Dear Monsieur Skinner,
My name is Renata Linguini. You may remember me from many years ago, when Auguste and I were very close.
I have sent my boy Alfredo to you in hopes that you would find a way to give him a job. He’s a good boy, a hard worker, but he’s young and he needs to find his place in the world. It would mean very much to me, as I am ill and don’t know what the future holds.
I have never told anyone this, and I shall tell you now only in the hopes that it will encourage you to help my boy, but Alfredo is Gusteau’s son.
Please don’t tell Alfredo this, he doesn’t know.
Sincerely,
Renata Linguini
Last Will & Testament of Auguste Gusteau
I, the undersigned Auguste Gusteau, give my entire interest in “Gusteau’s Restaurant” in equal parts to any living heirs within 2 years of my death.
If there exists no such surviving beneficiaries at the time of my death , then my estate shall pass to Sous-Chef with the laws of intestate succession in France.
Made in Paris "Witness my hand"
23 June 2004 A Gusteau
Numéro de page. _2_ Attesté ce jour __9/18__/192008
Le notaire n’est pas responsable de la véracité de votre témoignage.
_______________________WM
A translation of the French reads as follows:
Page number. 2 Attested on the day of __9/18__/192008
The notary is not responsible for the veracity of your testimony.
Note: This documentary was created at Gusteau's peak, before the restaurant lost its first star.
Narrator: Although each of the world's countries would like to dispute this fact, we French know the truth: The best food in the world is made in France. The best food in France is made in Paris. And the best food in Paris, some say, is made by Chef Auguste Gusteau.
Gusteau's restaurant is the toast of Paris, booked five months in advance. And his dazzling ascent to the top of fine French cuisine has made his competitors envious. He is the youngest chef ever to achieve a five-star rating.
Chef Gusteau's cookbook, “Anyone Can Cook!” climbed to the top of the bestseller list. But not everyone celebrates its success.
Anton Ego: Amusing title, “Anyone Can Cook!” What's even more amusing is that Gusteau actually seems to believe it. I, on the other hand, take cooking seriously. And, no, I don't think anyone can do it.
Gusteau: Forget [unintelligible], forget mystique! This is about your cooking. This is about [unintelligible]. Great cooking is not for the faint of heart. You must be imaginative, strong-hearted, you must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul! What I say is true; anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great.
Narrator: But, it was not to last. Gusteau’s restaurant lost one of its five stars after a scathing review from France’s top food critic, Anton Ego. It was a severe blow to Gusteau, and the broken-hearted chef died shortly afterwards. Which, regarding the tradition, meant the loss of another star.
AN INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT ISSUE
THE BEST OF THE WORLD
Gourmet
THE MAGAZINE OF GOOD LIVING
THE BIG G,
AUGUSTE
GUSTEAU
THE ULTIMATE
PARISIAN CUISINE
MEET THE 10
SEXIEST CHEFS
IN THE WORLD
WHAT'S HOT IN
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]?
FOOD & WINE
VIVA GUSTEAU!
PARIS’ HIGH FLYING CHEF
CREATE THE PERFECT
MENU FOR A PARTY
Note: LeClaire's Review was reused in multiple articles in the scene where Remy goes through Skinner's documents.
Like at most once-great restaurants, the chance to restore greatness can add undue pressure to a young chef. Who can say how such pressure could affect the culinary capabilities of young Chef Linguini? I am reminded of a bad review of Gusteau’s - a sad result of complacency in the kitchen - and its devastating outcome. I, like many critics, had written off Gusteau’s as irrelevant since the death of the great chef. But against all odds, the restaurant has recaptured our attention: The new soup is a revelation. A spicy yet subtle sensation
In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook." But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more.