IS THIS SYDNEY'S OR CARMY'S DREAM?
I always assumed both parts of the dream sequence are Sydney's dream - the second part is definitely Sydney's, it features a theater, that connects to her mom because she was an actress, and I really don't think Carmy knows that about her.
And I assumed that the first part was Syd's as well, but rewatching it again lately, it made me think. Can it be actually Carmy's dream, about his guilt of hurting Sydney with all the hurdles he put in the way?
Why it's possible that it's Carmy's dream:
The most obvious, it's a cooking show setup, like the one in 1x08.
Both cooking shows are called The Bear.
Carmy says in his dream "Welcome back to The Bear!" and Syd says in this dream "And we're back." Could it be that it's a recurring dream format Carmy is having?
Sydney talks about a brioche, making it took a "quick and easy 27 hours". Syd talked about her lamb ragu that took 72 hours to Carmy, and Carmy talks about a dessert that took 12 people to prep to Marcus in 1x03. They are both connected to dishes that take a shitton of time and effort.
Syd talks about a cutlery that a stonemason made in Italy. Carmy in 2x03 is having a conversation with Nat about the door-pull. Nat says no go on the 5k ones, Carmy counters it "they are handcasted in Italy", then asks about the Danish teak ones, then they eventually settle for the bronze brutalist that are 2k. The high-end cutlery from Italy really fits him.
Syd talks about taking out the eggs from the sous vide. In the show I think it's only Marcus and Carmy mention sous vide, when Marcus is searching a bag for it to experiment.
Syd mentions black truffle, that cost 3-5k a pound - like the expensive ingredients Carmy was insistent on buying?
(When the inaudible part came, Syd is holding up something that maybe... looks like butter?? I'm really not sure, but if it is, it could Orwellian butter?)
Syd says "It's worth remembering to have fun while doing this, okay?" - Fun/joy/connection is actually Carmy's core theme on this show, while Sydney's is relying on a person and the fear of failing.
((Syd says "A little leak never hurt anybody." - I don't know what it's about, but I feel like it's a significant line - what do you think?))
She says "You're gonna take a perfect little sliver on chive, put that on top, and it'll be great." Like the chives on top of the omelette for Nat she was telling Carmy about under the table in 2x09.
The concept of failure comes up in the dream, and Carmy knows this about Syd, about her fear. She was telling him under the table in 2x09, then she was talking it under the wedding table in the previous episode, and Carmy was nodding along as she spoke.
At the end, there is a teddy bear on the ground. Carmy's dream also had a bear at the end of it.
So I feel like there is no element of this dream that would definitely say it's not Carmy's or Syd's. It honestly could be any of the two.
What makes me lean just a bit towards Carmy is that:
Sydney already made her decision in the previous episode. The feeling of family and community, and her conversation with Donna about work family/family family made it clear to her that The Bear is it for her. At the end of the episode when Richie asks her if she made the right decision she says "I think there was only one." She already made up her mind. Even after the dream, we see her calling Shapiro right away, no hesitancy or lingering tension or doubt.
In 4x08, things were already going pretty good at the restaurant. Carmy cut down on expensive ingredients, set the menu, there wasn't much chaos in the kitchen. That kind of dysfunction that the dream showed, was already gone.
If this dream was in season 3, that would've made more sense if it's Sydney's, because it would represent her dilemma. But at the end of 4x07, there was no dilemma anymore.
When Carmy hears Syd at the wedding talking about how failing and messing stuff up is scary to her, it could trigger his guilt of putting her through what he did put her through, and his own fear of failing her, and also his fear of her leaving for Shapiro.
And the very next time they have a scene together (his first one in this episode), he checks the wagyu and gives her his anxiety spoon. Like he wants to give something good to her for a change, mirroring some good, Chef Terry, in doing so. To ease his own lingering guilt just a bit.
I'm really curious about your thoughts!! What do you think?
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