From Chaos to Culture: How “The Bear” Effect is Having a Real Impact on Chicago’s Restaurant Scene

FX’s The Bear has only grown hotter each season, and not just in the kitchen. Since its debut in 2022, the series has captivated audiences with its emotionally raw portrayal of life inside a restaurant. 

In season one, we followed Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a young fine-dining chef who returns to Chicago to run his late brother’s struggling sandwich shop. With clashing personalities and mounting debt, the audience is thrown into the kitchen and witnesses how Carmy transforms both the restaurant and himself. 

By season four, Carmy continues to spiral under the weight of his own stainless-steel stubbornness, poising Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) to take center stage. Sydney steps forward, allowing her culinary ambition rooted in discipline and emotional intelligence to become the backbone of the restaurant. After three seasons of playing sous-chef in Carmy’s chaos, season four gives Sydney something rare in modern television: space. We see her navigating her Black identity, attending investor meetings, refining the menu, and walking through the same Chicago streets that once overwhelmed her now with quiet authority.

What began as a story about grief evolved into one of the most culturally resonant shows of the streaming era. The sandwich shop has cemented its place not just as a story of survival but of evolution. A global craze that is leaving a mark on both television and Chicago’s food industry. At the heart of The Bear is its reverence for realism. It’s portrayal of Chicago as a lived-in, beloved city, warts and all, that helps ground the narrative in authenticity. 

However, it’s the series’ depiction of the restaurant industry, particularly the chaos of a high-pressure kitchen, that has resonated deeply, especially in a world where restaurants are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many chefs and restaurateurs have praised The Bear for capturing what it truly feels like to run a service: the stress, the camaraderie, the sacrifices, and the artistry. Each new season has brought a new wave of attention to Chicago’s food scene, now being dubbed “The Bear Effect.” 

Since the show’s debut, restaurants featured on the show have seen spikes in foot traffic, online engagement, and national media attention. Kasama, the Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant visited by Carmy and Sydney in the season two episode “Sundae,” saw a major surge in demand following its feature. Mr.Beef on Orleans, the inspiration for The Original Beef in the show, has become a pilgrimage site for fans, with crowds regularly queuing down the block. It’s a rare moment when art imitates life and then life, in return, is elevated by the art itself. 

Only one week after the release of The Bear’s latest season, FX confirmed its renewal for a fifth season, a move that thrilled fans of the show. Season four ended on an enthralling cliffhanger that left the fate of the restaurant, and its tightly wound team, hanging in the balance. 

The show’s renewal was a move that surprised no one but confirmed: The Bear isn’t just a show about food anymore. It’s about the people who dare to imagine new ways to survive, and when we decide to build something better, even in the heat.

Production has remained in Chicago, filming in River North, Ukrainian Village, and Wicker Park, spotlighting just a few of the neighborhoods that are integral to the city. The continued use of these real locations only further solidifies the show’s bond with Chicago. With multiple Emmys and a Golden Globe under its belt, The Bear is no stranger to critical acclaim and shows no signs of stopping. The series recently scored another 13 Emmy nominations, bringing the total to 49 nominations after just three seasons. Of those, The Bear has taken home 21, becoming one of the most decorated shows. 

Among the Emmys this year, Ayo Edebiri made history by receiving her third consecutive nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series as well as earning her first nomination for directing. She is the first woman ever to be recognized in both categories in the same year for a comedy series. 

All four seasons of FX’s The Bear are now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

Featured image: THE BEAR — “Soubise” — Season 4 Episode 2 (Streams Thursday, June 26th) Pictured: (l-r) Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu. CR: FX.