer of 2022, where aspiring gourmet chef Carmy starts work at The Original Beef of Chicagoland – his late brother’s struggling sandwich shop.

Carmy tries to get to grips with running a business after taking over The Original Beef of Chicagoland following his brother’s death – particularly financially, with overdue payments causing him trouble.

Hiring new chef Sydney, he introduces her to the team, and she shares her admiration for his past achievements.

Determined to transform The Beef, his efforts to improve the team’s workflow is met with resistance – and as a crowd gathers outside for the lunchtime rush, it’s up to his brother’s best friend Richie to get control of the situation.

Carmy’s past training at a fine dining restaurant in New York under the tutelage of a pushy chef weighs heavy on his mind.

His continued efforts to improve the standards of The Beef sees him at odds with the staff, but an unexpected arrival from a health inspector forces everyone to take action.

Richie and Sydney clash over their work standards but find a surprising common ground by the end of the shift.

When Jimmy reveals just how much debt Michael left behind, Carmy calls sister Sugar for some guidance about what to do next.

Carmy tries to understand his brother’s mindset before his death, before introducing a new work system into the kitchen at The Beef.

However, Sydney begins to get stressed about his decision-making skills, as well as his inability to properly train those working under him, leading to a confrontation.

As the new system is implemented, Marcus begins to thrive as he explores his passion for baking.

Carmy and Richie are hired by Jimmy to cater a kid’s birthday party, but things go south after an incident involving the punch.

Sydney starts working to earn the respect of the rest of the cooks in the kitchen, which is easier said than done.

Marcus develops a passion for his new chocolate cake programme.

Carmy and Sydney work together to create a new dinner menu for The Beef.

A disaster ahead of the lunchtime rush results in a discovery about Richie that could get the entire business in trouble – but it’s also a lifeline for the team.

Marcus’s attention is diverted elsewhere, coming at the expense of his baking duties in the restaurant.

When a fuse blows, the entire team scrambles to save what they can of the perishable food in the fridge, and Sydney comes up with a way to save the day.

In a flashback, the Berzatto siblings’ relationships are revealed as Mikey and Carmy work together to prepare Mikey’s braciole as he tells them all a story.

Back in the present day, Sydney shows Carmy a new dish she created for the menu but gets feedback she wasn’t expecting (or wanting).

Sugar comes to the restaurant to help Carmy navigate their financial situation – but they discover key documents missing.

Spending time under close quarters leads to tension as they discuss the loss of Mikey.

Marcus continues to let his attention drift away from his actual work.

When the business comes under fire, Richie uses his contacts to discover who was responsible – but he begins to feel unneeded as Sydney and Carmy’s new workflow system takes hold.

The Beef’s new menu lands a review from a food critic, much to the excitement of the team – but Carmy’s unhappy as he realises it was a dish Sydney had not passed by him.

After her son Louie is suspended from school, Tina brings him to The Beef in the hopes he’ll develop a culinary interest.

Ahead of opening, an oversight on Sydney’s part leaves the entire team overwhelmed and in a panic as hundreds of orders arrive in one go.

As Carmy boils over from the pressure, Sydney and Richie put their differences aside to steady the ship, but it just adds more problems to a mountain of issues.

Carmy, haunted by the negative criticism of his old boss, finally opens up about his feelings about the loss of his brother, the mess it’s left him with, and why he feels under pressure to succeed.

Marcus and Sydney meet up to discuss what’s next after their time at The Beef.

The restaurant shuts down business for the night to host a Bachelor Party for one of Uncle Jimmy’s friends, but it ends in disaster, an arrest, and a new financial burden.

As the team cleans up the mess left behind, Richie discovers something that gives Carmy answers he never thought he’d get – and a departing gift from Mikey that changes the entire trajectory of The Beef’s future.

Carmy makes some overdue apologies, and the team unite once more, with hopeful ideas about what lies ahead.