‘The Bear’ Is Back for Season 2, Chef!

For some reason, I waited an entire six months after its initial release to watch The Bear. After I finally started it, I binged all eight episodes of season 1 over two nights. Like going to a wonderful restaurant, I was full but couldn’t wait to visit again soon. The series follows Carmen “Carmy” Bearzatto (Jeremy Allen White), who was an award-winning chef in one of the best restaurants in the world before returning to Chicago to run his brother’s failing Italian beef sandwich shop. Not only is Carmy dealing with the struggling restaurant and its crew, but he’s also grieving for his brother and battling his own trauma.

The mix of drama, the stress of working in food service, and the endearing characters set this fantastic show apart from the pack. Luckily, FX announced that a second season of the comedy-drama is coming soon. Here’s everything we know so far about season 2 of The Bear.

The Bear season 2 release date

Season 2 is coming out sooner than I expected. FX tweeted that The Bear season 2 will premiere in early summer, about a year after season 1 debuted. All episodes of season 2 will be streaming on June 22, 2023. That’s some great turnaround, Chef. Plus, FX announced there will be 10 episodes for season 2. Yes, that is a two-episode increase from the last season! That means even more time hanging out in Chicago at our new favorite (and chaotic) restaurant.

Who’s joining the cast of The Bear season 2?

In an exclusive from Variety, we learned that Illinois native Bob Odenkirk will join the Chicago restaurant for The Bear season 2. Although we don’t know who the Better Call Saul actor will play just yet, he’ll probably be a new fan-favorite. Odenkirk just has a way of making people adore the characters he plays.

Of course, much of the main restaurant staff from season 1 will return. We will see more of Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy, Richie (a.k.a. Cousin, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Marcus (Lionel Boyce), Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), and Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson). Carmy’s sister Sugar (Abby Elliott) will also return. No word yet if there will be more flashback scenes of Carmy’s deceased brother Michael, but I hope we get one or two more because the surprise appearance of Jon Bernthal was delightful.

Where did season 1 of The Bear leave us?

At the end of season 1, things were looking up after a series of major ups and downs. Carmy had finally started to process his grief, his anger toward his brother, and his trauma from working under a terrible boss at a prestigious restaurant. After Carmy blew up at Sydney, the two reconciled, making everyone happy (although Carmy still needs to work on that). In an Arrested Development “There’s always money in the banana stand” twist, Carmy found $300k his brother hid in resealed tomato sauce cans. The last moments showed Carmy putting up a sign in the window thanking customers for enjoying The Beef restaurant while announcing that they would be closing. Soon, they will reopen as The Bear.

What is the plot of The Bear season 2?

As we learned in season 1 of The Bear, Carmy and Sydney have a dream of how they can turn their current restaurant space into a mix of a sandwich counter and a fine dining experience. Finding $300k could definitely set them up to achieve that kind of dream. But will they use the money to pay back the loan from Uncle Jimmy, or will they revamp the restaurant? Either way, we know a new restaurant is coming. Even in a perfect world, there is a lot of stress and drama when opening a new business. It will be interesting to see how Carmy and Sydney make The Bear a reality and how dynamics among the crew may change in the new restaurant environment. I also want to see more of Marcus’s wholesome donut obsession. I wish only the best for this family.

The Bear season 2 trailer

With about a month to go until season 2 premieres, we have the official trailer. Even though the restaurant is not currently open, there is high-stress food-related drama. We’ve got a new menu to create, there are people going to culinary school, and construction—which always leads to much more stress than anyone anticipates. Can Carmy and the crew pull off opening the new restaurant on time and within their budget? Who knows, but it will be great to watch.

(featured image: FX / Hulu)