But we know that didn’t happen because the risotto with the “ribbon of brine” never made it to the menu even as a special!

Fast-forward to Season 3 (Episode 4: “Violet”) when Carmy’s sister and business co-owner Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto (Abby Elliott) walks into the kitchen after taking a call.

“Why is the Tribune coming to take pictures?” she asks.

Carmy answers with an expletive.

Sydney says, “Because we’re being reviewed.

Sous chef Bettina “Tina” Marrero (Liza Colón-Zayas) asks, “Like, tonight?”

Sydney says, “Like they’ve already been here.”

What “The Bear” gets wrong here is that Natalie would never need to ask why the Tribune is coming.

I would have sent an email with a subject line that clearly reads “Chicago Tribune review: The Bear.” I would’ve explained that I was working on a review, and asked if our photographer could come to take photos of some food and drink, plus a portrait of the chef, or chefs in this case. It’s a request, not a mystery demand.

What “The Bear” gets right is the timing. The restaurant held its friends and family tasting night on May 26, 2023, according to the calendar shown, and opened to the public the next night. Carmy says he quit smoking 41 days ago, so that brings us to early or mid-July, because time in “The Bear” isn’t always clear.

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