After dominating the 2023-24 awards season, Hulu’s “The Bear” is returning for its highly-anticipated season 3. In case you haven’t binged it yet, the show follows the eclectic mix of characters behind the success of sandwich shop turned fine dining restaurant, The Bear. The crew constantly struggles to balance the chaos of the restaurant with the drama of their personal lives. Ahead of season 3, series stars, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce and Liza Colón-Zayas, spoke with The Root about the power of representing food service workers of color.
As sous chef Sydney, Edebiri is the down to earth, practical voice that keeps things grounded amid head chef Carmy’s chaotic energy. As we all know, this is a role a lot of Black women play in the workplace. The Emmy winner doesn’t take the responsibility of representing these women lightly, as she’s been in their shoes herself.
“To feel like you’re representing anybody or anything, or to have a point of connection with people, it makes you feel touched,” Edebiri told The Root. “But also, there’s a lot of points of connection because I know what it’s like to be the only Black girl in a writers room. I find myself swapping stories where you’re just like, ‘Wow, this is the same, and that’s maybe insane.’”
For Colón-Zayas, it’s about celebrating those who often go overlooked and underappreciated. Her interactions with viewers are often very emotional and humbling. She knows that for many of them, Tina is so much more than a character on a TV show.
“I feel touched when people are like ‘You’re my mom. My mom worked in a kitchen. My grandmother ran her own restaurant,’” Colón-Zayas said. “To be connected to that kind of respect for these icons and people’s personal lives means a lot.”
Baker turned pastry chef Marcus has had the biggest character evolution over the course of the series. As the caretaker for his dying mother, Marcus strives to blend his two lives so he can pursue his hopes and dreams. Boyce calls being the voice of people in Marcus’ situation “touching.”
“I think it’s cool because you get a lot of conversations genuinely excited about the creative side of food,” Boyce said. “In season 2, some people come up and say, ‘I know that feeling of being away when my mom’s sick at home, being the caregiver for your parent. Trying to find a balance of that, wanting to expand and have your own dreams. It’s really cool and touching.”
There’s a misconception that people of color only occupy certain jobs in the fine dining world. The actors on “The Bear” are not only disproving these assumptions, they’re completely blowing them up and creating new narratives for the food service workers they represent.
“The Bear” is now available to stream on Hulu, with season 3 premiering June 26 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.