All through Season 4, a feud is teased between Natalie (Abby Elliott) and her former finest good friend Francine Fak aka Francie, sister of Neil and Teddy Fak (Matty Matheson and Ricky Staffieri, respectively). Each time her title comes up in dialog, Natalie grits her enamel and says, “She is aware of what she did.” Francie lastly seems for the primary time at Tiff’s (Gillian Jacobs) marriage ceremony, the place she’s performed by Brie Larson. She and Natalie erupt right into a shouting match each time they’re close to one another — by way of the noise, the “betrayal” Natalie retains citing is rarely made totally clear, however we do hear her accuse Francie of being “drunk as shit” as Francie defends herself, saying, “It was raining. What did you need me to do? The bus was leaving,” and reminding Natalie that “there have been no cell telephones” again then. Ted offhandedly feedback that Natalie and Francie as soon as attached, which they take a suspiciously very long time to disclaim as Natalie’s husband, Pete (Chris Witaske), reacts in disbelief.

Danielle Deadwyler visitor stars as Chantel, an previous good friend of Sydney’s, within the fourth episode of Season 4. The episode offers a glimpse into Sydney’s social life — or lack thereof — outdoors of the restaurant, and was co-written by Edebiri herself alongside Lionel Boyce, who performs Marcus, although he doesn’t seem on this explicit episode.

Sydney’s break day from The Bear aligns with Chantel’s break day from the hair salon the place she works, so she goes to Chantel’s home to get her hair braided totally free. It’s clear that Sydney’s work on the restaurant has stored her from seeing any of her family members for a very long time. Chantel has lots of gossip about mutual pals to catch Sydney up on, and chides her for not being round extra. On the finish of the episode, when Sydney says she’d like to satisfy up in a number of weeks, Chantel rolls her eyes and says she doesn’t count on to listen to from Sydney for an additional six months. However Sydney guarantees it’ll be before that this time, and he or she appears to imply it.

The episode additionally options Arion King as TJ, Chantel’s teenage daughter, who Sydney spends a lot of the day with when Chantel runs out to purchase extra braiding hair. As Sydney takes TJ to the grocery retailer and brings her again dwelling to make her some meals, the 2 give one another recommendation: Sydney talks TJ by way of some stress she’s having with pals in school, and TJ lets Sydney vent about her tough selection between staying at The Bear or leaving to work at Adam Shapiro’s new restaurant.

Ebraheim has been efficiently working The Beef, the sandwich window in the back of The Bear, because the restaurant opened. He enters Season 4 fixating on the concept of “creating alternative” and increasing on his wins, so he will get in contact with a enterprise mentor named Albert, performed by Rob Reiner. The 2 agree to satisfy daily for 3 weeks to assist Ebra put collectively a proposal to enhance issues at The Bear.

Kate Berlant offers a three-minute lengthy monologue at first of Episode 5, enjoying the sister of an addict who shares her expertise at an Alcoholics Nameless assembly Carmy is attending. She tells a narrative about her brother, who requested to remain at her condominium whereas she was out of city and promised that he’d been sober for six months and would care for her vegetation. “He’s my brother, and I like him. I wanna kill him, and love him and kill him once more. I select to consider him,” she says, earlier than explaining that she got here dwelling to bare strangers on her sofa and medicines and alcohol strewn about, although the vegetation had been watered. Carmy listens to her story and provides a tragic smile.

Alpana Singh is a grasp sommelier and the restaurateur behind Alpana in Chicago. Within the second episode of Season 4, Sydney sends Gary aka Sweeps to satisfy Singh and study extra about wine in order that he can provide higher pairings at The Bear. Donnie Madia is the restaurateur behind Chicago’s One Off Hospitality Group and likewise lends a serving to hand at The Bear in Episode 2, telling Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the front-of-house employees that though he nonetheless struggles see by way of restaurant critics’ disguises, there are a number of calling playing cards: They have a tendency to make reservations beneath completely different names every go to, or convey a celeb visitor to push consideration off of themselves. Extra importantly, although, “It’s virtually higher that you just don’t know who they’re, as a result of you want to deal with each visitor that walks by way of your door like they’re the chosen one.”

Jon Bernthal is the O.G. visitor star of “The Bear,” having proven up in Season 1 to interrupt hearts as Mikey Berzatto, Carmy and Natalie’s older brother who died by suicide earlier than the collection started. In Season 4, he serves because the opening act. The premiere episode begins with a flashback the place Mikey tells Carmy, who’s simmering a pot of pink sauce, that his try and get into the rental automobile enterprise didn’t pan out. By the sound of their dialog, it’s simply the most recent in a string of enterprise makes an attempt which have gone south for him. Mikey expects Carmy to criticize him for the failed enterprise, however as an alternative, Carmy factors out that Mikey doesn’t “give a shit” about rental automobiles anyway, and says they need to strive opening a restaurant collectively as an alternative. “Look. Each considered one of our good reminiscences, they occurred in eating places, proper?” he says. At this time limit, Carmy has already left Chicago to start out his culinary profession at extra prestigious eating places than the what would ultimately turn out to be The Beef, and the truth that Carmy nonetheless needs to work with him in spite of everything of his accomplishments makes Mikey take the suggestion critically. He has a twinkle in his eye because the scene ends, and as we all know, he does ultimately put his little brother’s phrases into motion.

Gillian Jacobs — who’s the associate of “The Bear” creator Chris Storer — returns as Richie’s ex-wife, Tiff, and will get married to Frank, performed by Josh Hartnett, in Season 4. The marriage is a high-pressure occasion for everybody: Tiff is estranged from her organic household, so the Berzattos and their social sphere are all she has; Frank is struggling to really feel assured as stepdad to Eva (Annabelle Toomey); Richie feels threatened by the truth that Eva likes Frank; Carmy is nervous to see Claire and downright terrified to see his mom; Natalie is enraged that Francie has been invited; and so forth.

After years of estrangement resulting from alcoholism and a extreme parenting fashion, Donna made her method again into Natalie’s life throughout Season 3, when she took her to the hospital to provide beginning. In Season 4, she makes an attempt to make amends with Carmy. At Tiff and Frank’s marriage ceremony, they reunite for the primary time. It’s awkward, however each are attempting, and nothing explosive occurs. Later within the season, Natalie sends Carmy to Donna’s home for an errand, and the 2 sit down for an extended, emotional dialog about their ups and (largely) downs through the years. (Final yr, Curtis gained a visitor actress in a comedy Emmy for enjoying Donna for “Fishes.”)

After first showing in “Fishes,” John Mulaney, Sarah Paulson and Bob Odenkirk return for Tiff and Frank’s marriage ceremony in Season 4. Mulaney performs cousin Stevie — who just isn’t actually a cousin, however married into the Berzatto household through Michelle (Paulson), who might or will not be a blood relative herself. It appears Stevie and Michelle have divorced, although, as a result of they aren’t ever collectively that evening: Stevie counsels Frank on what it’s like to affix the chaotic Berzatto circle as an outsider, and Michelle has a non-public heart-to-heart with Tiff to console her about her estranged household earlier than leaving the celebration early. Stevie additionally makes an offhand remark about how Michelle “left,” however he doesn’t dwell on it, as an alternative divulging how a lot he loves the chaos of the household.

Odenkirk performs Uncle Lee, a household good friend and Donna’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, who has a clumsy dialog with Carmy about Mikey, sharing that the 2 had gotten shut forward of Mikey’s dying. Lee reminds Carmy that Mikey spoke of him typically and was pleased with him, and tells him to contemplate the methods he is perhaps much like his mom, who he says is doing higher currently.

The Laptop, generally affectionately often known as Uncle Laptop, is Uncle Jimmy’s (Oliver Platt) enterprise affiliate who manages numbers for him. He reveals up at The Bear with onerous truths about how the restaurant is doing financially, and is usually pessimistic about their skill to get out of debt.

After Marcus tells Carmy that he wants extra “firepower” to get pastries completed effectively, Carmy decides to convey Luca to The Bear. Luca first appeared within the Season 2 episode “Honeydew,” when Carmy and Sydney despatched Marcus to Copenhagen to study from Luca, and although The Bear can’t truly afford a second pastry chef, Luca is previous pals with Carmy and helps out as a stage — aka an unpaid apprentice — out of goodwill. All through Season 4, he offers Marcus recommendation on his awkward and strained relationship together with his dad and coaches Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) on utilizing the pressure-filled setting of the kitchen to hone her expertise and pace.

Sydney’s dad, Emmanuel, is the one actual fixed in Sydney’s life, since issues are at all times chaotic at The Bear and he or she struggles to take care of friendships outdoors of the restaurant. A number of instances all through Season 4, Emmanuel leaves Sydney voicemails, frightened about how little he’s heard from her. Later within the season, she begins to appreciate she’s been neglecting their relationship and turns into decided to make it proper.

Although “The Bear” has featured many real-life cooks who play themselves, actor Adam Shapiro performs a fictional chef who bears his title. Adam was the chef de delicacies at Ever, however after Terry (Olivia Colman) retired and closed the restaurant in Season 3, Adam determined to start out his personal restaurant and provide Sydney the job of head chef. She spends a lot of Season 4 dodging his calls or having quick, non-committal cellphone conversations with him.