The Bear‘s very first season introduces viewers to the character of Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt), but even while watching the show’s third outing, audiences are still wondering about Uncle Jimmy’s connection to Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and the Berzatto family. Although the comedy-meets-psychological-drama provides some insight into Uncle Jimmy’s relationship with the Berzatto clan, the context clues and flashback sequences don’t paint the most clear-cut picture. Of course, that’s true for many members of The Bear season 3’s cast of characters, from Uncle Jimmy to Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), a family friend Carmy often calls “cousin.”

A key part of the chaos and stress of The Bear season 3 stems from Carmy’s relationships. In The Bear season 2’s ending, the James Beard Award-winning chef finds himself trapped in the kitchen’s walk-in, leading to a fraught opening night of service. The fallout from that evening — and Carmy’s choice of words — leads to friction in his relationship with Richie and other members of The Bear’s kitchen staff. Under Carmy’s leadership, the fine-dining restaurant drives up its expenses, which frustrates Uncle Jimmy — especially when The Bear‘s Orwellian butter catches his eye.

Uncle Jimmy Was A Business Partner Of Carmy’s Father & Lee Lane

James “Cicero” Kalinowski Had A Falling Out With Carmy’s Dad But Loaned Mikey Money

Early on in the series, viewers learn that Uncle Jimmy was in business with Carmy’s father and Lee Lane. James “Cicero” Kalinowski, more commonly referred to as Uncle Jimmy or Unc, is a Berzatto family friend. When he’s first introduced in The Bear season 1, Uncle Jimmy explains that Carmy’s late brother, Mikey Berzatto (Jon Bernthal), owed Circero a lot of money. In total, Mikey’s debt to Uncle Jimmy hovers around $300,000. Uncle Jimmy offers to buy The Original Beef of Chicagoland from Carmy, but the award-winning chef refuses, believing he can pay back his brother’s loan.

In order to wipe out Mikey’s debt, Carmy plans to transform The Beef into a fine-dining restaurant. However, that plan requires a ton of up-front costs. To fund the renovations, Carmy asks Cicero for another loan, bringing the grand Berzatto family debt total up to a whopping $800,000. Although Cicero seems to believe in Carmy, Uncle Jimmy is also a very transactional person. If the restaurant fails, Uncle Jimmy gets the land. A business person to his core, Uncle Jimmy grew up with Carmy’s father, though the two had a gnarly falling out 20 years ago.

Why Carmy & Nat Call Cicero Their Uncle, Despite Not Being Related

Uncle Jimmy Has Known Carmy His Whole Life

In the same way that Richie is dubbed “cousin” by Carmy and his siblings, Cicero is given the “uncle” moniker as a way of referencing how close he is to the family. Although Uncle Jimmy seemingly isn’t related to Carmy by blood, he’s close in age to Carmy’s father. In The Bear season 1, episode 4, “Dogs,” Cicero says he misses Carmy’s dad sometimes. A constant presence in the Berzatto children’s lives, Uncle Jimmy is a more reliable person than their father — even if multiple members of The Bear‘s Berzatto family tree owe him money.

Uncle Jimmy Has Been A Father Figure For Carmy, Mikey & Sugar In Their Father’s Absence

Even Sydney Praises Uncle Jimmy’s Support Of The Berzatto Children

While it isn’t obvious where Uncle Jimmy gets his money, it is clear that he’s Carmy’s stand-in father figure in the wake of his biological dad’s persistent absence. Throughout the series, Uncle Jimmy laments the fact that he wasn’t around more often for the Berzatto kids when they were younger, especially during the incredibly harrowing Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Mikey drama. However, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) points out that he’s here for the Berzattos now, which is more than Sugar (Abby Elliott) or Carmy’s parents are doing. That alone cements Cicero’s place as Carmy’s father figure in The Bear.