As The Bear Season 2’s tearjerking chocolate covered banana taught us, if you’re not fully locked into FX’s hit series, there’s a chance you’ll miss some majorly meaningful details. In other words, every second counts!

The Bear Season 4 spoilers ahead.

In Season 4, Episode 3, “Scallop,” for instance, a seemingly minor character named Mr. Clark comes into play. Though it’s the only time we see him this season, if you’ve been listening attentively, you’ll know that the character has the potential to make a major impact on the series — ideally in Season 5!

In order to fully understand Mr. Clark’s significance on The Bear, we need to revisit some crucial context found in earlier episodes. So who is Mr. Clark? Why is he so important to The Bear? And what do we know about Gary Janetti, the man who plays Mr. Clark? We’ve got answers! So prepare to be STREETS AHEAD, my friends!

Who Is Mr. Clark On The Bear?

Early on in The Bear Season 4, Episode 3, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) learns that a family whose daughter has been cancer free for six months has reservations later that night. They’re excited to use their gift card, have dreams of trying an Italian Beef sandwich at night, and they long to see snow in Chicago. While Richie’s “surprise” budget is essentially non-existent due to cost-cutting efforts, he excitedly sets out to make the guests’ doable dreams come true.

Later that night, he channels his contagious “Forks” energy, screams “LOOK ALIVE!” and boisterously surprises the table with the creatively plated sandwich they crave. The family is thrilled, but after causing an exciting scene, Richie turns to the man sitting alone at the table next to them and apologizes for the noise. “Do not apologize. That made them so happy,” the man replies with a smile.”[The service is] excellent. You have a bunch of mind-readers in here. And the scallop was extraordinary.”

After the man compliments The Bear’s “excellent vibe,” Richie offers to get him a sandwich as well. He takes Richie up on the offer, naturally! And later in the episode, he looks on again as the family next to him is invited outside for their final course: “Swiss Miss with marshmallows, best enjoyed in snow.”

To make their daughter’s dream of seeing snow in Chicago a reality, Richie and team rigged a fake snow machine outside. As the solo diner walks out to catch his car, he sees the family enjoying the second part of their “surprise” and smiles. When his driver asks if his name is Mr. Clark, he confirms, gets in the vehicle, and drives off. His role might not seem like much, but here’s why he’s such a huge deal!

Mr. Clark’s Significance On The Bear, Explained: Is There A Clark Street In Chicago?

In Season 4, Episode 2, Richie, The Bear‘s staff, and expert Donnie Madia are studying their wall of food critic intel because they “missed the fucking Tribune” and “need this fuckin’ star, guys. We need to not miss.”

In an effort to identify “the star man,” they share the little they know about the Michelin decision makers. “I have no idea. They’re around right now, though. It’s that time of year,” Madia says. “I know they sometimes fiddle with the reservation, book as a four and show as a two. Maybe they bring a celebrity as the guest — some decoy shit,” Jess (Sarah Ramos) and others add.

“It’s almost better that you don’t know who they are, because you need to treat every guest that walks through your door like they’re the chosen one,” Madia continues. “If you focus on this one guest, that guest is gonna know they’re getting better treatment. You do hear things though. Like they use a weird last name — like a street in the city they’re visiting.”

The words in Episode 402 presumably foreshadow the appearance of “the star man” in Episode 3. It’s heavily implied that Mr. Clark holds The Bear’s Michelin star fate in his hands. And in case you were wondering, yes, there’s a major street called Clark Street in Chicago with ties to the city’s history, music, sports, restaurants, and more.

We told you you’d be streets ahead!

As we see, Richie treats that night like it’s the Super Bowl, and Mr. Clark has an outstanding dining experience. He loves the vibe, Syd’s scallops, Richie’s attentiveness and heart, the mind-reading surprises, and almost certainly his sandwich! So heading into Season 5, with The Bear’s future hanging in the balance, a star or reappearance from Mr. Clark could mean big things for the team — especially on top of Ebra’s business plan.

Who Plays Mr. Clark On The Bear? What To Know About Gary Janetti

Curious who plays Mr. Clark on The Bear? The show welcomed Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and actor Gary Janetti to set, and if he looks or sounds familiar, you may know him from appearances on shows like Bunheads (RIP), or voice acting on Family Guy, The Prince, and more. Over the years, Janetti’s written for and produced shows including Family Guy, The Prince, Will & Grace, and Vicious. He’s also the bestselling author of several books, “Start Without Me,” “Do You Mind If I Cancel?” and “We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay.”

Janetti has been married to stylist Brad Goreski since 2017. And if you’re looking to stay up-to-date with the Season 4 guest star outside of The Bear, you can follow him on Instagram at @garyjanetti. Fingers crossed that Mr. Clark makes his triumphant return to Chicago (and The Bear) in Season 5.

THE BEAR – SEASON 4: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Can’t get enough of The Bear Season 4? For more insight, analysis, GIFs, and close-ups of Carmy’s arms, check out some highlights of Decider’s coverage:

The Bear Season 4 is now streaming on Hulu.