Tonnato (The Bear)

The Bear
Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	2022; 4 years ago
Founder	Christopher Storer
Headquarters	United States
Products	Television episodes

Tonnato marks the ninth installment of the fourth season of the American comedy-drama series The Bear. It is the 37th episode in total, penned by Joanna Calo and Christopher Storer, with direction by Christopher Storer. The episode debuted on Hulu on June 25, 2025, simultaneously with the entire season release.

The narrative follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a celebrated New York City chef who returns to Chicago to rejuvenate his late brother Michael's failing Italian beef sandwich shop. With financial support from his uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) and assistance from cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), sister Sugar (Abby Elliott), and chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Carmy strives to elevate the Beef into a sophisticated dining experience known as the Bear.

Critics lauded this episode particularly for Jamie Lee Curtis’s role as Donna Berzatto and White’s portrayal of Carmy, especially during their powerful reconciliation scene, which was described as "jaw-dropping" and "stunningly vulnerable."

Plot

Carmy presents a photo album to Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis) and spends meaningful time with her. Donna tearfully apologizes for her past actions, reveals she has maintained sobriety for nearly a year, and expresses a wish to rebuild their relationship. Carmy prepares a roast chicken recipe inspired by the French Laundry. Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) cautiously agrees to collaborate with Albert (Rob Reiner) to grow the Beef-window operation. Albert meets Computer (Brian Koppelman), who endorses their expansion strategy. Luca (Will Poulter) requests Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) to create a "test" pasta dish, which she completes in under three minutes. Natalie shares that Food & Wine has recognized Marcus as one of their Best New Chefs. Pete (Chris Witaske) informs Sydney that Carmy has withdrawn from the revised partnership agreement, transferring ownership solely to her, Natalie, and Jimmy.

Filming

Jamie Lee Curtis disclosed that filming for seasons three and four occurred concurrently, enabling her to shoot multiple pivotal scenes back-to-back, including moments set in a hospital with Sugar, at a wedding, and within a house alongside Jeremy. Curtis emphasized the emotional intensity of her character’s portrayal, especially highlighting the theme of parental helplessness, which she found deeply engaging. She commended co-star White as an "exceptional performer," noting their spontaneous and authentic chemistry on set and praising his expressive and soulful presence throughout the season.

Set decoration

Carmy finds Claire’s green sweatshirt—last seen years ago at a birthday celebration—in an upstairs bedroom decorated with a paperback copy of Anthony Bourdain’s 2000 book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. In 2024, Food & Wine acknowledged Christopher Storer and his sister Courtney Storer for their significant contributions to enriching restaurant culture narratives through The Bear. The room’s walls feature vintage posters from Chicago punk bands such as the Catburglars and Dillinger Four.

Music

This installment includes the tracks "Save It For Later" performed by Eddie Vedder, "The Show Goes On" by Bruce Hornsby & The Range, and "New Noise" by Refused.

Food

Donna recalls enjoying a roasted red pepper dish accompanied by tonnato sauce during a trip to Italy with Carmy's father. Carmy clarifies that tonnato is a chilled, creamy sauce originating from the Piedmont region, composed of pureed tuna, anchovy fillets, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil, traditionally paired with cooked vegetables.

Carmy demonstrates how to roast chicken using techniques inspired by Thomas Keller at the French Laundry in Yountville, California. Keller’s approach includes drying the bird thoroughly, tying it securely with butcher’s twine, seasoning it liberally with salt and pepper, roasting at 475°F for ten minutes per pound, and basting it with thyme-infused juices. These steps mirror professional culinary practices adapted for home preparation.

While Donna recommends rinsing the chicken before cooking, Carmy argues against this, explaining that washing poultry can spread salmonella bacteria. The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises against washing raw poultry and emphasizes that cooking it to an internal temperature of 165°F is the effective method to kill harmful pathogens.

Critical reviews

Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone lauded the kitchen-table reunion between Donna and Carmy, praising "jaw-dropping performances from both Jamie Lee Curtis and Jeremy Allen White," and underscoring Carmy’s intricate emotional reactions during the encounter.

Collider described the episode as "one of the best of the season," attributing its success to the emotionally powerful performances delivered by White and Curtis. Another writer from Collider hailed Curtis as "the show’s greatest guest star ever," noting her "beautiful and moving character arc" as well as calling it "the role of a lifetime."

Jenna Scherer from The A.V. Club awarded the episode an A−, emphasizing that the Donna–Carmy scene demonstrated Carmy’s personal growth since returning to Chicago while highlighting the ongoing challenges involved in coping with a parent who struggles emotionally. She pointed out that Carmy’s act of preparing lunch for his mother was a meaningful expression of love rather than an attempt at self-justification.

Vulture gave the episode four out of five stars. Reviewer Marah Eakin praised Marcus’s recognition by Food & Wine as a significant achievement and commended his visionary contributions despite a difficult year. The Decider’s recap noted warm moments such as Cicero apologizing to Sydney but criticized Chester’s awkward and disruptive conduct concerning Luca and Marcus’s friendship.

The New York Times characterized the pivotal scene between White and Curtis as "...riveting...anchored in what The Bear excels at—portraying how challenging and messy it is when individuals try to articulate their most complex emotions." The dialogue concludes on a hopeful note with Carmy expressing gratitude to Donna and preparing food for her instead of leaving abruptly.

Accolades

TVLine honored Jeremy Allen White as Performer of the Week for his portrayal in this episode, emphasizing his "stunningly vulnerable performance" and observing that Season 4 showcased some of White’s finest silent moments as Carmy confronted his traumatic history.

Retrospective evaluations

In 2025, Vulture placed "Tonnato" at number 14 among 38 installments of The Bear, commending Curtis for her portrayal of the unpredictable and quirky Berzatto family matriarch, while also highlighting the episode's strong emotional resonance.

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