#sydney rejected marcus

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Just say you don't want to see a black woman and white man fucking on screen.

[chaosmenu]

finished the bear season 2. i like that carmys mental state is just as bad now as it was in season 1. we have finally reached equilibrium and he wants to kill himself again. AND hes just like his mom in a bad way. wheres the gif of him lighting a cigarette using the gas stove and it almost burns the building down

[chefkids]

Marcus will win a James Beard Award before Sydney

Marcus was the one who found Carmy's James Beard award in the first episode. Since then he worked on perfecting all of his recipes from his cake to his donut to all the other dishes he made for the menu.

Marcus has given his recipes his full focus, to a fault sometimes. His dishes made up 5 out of the 11 dishes on the menu. He's a huge part of The Bear and arguably had the most innovative dishes that really took the menu to the Michelin level they're trying to get to.

Sydney was a major source of inspiration and motivation for Marcus. But Sydney has been busy putting out fires for Carmy. She's done a better job at building up Marcus and Tina and all the other people around her than herself. She hasn't been able to give her recipes her full focus and has struggled with the culinary aspect of her job because so much of her focus has had to go to just making sure the place is up and running.

Sydney has been in a culinary funk. She struggled with making recipes by herself all last season and she's been second guessing herself ever since Carmy rejected her dish that she worked so hard on.

Being taken seriously as a woman in the industry has been a common theme for Sydney. When Tina didn't take her seriously she tried to relate to her about her struggles. She went to Carmy because she wanted to make a difference and not just tweeze herbs on a dish. When she was looking for new hires they didn't even think she could be the CDC. I think we're going to see her struggle of trying to be taken seriously and form a name for herself and a CDC.

The preview of the new menu has some of the dishes Sydney had been working on, but Marcus' are missing. We know reviews are going to be a huge part of the plot line and it will be interesting hear what the critics think of a Sydney focus menu vs a Marcus focus one.

Marcus needs a big win after his big loss, so I could definitely see him winning James Beard's Outstanding Pastry Chef by the end of Season 3.

[hwere]

Sydney and the winds of change.

Expanding on some thoughts of mine that I mentioned here.

Syd and Tina:

Starting with them ‘cause their friendship fills my heart with so much love and warmth.

Tina’s initial stance of animosity towards Sydney derives from the fact that not only she’s used to being the only woman in the kitchen, but the same generational fear as Richie: of being replaced by someone new, younger. When Syd arrived at The Beef, the crew viewed her as one of Carmy’s peers. While the others (Ebra, Marcus, Sweeps, etc.) seemed curious about her, Tina braced herself for the worst; she treats Sydney harshly because she believes that Syd – young and a professional chef – will either replace her or look down on her.

Sydney, though, viewed all of them as equals (except for Carmy). That is why it is so beautiful to watch Syd disarm Tina by complimenting her food and encouraging her to do better in the kitchen, instead of joining the dick-measuring competition. Syd showed Tina that there’s no need for competition; there’s room for both and they can be friends who uplift and inspire each other.

Later, we see Tina outright saying this to Ebra when he came back to the restaurant after going AWOL due to his insecurity regarding the school; passing down the lesson.

Syd and Marcus:

Their friendship has a different vibe since they’re closer in age.

Marcus feels inspired and supported by both Syd and Carmy to chase his dreams, to put himself out there, to experiment, to learn and to fail/make mistakes. Which is only possible because Syd’s goal and mindset is to provide this type of environment in the kitchen (“I think this place could be so different from all the other places we’ve been at. But, in order for that to be true, we need to run things different”).

In turn, he inspires her to be more considerate (“There was just a hat in it?”) and calm/patient (that’s the way he carries himself in general, which makes his outburst after being rejected so much worse), showing to her since The Beef that she’s no longer alone in her garage running a business all by herself, she has people to rely on now and that is fine to accept/ask for help.

Syd and Richie:

I do feel at times that he’s a bit of a misunderstood character. Of course, there’s no excuse for his actions towards Syd – that’s not even up for debate. His apology to her, as he did to Natalie, is overdue.

Like Carmy, he’s dealing with a lot: the end of his marriage and being a co-parent; the suicide of his best friend (which could be seen as some sort of betrayal, made worse by the fact that Michael left the shop to Carmy, not him); his creeping fear on being left behind, on old age and aimless existing under capitalism and all its implications (“I'm about to have this kid. I don’t wanna be wrapping up sandwiches for the rest of my life”).

He can be a massive asshole when he wants, but he’s not a bad person at his core (his strongest features are his love and loyalty). Most important: he can change. Watching him stepping up to offer Sydney help, after Carmy got stuck in the walk-in, meant a lot to me, honestly. He still has a long, long way to go, but he’s finally trying and opening himself up to learn (which doesn’t mean the road there will be clear and linear, as we glimpsed in the trailer).

It was Carmy’s idea to send him to Ever, but his growth was only possible because of Sydney’s positive influence all around them.

Syd and Carmy:

Then, there’s everything between her and Carmy. How they mirror each other at times; their parallels; yin-yang and all that jazz (I’m not about to recapitulate the entire show). The man said so himself and I couldn’t summarize better, “I couldn’t do it without you. I wouldn’t even wanna do it without you. You make me better at this.”

He wasn’t lying, though.

If Sydney never came back, of the two, one: either he wouldn’t even try to open The Bear – just use the money to improve The Beef (after all, his dream was to open a restaurant with his brother); or he would try, but for obvious reasons it wouldn’t be the same thing – with Syd around he didn’t think twice before slipping back to his old mentality and persona, imagine if she wasn’t around at all?

Carmy has spent far too many years working out of spite, chasing the approval of his brother, centering cooking as his life (something something porcupine dilemma something something the Berzatto curse). Sydney reminded him that there’s more to cooking than this (“I’d look at them like they were competition, like I’m gonna smoke this motherfucker / […] the deeper into this I went and the better I got. And the more people I cut out, the quieter my life got” vs “You love taking care of people / It is a partnership agreement, so that you can push me and I can push you”).

He gave her a second chance with The Bear and has been pushing her to be a better chef since before they met (“it was Carmy’s”) and also be more patient (both directly “Chef, it’s not ready yet” and indirectly [as in dealing with him and his bullshit]). But like Richie, he still has a lot of work to do with himself (as someone with similar mental issues: you have to put in the work to become better and you have to find healthy ways to cope with yourself and the world around you; mental illness explains some things, but doesn’t excuse them).

For their partnership to become perfect, they need balance.

And lots of love.

Sydney Adamu:

As to what makes Sydney so beautiful as a character: she’s so human and alive on our screens. She’s awkward, bit of an asshole/messy, creative and funny; eager and talented, but still harbors insecurities; isn’t afraid to speak her mind or stand her ground when necessary; although she doesn’t shy away from arguing/bickering, she’s not a conflict-driven person; her initial reaction is always to shut in, but if you know how to approach her, she’ll open up to you (as we saw so many times with Carmy); and she, overall, has such a beautiful heart (“Why can’t we put everything that we have into everything that we can?”).

As the seasons progress, we watch all those characters (both main and secondary) evolve and unravel right in front of our eyes. To me, that’s the beauty of The Bear and Sydney is right in the center of it.

[noangeleither]

yin and yang: carmy and sydney's creative processes + menu planning

what i love about analyzing carmy and sydney is the way they mirror each other. their similarities and differences, and how they have the potential to complement each other well. truly make each other better at this.

this is most evident with the way they approach creating a dish.

sydney's creative process

evidenced by sheridan (s01e05) and sundae (s02e03), sydney is very imaginative when it comes to creating a dish. the editing in these episodes gives us an intimate view of her creative process. recipes often come to her in dreams/daydreams.

sydney gets inspired by her passion for cooking, her family history and her city/world around her (architecture, nature, other restaurants in Chicago). this really fits into sydney's motivations as a chef.

Sydney uses food to make people happy. She likes to take care of people. someone on here explained the significance of sydney wanting exactly one michelin star, which would signify affordable high quality food that normal everyday people have access to. in braciole she mentions to marcus that her dad and her didn't really go out to eat so when they did, they made it count and it was special. she wants to create an experience like that with her own spot (the Bear).

so naturally that is reflected in her food. its not simply a great meal, but a fabric/archive of her culture, history, worldview and entire character.

while sydney has a very imaginative creative process, she often just jots down her ideas in her little notebook(s), for later reflection.

carmy's creative process

carmy has a more tense relationship with cooking. while sydney and carmy are both amazing chefs, carmy seems to be more jaded and detached from his work.

for carmy he grew up in a household where food was a big part of his family. his mom, mikey, and nat can all cook well. he is naturally very great at it. he uses food to be closer to the people he loves. thats why in the face of rejection from his brother, he goes off and becomes one of the best chefs in the country out of spite. why he uses the beef to try and fix his relationship with mikey. why he was so devasted when syd quit and why he started his dream restaurant with her after she came back.

because we dont get an intimate look into carmys psyche when creating a dish, its harder to say but based off his monolouge in braciole (s01e8) and the way he uses food to connect with people he loves rather than having passion for it independently i can surmise that carmy isn't imaginative as sydney. food is more like a math equation (ironic)/a science.

“he’s the best bc he didn’t have any of the bullshit”, emotional ties/relationships of any kind. his career esp at EMP were isolating, rigid and cold. he was the best bc he was calculating, precise and competitive. which breeds excellence in his field while straying him further away from love and true passion.

i imagine carmy to be more pragmatic with creating a dish.

but carmy is a creative person at his core and while creating a dish might not be as colorful as when sydney does it. we do know that carmy can draw and visualize his ideas onto paper. "Sistine Chapel" level drawings according to syd.

sydney + carmy - potential true partnership

on my 3rd rewatch, i couldn't help but feel so dissatisfied with their partnership. granted this is on purpose since the show is only 2 seasons in and they are trying to do a slow burn in all aspects, not just romantic.

it really hit me that carmy and sydney have never - at least on screen - created a meal together. in s1, we never see the risotto come to fruition, we just get carmys input but never the finished product. in s2 finally, carmy and Sydney work together now that their dynamic has changed from boss and employee to partners. we get like what? 4 scenes of them creating the menu, and having this amazing professional chemistry but ultimately leads to two failed dishes, which would be ok if they worked together after that. but they dont...

instead for the rest of the season, we see them (mainly Syd) working on the menu separately. the menu is....alright. mainly has carmy written all over it (he has a the seven fishes + cannolis, weird homage to one of the worst nights of his life).

*putting on another pair of shipper goggles to say this makes the whole "you make me better at this" confession, even more mind-boggling bc better at what? you guys haven't even worked together all season. this = life , i rest my case*

in s3 and beyond, im excited for them to truly start working together as partners and actually see them create a dish together.

i want to see how their approaches to creating a dish can help the other.

how sydneys creative process can help carmy

besides the obvious romantic implications of the palette cleanser outing, the potential for them to understand each other on a deeper level in regards to food is something i mourn everyday.

after sydney goes on her trip solo, we see her ride the ferry and just take a look at her surroundings. shes thinking about the food she ate, shes looking at buildings, windows, looking at the snow. all inspiration for a dish.

imagine if carmy was there with her. he would be curious about what she's thinking about, get insight on how she creates and maybe want to learn to see food in a less practical way.

i mean he hadn't drawn in years it seems until he was inspired by sydney and the chaos menu to draw again....now imagine if he didn't ruin the moment by bringing up claire (LMFAO). the point is, sydney naturally sparks creativity and passion in him, even when they aren't together.

i know many people are theorizing that carmy will leave the culinary industry (and i agree most of the time) but i also think sydney is slowly but surely helping him discover/re-discover a passion for cooking. i think that carmy likes that sydney likes to take care of people because subconsciously he knows he does the same thing or has the potential for it (i.e making tiff sprite from scratch when she was experiencing morning sickness). evidenced by fishes (s02e6), care often feels like an obligation (he takes care of drunk donna when shes going through an episode) but it doesnt have to be this way. and now carmy wants to get a star for her....their interests are slowly aligning.

how carmys creative process can help sydney

this isn't as concrete as the one above but i found it interesting thinking about how carmys more pragmatic approach and sydneys idealistic approach can work in tandem.

first scene in pop (s02e5) shows sydney and tina late at night working on the tasting menu. later in the episode we find out that carmy has been pushing back menu planning leaving sydney on her own. she trying an elements concept which is extremly creative and impressive but even tina says, which sydney later agrees, that its a lot for a tasting menu.

im stretching maybe....but based on carmys comment on her risotto from the season before (needs acid) + his practical approach, it seems like he acts like a buffer when sydneys ideas get "a lot".

*in chemistry buffers are solutions added to resist pH changes when acidic and basic components are added*

so if carmy needs to be more creative and sometimes sydneys ambitions gets ahead of her....

sydney is the heart, while carmy is the brain (???)

one cannot work without the other. when they truly come together to create the menu, they both need to learn from one another to elevate the restaurant. not to mention with carmy's italian american roots and syd's Nigerian-Caribbean/southern roots, they have the potential for amazing fusion dishes and real partnership. i and others want the menu to physically reflect both of them.

conclusion

i literally dont know where im going with this. sorta kinda meta but its more like hopes and dreams for next season and me wanting to type my ideas down.

they complement each other well ok? and have potential for a great partnership once they communicate better. i like this part of the definition of yin and yang:  Their interaction is thought to maintain the harmony of the universe and to influence everything within it.

carmy and Sydney are the leaders of the bear, their relationship is foundational to the success of their restauarnt and team, once they work together truly, play to their strengths and weaknesses, then will come true harmony in their universe.

bonus

more sydcarm parallels/similaries/differences/yin yang moments:

carmys gold chain, syds silver earrings

carmys white t-shirts, syds white button ups

carmy is bad at math, syds great with numbers

carmy wasn't really great at school, this is sorta fanon but i can imagine syd excelled in school

both wear birkenstocks (more a chef thing but i still think its cute)

sunshine x grumpy trope but like better...usually the sunshine (syd) is more emotionally vulnerable making a space for grumpy (Carm), but they switch positions. carmy allows sydney to be more emotionally vulnerable often initiating deep conversations, while syd is more closed up/guarded

overall tho i think its cute that they are both shy/emotionally stunted but i do think purely aesthetic wise, sydney has a softer exterior ( doe eyes, colourful scarves, awkward) while carmy is more intimidating (tats, smokes, looks angry all the time)

both fight dirty - i.e their individual fights with richie (review, the bear)

carmy tho is more prone to outbrusts of anger/violence while sydney lets that shit shimmer until she explodes on you

both their passcode being 11111

carmy having dark mode on his phone, syd having light mode in s2

their matching clothes moments earlier in the second season and in bolognese

if theres more, pls comment/reblog, bc i always think of this shit and need more to cry about

fin!

credits: gif 1&2 , gif 3 and gif 4

[yannaryartside]

Sydney Adamu, the dilemma of the virtuous character

So, for me, the biggest question about Sydney's fate is not "Would the Bear (the restaurant and Carmy) break Sydney?" this may not even be about her relationship with Carmy, and the fact that in this partnership lay the last chances for her to accomplish her dreams.

But "How would she change because of it?"

A breaking point is something that can happen; what defines the character is what happens after the breaking, how they will mold themselves because of what happened, and how they will reinvent themselves.

The culinary world (and many others) glorifies toxicity in the name of the arts and personal growth. Sydney doesn't agree with any of that; she said in the first episodes that she wanted change for her benefit and the people around her. Carmen will now be exactly the kind of boss Sydney already disliked deeply. And I really doubt this whole thing will end up in Sydney becoming more "like Carmy," to win the challenges of the future, even if there is a reason why Carmy, with his temper and obsession, is the kind of personality the culinary world needs to support. No, Sydney has to win, precisely because of how much "not like Carmy, in his toxicity" she is. She has to be a different type of beast than the Bear.

Sydney could be classified as the "moral compass" of the show. She implemented the changes needed to make the beef a workable place, even if Carmy instructed them (and didn't want to deal with that himself). She gave Marcus inspiration and Tina encouragement. She gave everyone discipline. She was the one trying to establish a change in a system (the dysfunctional family) that was deeply stuck in its ways) Because of that, being perceived as less strong, she was harshly rejected. The same happens with Pete; he is all sweetness when everybody is accustomed to everything but that.

Moral compass characters, like Ted Lasso or Capitan America, and now Sydney, are normally introduced in a world that is very different from their values, and because of that, the world rejects them. The purpose of these characters is to bring change, but what happens to the character itself?

The most common solution is that the character will doubt their belives, fight an adversary, and then recognize why these values were so fundamental to them in the first place, and will come out more sure of them than before.

So yeah, get ready for a beast of a totally different nature to rule that kitchen. Sydney Adamu herlsef.

[justalovelyblackgf]

BEING NEIL FAK’S

GIRLFRIEND

HEADCANONS

pairing: neil fak x blackfem!reader

fandom: the bear (2022—)

i feel like no one really writes for fak and i love him as a character, so why not?

summary: neil fak has a girlfriend, but the guys think he’s bullshitting until she shows up for the opening night of the bear.

contains: lots of words, fluff, richie being richie, cursing, two people who love each other, hating ass motherfuckers, insecurity, fear of rejection.

• it was 2 weeks before the bear’s grand opening.

• neil, carmen, richie, and marcus were all having a smoke break outside in the back just kicking it.

• the guys were talking about various topics until carmy started asking for relationship advice.

• of course richie and marcus are putting in their two cents until they hear….

• “to be honest my girlfriend and i wouldn’t even have to go through that shit. we’d just talk it out and stuff our face afterwards! you and claire bear should do the same.”

• there was a deafening silence from the other men because that came from…fak. neil fak!

• what the guys didn’t know was that neil fak has been in an relationship with you for almost 2 months now. he’s been keeping it under wraps because he knew the guys would shit on him for it, but he had to come clean eventually. you always raved about him to your friends because you’re proud of the adorable, loyal, hilarious neil fak, so why shouldn’t he show the same energy?

• he was still a bit in denial that a woman is actually…attracted to him.

• marcus is like “whoa whoa whoa. hold the fuck up. fak…you got a girl?” he genuinely questioned. now, he was curious!

• carmen was confused as well, but he shrugged it off tbh. as long as fak was happy with someone he genuinely connected with.

• richie doesn’t hesitate to think it’s straight up bullshit. fak can’t talk to a woman without crashing out or making a bumbling fool out of himself. let alone being in a relationship!

• ouch! harsh, richie. fak inwardly cringed because he genuinely thought the same thing. he never really felt like he was good enough for that type of thing, but that sinking feeling disappeared at the thought of you when marcus asked how’d you guys met and got together.

• neil could recount that day a million times if he had to.

• you were living it up in your new apartment until your damn refrigerator broke. you didn’t want to go through the hassle of ordering a whole new one, so before doing that you decided to have someone to fix it.

• the only person you ever make an interaction with is your best friend, sydney adamu. you’ve been hyping her up as she goes through the trials and tribulations of rebranding the former restaurant known as “the original beef” to a new type of place.

• you called her up and explained your dilemma.

• “hey, syd. i got a stupid question.”

• “there are no stupid questions, (n/n).”

• you both chuckle at your inside joke, before informing her about the broken refrigerator and asking if she knew anyone who could fix it without charging an arm and a leg.

• “i might know a guy…he’s a bit of a character, but he’s got a heart of fucking gold and he mainly gets the job done. his name is neil fak, but we just call him fak at the restaurant. i’ll see if i can get him to come by tomorrow to look at it. if not, i’ll beat the shit out of him by denying my best friend’s broken fridge.”

• syd’s dry and chaotic humor never fails to make light of the shittiest situation. you quickly agreed because there’s no way you’re gonna let your food rot.

• the next morning, syd sent you a text that fak has accepted the job. you silently cheered and replied by sending her a time and your address to pass on the message.

• fak had been approached by sydney for a side job in the city. he accepted without any question because he could use the extra cash! he told sydney he could go over to your place asap once he knows the time and place. sydney did just that before he gathered all of the necessary equipment before making his way towards your home.

• he went up the stoop and pressed on the doorbell and waited about 10 seconds before he was beheld a vision. a vision with the most alluring, brown eyes and deep bronze toned skin. your natural hair was in the style you desired to be and it looked amazing! not to mention your inviting smile and melodious voice when you introduced yourself.

• “hey! you must be neil fak, right? i’m f/n l/n, i’m a friend of sydney’s.”

• you held out your hand for him to shake. to say that neil was nervous was an understatement. he stammered a bit before getting himself together, giving you an introduction of himself and shaking your hand. something occurred as you two touched hands. fuck, fuck, fuck! he thought as that touch alone made him feel— warm, tingly, safe? but what had him stressed was that his hands tend to get sweaty as shit when he’s nervous.

• “a-ah, y-yeah! i’m neil fak. just call me fak! um, so, uh, you have a broken fridge. let me say this if my fridge ever broke down like that, i personally think that i would fucking explode.”

• you stood there in silence for a millisecond before you burst out in laughter. fak took the words out of her mouth. she couldn’t deny that it was such a huge inconvenience especially to her love of snacks. “i know that’s right! you’re real for that. sydney has told me some good things about you, neil-er, fak. my bad! but seriously— i believe her when she said you’re a trip, but good people. you’re hilarious! ah, damn, i’m rambling. please come inside.” you stepped back to let him in and lead him to the issue in the kitchen.

• you couldn’t help, but catch a pleasant vibe from the mustached man that was rumbling through the inside and back of your refrigerator. as he was working, you guys just conversed as if you two weren’t strangers. you just clicked instantly!

• to some, fak may have looked like a sleaze with his loud voice, numerous tattoos, interesting fashion choices, short stature, and his bushy stache, but his qualities as a person overshadowed all of those things. deep down he’s caring, sensitive, outgoing, and sometimes he has his moments, but who doesn’t? he also wasn’t making any type of insensitive remarks or jokes (ifykwim).

• once he successfully fixed the fridge, you were so hyped that you gave that man a hug and an enthusiastic handshake thanking him for his help. you asked how much he charged and what payment method worked for him.

• he didn’t want to charge you that much or at all because your constant laughter at his stand up material was filling his heart more than his pocket. he really wanted your number, but he didn’t just want to ask for that without looking stupid, so he suggested apple pay and gave you a discount! smooth move, fak.

•you put your number in his phone, sent him the payment, and let him know that you were saving it because you would like to see him again more often whether it’d be for his services or not, so in a way you urged him to keep yours saved in his phone also.

• fak was crashing out on the inside. did you just say that you want to see him? more often? whether he’s fixing something or not?

•he kept his cool, gathered his equipment, and went on home. from that moment fak felt he found someone and someone found him. not just fixing things or cracking jokes, but for genuine company.

• from that day on, you and fak have been texting each other non-stop. checking in, sending memes, having deep conversations about the most insane topics, and laughing out loud late at night on the phone. sometimes he would come over to play a card game, watch a movie, or just kick it with some good food. you’ve never realized how much in common you and fak share. it was just the chemistry that drawn you too closer.

• ya’ll have been talking for about 3 weeks now and you can’t help but to admit that you care for neil…so much! you two are totally different people and to some, you’re built like you’re out of fak’s league. well, fuck whoever says that! looks doesn’t define who you want to spend your time with. everyone’s got their beauty. you could give 2 fucks if people talked about your connection with neil. you were just wondering if he felt the same.

• you invited him to your place to watch a jim carrey double feature of the mask and ace ventura: pet detective. you and fak have always agreed that jim carrey is a comedic genius.

• as you both sit on your couch and watch the credits roll, fak announces that he’ll leave, so that you can get some rest. you can’t sleep knowing you got these feelings and there’s this opportunity right in front of you. you hold on to his hand before he could take another step out of the door. your eyes not pulling from his. he raises his eyebrows as his pupils glint with expectancy, yet worry. he asks you if everything is okay and you swallow before you make your declaration.

• “fak…i need to ask you something. what do you think of me? do you think of me as just a friend? someone to kick it with? or someone to listen to your jokes, fears, hopes, and insecurities? am i someone that you would be proud of the way i’m proud of you? do you see more than just what’s on the outside?” you squeezed his hand.

• you paused to take a breath before you finish.

• “i don’t care what people say about our connection. i need to know because i can’t fucking take it anymore. neil fak, do you care about me the way i care about you?”

• neil was frozen. he absorbed every single syllable that came out of mouth. he has always had those same exact thoughts whether he’s helping to fix an appliance or you two are out trying a new restaurant that one of you recommended. fak thought he was too much of a chickenshit to even cross that line with you. he wanted so badly to express that you mean everything to him. you’re a fucking goddess to him and he’s just…fak. he can’t help, but get a little envious when richie, nat, and carmen had their respective partners while he was although happy for his friends, he was the 7th wheel.

•he’s calmer. he tries to see things with more of an open mind. hell, because of you he’s got a skincare routine! he feels ♾️ % with you if that makes sense. you don’t try to change him because you don’t need nor want to. you just want neil. that loveable person who doesn’t judge you. not just fak the comedian or the handyman.

• f/n…you’re so, so much more than that and i’m so fucking sorry that i didn’t say any of this sooner because i’ve been feeling like this ever since i’ve fixed that refrigerator. i want you to be happy and i want you to laugh a lot. i’ve never really been into this kind of thing before, so i don’t know what exactly i’ll be able to do for you, but i’ll always be by your side…if-if you want me to—mmph!”

•that was all you needed to hear before you pulled him for a kiss. it took him a moment to melt into it, so you started it off gentle and sweet as you wanted to take this relationship one step at a time, so you and neil would always ride the same wave together.

• after fak finishes retelling his friends how you guys came to be. they started bombarding him with all sorts of questions.

• “is she hot?” “what’s her name again?” “what does she do for a living?” “ have you guys fucked?” “do you have a pic of her?”

• fak was overwhelmed trying to answer each question except that fourth one which earned richie a whack to the head by carmen for asking some personal shit like that. “have some fucking class, will you?”

• fak refused to show any pictures you two share together. it was definitely not because he thought you were unattractive. fuck, no! you’re the most gorgeous woman he’s ever had the pleasure of breathing the same air with. like he thought before, the guys (especially richie) would think he’s got the pictures of the internet or some shit. he had a way better idea than that: he was going to invite you to opening night to watch him work and make these fuckers eat their words. he told them to watch for the girl in the red dress and the name for the table is f/n.

• 2 weeks til open has passed and the bear is now ready to welcome the community with open arms.

•everyone was shitting bricks, but they’ve worked their asses off for this vision and they can’t pussy out now.

• fak had tingles from head to toe.

• you and him usually had casual outings, so it would be the first time you saw him in his brown suit and you in that red dress you ordered from fashion nova for this event. it looked good on the model of the pic you sent, but fak’s round face flushed with red envisioning the clothing on you.

• the doors flipped open and the patrons for the first night of many are greeted by fak or richie then escorted to their tables as their meals are being meticulously prepared.

• richie’s eyes are perusing around the place before they stop on a feminine silhouette and— holy fucking shit. who is she?

• the red satin accentuated her body. highlighting every bump and curve. the dress had spaghetti straps and was low-cut, exposing the shimmering, melanated skin of her arms and chest. her hair was curled and styled to perfection as the amber hue in her pupils are made noticeable by the violet eyeshadow that was applied on the lid as well as her full lips were painted like a red candied apple.

• goddamn, she was like a fucking…real life jessica rabbit, but hotter. if it wasn’t for whoever the lucky bastard is with her, eva would’ve had a new stepmom a-fucking-sap!

• his trance is broken from a female voice. “excuse me, i have a reservation under the name, f/n. my boyfriend works here actually. i think i see him right over there!”

• cue the record scratching. richie may forget alot of things, but he never forgot when fak told him and the guys about this mysterious girlfriend of his named…holy fuck!

• the girl in the red dress. f/n. it’s you! you’re the one who stole neil fak’s heart. richie was feeling like the biggest idiot in the universe as he saw fak catch your glimpse from across the room before excusing himself from a table and power walking in your direction to take you into a loving embrace before you plant your ruby lips on his mustached ones.

• you just couldn’t help yourself! you know he’s at work, but he looks so cute and professional in his brown suit and slicked back low ponytail. he’s also wearing that new cologne you randomly gifted him and now you really don’t want to leave his side. your man, your man, your man.

• neil took it upon himself to escort and seat you at your table. he enthusiastically explains tonight’s menu with such confidence and passion as you peer lovingly at him through your lashes with a palm under your chin. if it were physically possible, you would have literal hearts in your eyes.

• don’t you just love it when your partner is in their element? he was made for this and you were so proud.

• fak excuses himself back to the kitchen to find richie already crashing out to carmy and marcus.

• “guys! it’s fak’s girlfriend. she’s fucking real…and hot as fuck! look out there at table 9, the broad in the red dress. that’s all fucking fak!”

• fak lets out an exclamation for richie to cool that shit down, but deep down he was eating it up as carmy and marcus peered out to see the hype at table 9 and what they saw had them gagged.

• marcus’ jaw dropped and his heart thumped at the sight of you. “oh…”

• carmy’s eyes looked upon you, his eyebrows raised as his cheeks fluttered with red, finishing marcus’ sentence, “shit.”

• he already felt bad considering the fact that he has a girlfriend. (not for long after tonight)

• neil grinned as the guys gave their envious, but sincere congratulations to him before they got too distracted to get back to work.

• neil fak was indeed blessed as he waved at the woman in red at table 9. his abdomen rumbled with butterflies when you waved back and blew a good luck kiss in his direction.

• yes, you were all fak, but fak was all you too.

[gh0stsp1d3r]

I have this Carmy request if it’s okay hehe

Carmy x fem!reader where she’s new to Chicago and desperately needs a job, she’s newly pregnant (her bf having run off the minute she told him she was pregnant), so she walks into a new upcoming restaurant for a job, The Bear. She’s rambling and apologizing as she shows Carmy her résumé because she has no experience in the food industry (she was an elementary teacher for a couple years before), but also telling him she really needs a job because she’s alone with a baby on the way. He really wants to help her, so he hires her either as a hostess or an assistant (he didn’t want her in the kitchen just for safety reasons (her being pregnant), and because she doesn’t have experience in the kitchen). Anyways, The Bear staff embrace her like she’s family, always looking out for her, Tina mothering her, Syd becoming her best friend, Marcus making sweets whenever she’s craving it, even Richie being super soft with her, but Carmy especially gets REALLY close with her, like to the point where he’s driving her to and from work (b/c she doesn’t have a car), he’s taking her to her prenatal appointments, letting her take breaks in his office (her napping on his couch), him even being there for the birth of her daughter because she doesn’t want to be alone, etc…

Also The Bear staff throwing a baby shower for Y/n🥺 Her showing up at work and being surprised to it🤧🤧 Y/n definitely crying into Carmy’s chest🤧

Anyways, they officially start dating close to the end of her pregnancy, and honestly they both fall head over heals 🤧

Y/n’s daughter’s first word being directed at Carmy… “Dada”😭 Carmy melting😭😭

ℳℴ𝓇ℯ 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔

stop this is so cute.

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

Your chances of finding a place to work were slim to none- you tried everywhere, the Walmart, Walgreens, even the random corner store. But because you were pregnant, they wouldn’t hurt you.

Of course your asshole of an ex boyfriend ran away the second he heard you were pregnant, while you cried and begged for him to stay. But you could get through on your own- you know you could.

You opened up the doors, a man conversing with a woman behind the counter. They both turned to the door upon hearing the bell ring.

“Hello..” you said, with a small wave, walking towards them.

“Hey, uh, sorry, but we’re actually renovating right now.. in case you missed the sign-“ the man started, but you handed him your résumé, and he stopped talking as he glanced over the words.

“I’m actually here for the job.” You said.

“Okay.. do you have any… actual cooking skills?” He said, picking up the paper and glancing at you, one hand was running through his hair.

“No. But I really need this job- any job. I’m.. pregnant, and my ex left me, and I’m about to be a single mother so-“ you said with an anxious laugh, “every other place rejected me, I swear I-“

Sydney’s eyes widened as she heard you talking, she felt bad. And so did Carmy as he nodded while listening to you, the paper on the counter.

“It says you were a teacher before..?” He pointed to the paper once you had stopped your rambling.

You nodded, “Yes. I’m very good with math, science, or anything really.”

He thought for a moment. Sydney spoke and interrupted the silence.

“Chef, can I talk to you for a second in the kitchen?” She said, he looked at her and nodded.

“Stay here, please.” He said to you, turning around and following Sydney.

“What’s up?”

“I think we should hire her.”

“I don’t wanna kick her out and leave her on the streets. But what could she be?” Carmy said.

“An assistant or something.” She shrugged.

“That could work..” he said, picturing it. He nodded and opened the doors again.

“Would you wanna be an assistant?” He asked you, your eyes lit up and you quickly nodded.

“Please.”

“You’re hired.” He said, and he felt like he did the right thing when you smiled, thanking him multiple times.

You were perfect with the rest of the family, they all loved you. Even Richie did.

Carmy had especially grown close to you and your child, so close that every day your daughter saw him, she ran up and hugged his legs with a giant smile.

He had taken you to doctor appointments, and he had made you any cravings you had when pregnant. It was close to the end when you both started dating.

He was there when you gave birth, holding your hand and helping you through it all. He loved your daughter and you more than anything else.

You smiled as you entered the bear, wrapping your arms around his neck as soon as you saw him. You kissed him, getting lost in it until your daughter started babbling.

You laughed as you both pulled away, you picked her up, and handed her to Carmy.

“Hey!!” He said in that sweet baby voice that you loved, it was adorable. He looked at her with a smile and tan a hand through her hair, moving it from her face.

“Addy.” She said, and you both looked at each other for a second and back to her.

“Is she trying to say…” you started.

“I think so.”

“Who’s that, baby? Is that daddy?” You spoke to her.

“Daddy.” She said. His eyes widened, as he smiled and laughed at her. You laughed with joy as well.

“Holy…”

“Awww!” You said, he smiled and gave her a small kiss on her forehead. His heart melted when she said that, he was overjoyed.

[compromised-emotionally]

Saw this post on Twitter comparing the table scene to the later convo Syd and Marcus had, and it's crazy how they can have such similar info/conversation being had but still be so wildly different.

Like the gravitas and intimacy of the sydcarmy scene! The reciprocity! The way Syd rejected the "corny" back and forth with Marcus but didn't even flinch doing with Carm?!!

I feel like its undeniable that whatever else the team says, production seems to view the Sydney Carmen relationship as the most important on the show, at least on a thematic level. I started S2 not shipping, or vaguely shipping SydMarcus (mainly cause Marcus is a cute lovely sweethear), and the text of the show turned me into this!

You've made me this way Chris Storer, don't go denying your actions now!!

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Syd and Carmy- Communication 3

Part one Part two

First off. This scene was written by Chris Storer and directed by Joana Calo, our favorite duo (the creators of the table scene). Calo and Storer: do me a favor if the ship isn't real, don't even add shit like that in a scene...you know what I'm talking about. Don't have it where Carmy is taking her in and appreciating what the fuck he's seeing. And Carmy, the loser- notices Sydney as soon as she tries to sneak in. He doesn't even finish saying the word 'exactly' to Marcus before his eyes take her in.

But wait, this conversation is about legacy and how something starts somewhere, and they take these parts and take them somewhere- over and over again. I love that he points out these people would find each other.

Like a family tree.

Carmy and Sydney combine families to create a wholeness- something that's good.

Sydney starting a new legacy! My Shipper Heart: In some meta, Sydney often connected symbolism of life, fertility, rebirth, and nurturing. Chris Storer, these two are made for fanfiction, not a dish- a heart-shaped dish that Carmy just happens to give her- and this beautiful tree above her head- a symbolism for the tree he wants to build starts with the girl who ate his signature dish where he took the rebellion against abuse, rejection and sent a string of fate to start a legacy. What are you doing to me? Carmy literally presents his heart to Sydney.

Okay back to the scene:

He takes in Sydney and tells her "good morning," as if inviting her in. She comes from a meeting with Shapiro that should feel like good news, but she seems burdened. Since she first met with Shapiro, she enters, seeming distant but polite.

He says "no, no" as if to say, "Don't be ridiculous. You never interrupt." He's the one who invited her into the office.

He takes a moment to pause after saying "no," whispers "no," and looks at her...

Also, to note, he's coming from Al-Anon this morning. He has a clearer perspective than the last 7 episodes of that season. 'You look nice'—so simple but as the season's theme. Paying attention, Carmy sees her every day or close to it, and it's Carmy noticing something is different. Could it also be Carmy prompting her to say where she's been? There's room for that conversation.

But Sydney passes it quickly with a quick "Oh, thanks." A little surprised and also not having time for it right now. She focuses on their conversation- which could be a foreshadowing of what Carmy will do in the end.

I pointed this out before- Wednesday reference- 3x04- another episode Storer wrote.

Flashback

Carmy and Sydney are having the same day of the week they are trying to get through? The same day used to track time?

Excuse me-Writer/Director Chris--

But I'll move on...

You know what else I noticed about this scene- Carmy was staring at her the whole time as she took off her bow and said I'm just trying to get through Wednesday. He takes a second when she asks him his answer for legacy.

This is probably the most self-aware Carmy has been- does he realize he's passing panic and anxiety on to Sydney? Probably not yet at this point.

But also how Sydney is always the one to stop his anxiety and panic-driven ways, but for her to set a boundary where she's not his babysitter, eventually, he has to do the work to stop himself from panicking. But it's another sign of a legacy starting with them.

He looks at her a bit more than Marcus. He says with everything and everybody- he has to be square with Claire and Chef David. He needs to let go of the bad things from his past and the abuse he has held on to for so long.

The camera remains on Sydney as she considers his answer to legacy. She nods with understanding, unspoken communication we talked about- Carmy knows what he has to do. He wants to rid himself of the bad but needs help (therapy), so he's not taking it out on Sydney or any of his staff. How will he care for himself, love, and be there for Sydney? One of their relationship's central conflicts is Carmy showing up, the right way for Sydney to start their legacy and filter out the bad things he's carried onto The Bear.

I think that part of the conversation was considering Sydney, filtering out the bad to make it good.

It's still possible for Sydney to start and keep her legacy at The Bear. At the end of season 3, the panic attack is her realizing she doesn't want to leave.

Sidebar: Marcus. Marcus. His legacy-because being an awesome emergency contact is a bittersweet answer- shows some guilt about not picking up the call about his mom...

Grief. Grief is always the theme that sticks with the show. Despite its lingering presence, let's hope for more good days to outweigh the bad. Let's hope the Bear ends with a good legacy.

[balancethescales]

i feel like s3 will start with some kind of conversation between syd and carmy abt how she rejected marcus and his breakup with claire, and then them agreeing that chefs especially them can’t afford to have “fun” and then the whole season will be scattered with moments of them spending all their time together in the restaurant, where long shifts turns into seamless teamwork turns into lingering touches and hidden smiles turns into spontaneous trips to hole-in-the-wall restaurants turns into memes sent over text turns into soft phone calls in the night till it’s just them enjoying each others company becoming two peas in a pod and having fun. and then the last episode will leave us with some moment of triumph after the overarching conflict is defeated and then sydney will look across the kitchen to meet carmys eyes who was already looking at her (as he always seems to be) and theyll smile at each other with such warmth and love only for her to be pulled away by tina in a hug and carmy by richie who’ll punch him in the shoulder, glance towards syd then back to carmy with a smirk who just shakes his head with the smallest hint of a smile. syd in the middle of her conversation will look back to him with that same smile and that’ll be the end of the season but only the beginning of their realization of their feelings for each other.

itll be the slowburn of the decade.

[mejcinta]

The Changing Room Scene

I like that Carmy and Syd came so close to walking each other home in that changing room scene, on what would've been their first unofficial courting moment, even way before Claire came back into Carmy's life.

Their hesitance and confusion in that moment was a reflection of both of them still being ill prepared and scared of forming a deep, meaningful and very intimate connection with each other.

The next time Carmy and Syd had an opportunity to be out alone, going round town food tasting, Carmy stood Syd up because of Claire. Because of his lack of focus and obsession with rectifying his past (an impossible endeavour as he later finds out in the walk in fridge scene).

The food tasting trip was pretty much an allegory for trying new ideas, for opening up to change and risk. Carmy didn't show up because again, in terms of allegory, he's not ready for change.

Sydney however pushed herself to go. Also notice how throughout the season she grows constantly irritated by Carmy's relationship with Claire and the impact it has on their friendship/professional life. She is opening up...ever so slowly...to the idea that she likes her 'partner'. She even rejects Marcus's advances because she unknowingly doesn't feel for him what she feels for Carmy.

It will be interesting seeing how next they will navigate each other after some of their walls come down fully.

[angelica4equity]

Why SydMarcus doesn't work

Okay so we know SydMarcus doesn't work because Sydney straight up rejected him BUT I was also rewatching that ep where Marcus pops off on her because she's not responding to him.

on the first watch I actually agreed with Marcus' perception that Sydney was ignoring him because she was uncomfortable. Obviously I don't agree he should have yelled at her or snapped at her in front of everyone. However upon rewatching I actually think Sydney genuinely WASN'T being short with him. She insisted TWICE (once during service and once after he went off) that things weren't weird between them. So why didn't Sydney reply to Marcus?

IMO it's because she was so stressed out and focused on running f&f night smoothly that she literally couldn't hear him. During one of the times Marcus was talking to her she was talking to Carmy and sharing her doubts about a specific situation. Marcus may like Syd and even be friends with her somewhat but he doesn't know her well enough to know what she's like when she's in her perfectionist mode. Carmy does. And that's why she's so busy telling Carmy her real feelings that she unintentionally tunes out Marcus (and a bunch of other background shit). And why Carmy is extra prepared to intervene when Marcus comes at her.

Marcus likes Syd but he doesn't get her. He got in his feelings and couldn't see past it. Carmy however had a whole ass girlfriend and was freaked out himself but still made time to try to support his wife and accommodate her emotions accordingly despite his own fears

[chefkids]

only asking out of curiosity, but if sydcarmy never ended up becoming canon or hinted towards at the least, would that affect your opinion on the show as a whole?

At this point there's really no doubt for me that both of them have feelings for eachother. That has been shown in the show. Whether either of them will ever act out on them is a different story. I think for the overall story arc to work and to lead to somewhere positive were it feels like Carmy has character growth and has developed a sense of self and autonomy over his life, he would have to express his feelings towards her. If the story ends with him never even trying with her, it would be so sad and disappointing because he basically went through all of this and learned nothing. I really don't think Sydney can be or will be the one to make the first move for the story to work. Sydney came to Carmy first, so now the ball is in his court. She is kind of the opposite of Claire, so Carmy needs to actually put in the work to try and be with Sydney. She has carried most of the weight of their professional relationship and has been the one to make the first moves, but he needs to be the one to make the first moves romantically. I really do think he will at the very least try to be with her. I think the bigger question is will she let him in, cause she's slowly been losing faith in him along the way both professionally and romantically in seeing how shitty of a boyfriend he was to Claire. I think Sydney also very clearly never lets anyone in her personal life, she has broken down boundaries for Carmy that she wouldn't for other people like Marcus. I think if the show ended with her also still being in her shell and not letting him in it would be disappointing. The whole premise is about their partnership, and if they end the show right before or right after they get together in the last episode that would be disappointing. The series started off with both of them experiencing a serious loss and I really don't think it can or should end on a negative note for either of them. I think it would be hard to picture both of them being happy in the end if they never got out of their feelings limbo or if one of them rejected the other.

[hwere]

I’m sorry, but the Vulture interview making the decision to touch on the topic of SydCarmy felt disrespectful towards Lionel. Why are they bringing that up? They could’ve just talked about Marcus and Sydney relationship without addressing SC.

but since they decided to bring that up—

Marcus doesn't “feels” rejected. Sydney rejected him.

It’s funny how the power of shaping a narrative works. ‘cause at the same time we have to deal with people online and the media trying to make us all seem crazy for pointing out things that are shown to us on the show and for rooting for a ship, all while they’re crying about the lack of “f/m friendship” on mainstream, they’ll do this:

What happened to the “lack of representation between female and male friendship”? Where did it go? Oh, now is it valid to talk about how giving the characters a love interest would both add to the story and be interesting to see? Got it!

This is almost an incel talking point. “Marcus has been such a nice guy and a good friend to Sydney, why is she friend-zoning him?”

[ciaomarie]

Season 3 Ramblings

I don't know what percentage Carmy and Nat are offering Sydney, but unless it's an equal share or half of Carmy's, I want her to walk away. I hope they discuss their shared and separate responsibilities and joint non-negotiables, which include dissolving her from the contract with severance pay after a year if she chooses to leave. Of course, she could leave sooner, but no severance.

Sydney needs to speak. I don't even care if its to her dad, Marcus, Nat, Richie, Tina, or Luca instead of Carmy, but she needs to release what's on her heart. The ending of S2 was hard enough with Carmy, but at least he screamed and then vented to Tina. I don't want Syd to run away or hold it in until she makes herself sick.

Carmy...that dude needs help with his toxic thought patterns and limiting beliefs. He needs to embrace COLLABORATION. That "so I can push you and you can push me" sounded hot (lol), but in Carmy's context, it was unhealthy. I'm still down for Sydcarmy, with 0.5% hope of it happening, but I'm curious what he can do to earn her trust and her heart, professionally and romantically. I know love isn't about "earning" or deserving exactly, but Carmy will have to be radically honest, consistent, and brave. He will have to face his fear of rejection and not shirk when Syd keeps up her walls initially. Either the poaching or some other third party (Richie?) might help get the communication ball rolling.