The Bear Season 3 Captures The Importance Of Restaurant Jobs As The Backbone Of Our Economy – Tasting Table

Season 3 of “The Bear” kicks off with a painful and beautiful montage of disjointed scenes that ramble back and forth through time, mostly depicting the foundational elements of Chef Carmy. But we also see — through tears — pastry chef Marcus dealing with the death of his mother, a loss compounded by the fact that he was in Copenhagen staging at the ground-breaking Nordic restaurant Noma at the time. Tragedy aside, Marcus is a splendid example of the radiant draw and undeniable power of restaurant work. 

After an unspectacular college football career, he spent some time working for a phone company before taking a turn behind the counter at McDonald’s. Frequent lunch break trips to The Original Beef of Chicagoland piqued Marcus’ interest and allowed him to befriend Carmy’s now-deceased older brother Mikey. Hungry to learn, thoughtful, and creative, Marcus baked rolls for the sandwiches, but Carmy knew he needed to be pushed. As the beef stand grew into a fine dining establishment, so, too, did Marcus morph from a mediocre baker to a gifted and disciplined pastry chef.

Marcus isn’t alone, either. Tina, the set-in-her-ways short order cook of The Original Beef, was hesitant to let her guard down. When she finally did and let others’ belief in her inspire her own, she proudly walked into culinary school to advance her journey. Season 3 of “The Bear” finds Tina as a confident line cook — the chefs who do the actual cooking — charging into her job with passion.