Ahead of season five airing on June 25, the cast of The Bear reunited for one last night of dinner rush energy. Monday evening’s premiere and after-party, dubbed the Final Family Meal, took place at the landmarked Lower East Side hotel Nine Orchard. Dressed in custom Chanel, Ayo Edebiri stepped up to the plate and orchestrated head chef duties by leading her costars Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Liza Colón-Zayas, Lionel Boyce, and Matty Matheson to ensure everything ran smoothly on the blue carpet.

Edebiri called the shots by identifying photographers by their clothes and accessories so that her colleagues knew where to look and pose. “To the blue shirt and glasses, okay. Up top to the jumper, okay. And back down to the glasses guy,” the actress instructed. “Is he taking pictures? Yes he is. And then, to the left of him!” The cast happily followed her lead—and genuinely couldn’t stop laughing.

“It’s bittersweet that the show is ending,” Edebiri told Vogue. “I feel so connected to this group of people, these characters, and everything that we’ve gotten to do together. So I feel really content with that, but I really do love these guys and I’m going to miss working with them. We’ve all gotten to be on a really rare and special journey with each other.”

The first two episodes of the final installment will be released on FX and Hulu, followed by a weekly episode drop. Season five picks up right after the explosive conclusion, where Sydney (Edebiri), Richie (Moss-Bachrach), and Natalie (Abby Elliott) discover that Carmy (White) has quit the food industry, leaving the restaurant to them. The final episodes will focus on the new partners banding together with the team to achieve one last service, hoping they’ll finally earn a Michelin star. 

“I was very emotional when I read the final script,” Moss-Bachrach told Vogue. “Ending a TV show is hard and often the endings are not very satisfying. I have so much awe for [creator] Chris Storer and our writers, for not just Richie’s conclusion, but for everybody’s conclusion in the show. It feels apt, and it feels hopeful in some way.”

The Bear debuted in 2022 and became a word-of-mouth sensation due to its intense, pressure-cooker pacing that accurately captured the relentless, high-stakes environment of the food and service industry—as well as for its heartfelt exploration of grief, family, and mental health. “To me, the show at its core has been about finding inspiration and purpose, so I think that’s what I want people to take away from it,” said White, looking dapper in Louis Vuitton. “Chris and I always joked about how if we could get people in service to be into the show, then maybe we could go for a couple of years. I have spoken to many people in the industry, and I am very proud that we were able to make something that felt so true to what kitchens really feel like.”

Matheson, who plays handyman and front of house assistant Neil Fak, is not just an actor; he’s an accomplished real-life chef who has spent decades working in professional kitchens and running restaurants. He’s also an executive producer on the show and served as a culinary consultant on set, ensuring every technique and dish looked flawless. Matheson hopes the show’s legacy will be about inspiring empathy. “Not giving up on your friends, family, and accepting their shortcomings is a theme that we can all learn from,” he said. “To take care of people when they need it, even when it hurts, is the most powerful thing and to have that empathy is massive."