The Bear – Season 2 Episode 9 “Omelette” Recap & Review

Omelette

Episode 9 of The Bear’s new season begins with a shot of Carmy and Claire warming up the bed. The lovebirds do seem in “love” but they haven’t said it out loud yet.

Before leaving her house, Sydney is stopped by Emmanuelle. It is the night of The Bear’s opening and he comforts her by saying no matter what happens, the house and his love for her will always be open. Emmanuelle will be visiting the restaurant as it is a “Friends & Family” night only. Syndey feels this is her final chance to do something big and memorable in her life.

Carmen is also suffering from nerves. He starts second-guessing his journey and life decisions. He notices a botched painting sitting in the restaurant. Sugar says that she asked him if it was okay to bring it in and he said yes, although Carmy doesn’t remember saying anything. Distractions, distractions! Sugar also reveals that she has called Donna to the opening. Carmy isn’t pleased to hear this and asks her to taper down her expectations. Also, they have to pass the SafeServ certifications to open the driveway window at the back.

Carmy discovers that he has forgotten to call Tony the fridge guy. The distractions keep piling up. Small mistakes like these stack and become a bigger issue later on. In a quiet moment, Carmy asks Sydney about her relationship with her mother. She tells him that her mother died when Sydney was 3, which softens Carmy and also cuts some of the tension between them. Richie reveals to Sugar that the restaurant is fully booked for two weeks since the opening. However, she postulates that it might not be enough and they need to sustain this for months to become profitable and save their restaurant.

The preparations for the night begin on a tense note. Carmy finds himself unable to focus due to small things like stacked trays not being to his liking. Tina and Sydney point out that he himself is responsible for these shortfalls.

Marcus shows Sydney and Carmy his dessert dishes with a new addition called “The Michael.” Carmy has another levelling conversation with Uncle Jimmy. who gives him a business license to make the restaurant official.

Jimmy tells Carmy about an incident from an old baseball game. It is meant to suggest that Carmy and his team cannot afford to make any mistakes. They must have their lives on their sleeves every day at work if The Bear is to become successful. He tells Jimmy about his girlfriend and Jimmy manifests Carmy’s dilemma for him. It is either Claire or The Bear, even though many of us won’t agree with that simplification.

Sydney notices Sugar struggling to work and makes a nice omelette for her. The preparation shows how much Sydney loves taking care of others.

Ebra takes the SafeServ training as Claire calls Carmy. He ignores her call but can hardly focus on the task at hand. She leaves him a voicemail. In an awkward moment, Marcus tries asking out Sydney, who gives him an equally awkward and unconvincing rejection.

The stage is all set for the opening. Richie, Carmen, and Sugar say their pieces to the staff. Communication, teamwork, and patience are discussed as keys to a successful opening. Neil will be in the front for the night as opposed to his usual handyman role.

While fixing a table with Sydney, Carmen apologizes to her for not being focused at work. They sound their appreciation for each other and vow to work together and make The Bear a success. He also gifts her a new uniform for work, which is a beautiful Thom Browne uniform from New York. The door to The Bear opens as the screen goes black.

The Episode Review

The final stepping stone to the finale was all about the little details. This episode really gave viewers an opportunity to critique the characters and their decisions, such as what may be behind Carmen’s inclinations.

Carmen’s conundrum about Claire and The Bear is now clear. He feels pressured into making a choice that, ultimately, might not be the right choice for him. Even though he hasn’t been as laser sharp at work, the emotional void he has had for years is fulfilled. Claire’s presence has elevated his life and given it meaning. Finding a balance or middle ground between work and relationships is essential for any workplace. Being a full-time resident is a hard and chaotic job but Claire doesn’t seem to have Carmen’s problems with distractions.

Sydney has a nerve-wracking day ahead with both her and Carmy’s fates intertwined and separate from the rest of the stakeholders. This episode had some frenetic tension in the kitchen but that will be nothing compared to what comes next – hopefully.