Following the nuclear bomb of Carmy’s leaving, the team dusts itself off to move forward. Meanwhile, Jimmy, Computer and his niece trek to the county clerk’s office to investigate who owns the building’s air rights.
Carmy has an eye-opening conversation with Richie, realizing he chose cooking to avoid his problems and others, making him a poor team player. Carmy takes this to heart and puts it into practice. He starts with Sugar, who’s allowed past trauma with their mother, Donna, dictate the playdate with her daughter. In a touching scene, Sugar tearfully realizes she can trust Donna.
Later, Carmy apologizes to Marcus and reassures the greatness he’s achieved isn’t in vain. He also tells him not to settle for the chaos regarding his dad. Marcus appreciates that coming from the poster child for parental estrangement. Aside, Marcus remains somewhat cold toward Luca, who plans to return to Copenhagen.
They manage to free Ted from the ceiling, which doesn’t soothe Syd’s frustration as a contractor can’t come until tomorrow. She also dodges Richie’s proposal to handle the reservation overflow. Despite his positivity, Syd tells him to cancel 15 reservations, though it appears easier said than done. Syd continues her leadership streak and has Carmy coax an upset Fax from the locked bathroom.
Syd has a beautiful moment with Tina, letting her know it’s fine if she decides to leave with Carmy. Tina abruptly stops Syd, reassuring her she’s staying put as her Jeffery. It cements Tina’s display of loyalty and trust in Sydney’s leadership.
Syd prepares the evening’s protein, ribs, for service. But to save funds and ingredients, Carmy suggests Lamb Tonada, or raw. Syd agrees and changes the menu. Richie prepares his regular motivational speech, but finds what he’s written no longer works. Instead he shares an honest, impromptu monologue, admitting that everything sucks. But he realizes what made the “perfect restaurant” wasn’t the technicalities, but the people whom he experienced it with.
“It made me feel less alone,” said Richie. He surmises they don’t have to worry about at thing.
With that, Syd states if it’s they’re last day, they plan to go out as a family. They swap the posh threads for the misspelled “The BERF” blue merch shirts with the clock still ticking. Let it rip.
Episode 4 is the joy after a stormy night, as our stressed team realizes what’s important. From Sugar, to Richie and Sydney, each character let’s go of their fears and insecurities, and allow themselves to feel the real. The Beef aka Bear was never about the accolades. It was where Carmy found solace; Richie felt family; and Sydney built her confidence. It was about the people and their trust in each other.
The episode does its best to intercut the restaurant happenings with the comedic Uncle Jimmy scenes. But, around the third time, the motif on operational bureaucracy and red tape is DOA. The only minor slight in an otherwise solid entry.
Rating: 8/10
Photo credit: FX Networks