- "Welcome to Hell. Now, recreate the soup. Take as much time as you can. All week if you must."
- —Skinner mocking Linguini
Skinner (also known as "Chef Skinner") is a major character in Ratatouille.
Ratatouille
Skinner is the head chef of the famous restaurant Gusteau's after Gusteau's death. Skinner did not value Gusteau's ideals much and preferred to market his line of Frozen Foods in Gusteau's image. He has a Malaysian artist named Francois work on the designs of his frozen food products. In Gusteau's will, it was stated that Skinner would inherit Gusteau's business interests if no heir appeared within two years after the latter's death.
Skinner reluctantly hires Linguini to work at the restaurant as the janitor (garbage boy) when he learns that Linguini's mother, Renata, with whom Gusteau was close, requested that Linguini get the job before her recent death. He is shocked when Linguini makes a soup (with Remy's assistance) that night that impresses a food critic that just happened to be at the restaurant. Suspicious, Skinner forces Linguini to recreate it in hopes of discrediting him, but Remy and Linguini decide to team up and foil his plans.
As Linguini gains popularity, Skinner's growing animosity against him escalates upon learning that Linguini is definitively proven to be Gusteau's biological son, and since the deadline in Gusteau's will is yet to pass, he would not be able to keep the restaurant if Linguini makes a move. He is increasingly agitated by Remy's appearances and suspects that Linguini is scheming in the kitchen. Remy ends up discovering the documents as well and plans to inform Linguini by stealing them, but is caught in the act. Skinner takes a scooter from Lalo to give chase and dismounts as Remy hops onto ships, but Remy glides to safety while he falls into the water. Linguini claims the restaurant, fires Skinner and terminates his frozen food line.
Skinner discovers Remy's involvement with Linguini's success. Exploiting the pair as they're falling out, Skinner abducts him to create another line of frozen foods while also getting back at Linguini, who is forced to confront Anton Ego without assistance. Shortly after Remy's capture, Django and Emile smash open Skinner's vehicle and successfully rescue Remy. Unbeknownst to this development, Skinner visits the restaurant in disguise to see how badly Linguini fails.
To Skinner's amusement, Linguini served him and Ego a simple dish of ratatouille, but is surprised when Ego expresses approval. He races to the kitchen, only to find that Remy convinced Django to lend Linguini assistance from the entire Rat Colony. The rats temporarily restrain him and the health inspector that he called earlier on.
Skinner disappears after Gusteau's is closed with the rats' presence and is not seen again when Linguini starts a new bistro.
Personality
Chef Skinner is shown to hate rats very much and feels the need to act tough. When Skinner discovers Remy and eventually captures him, he forces Remy to create his frozen foods for him. He is also bent on claiming the restaurant as his when Auguste Gusteau had no heir.
Trivia
- Skinner's name is a nod to behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner, famous for his experiments with rats.[1]
- Skinner's behavior, diminutive size, and body language are loosely based on Louis de Funès.
- Skinner is unique among the main Pixar villains, as he does technically both win and lose, as since he cannot have Gusteau's, he gets it shut down instead, although his efforts ultimately lead to nothing, as Linguini and Colette open an equally popular restaurant funded by Anton Ego, therefore Skinner temporarily wins, then finally loses.
- If Skinner would've been kept in the fridge along with the Health Inspector instead of being released shortly thereafter to close down the restaurant, he could've died inside since the duct tape was making him not able to breathe.
- Skinner's line: "Welcome to Hell," could be a reference to Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, where Ramsay said, "Welcome to Hell," a few times.
- Skinner using a footstool to get up to a stove references to an old emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte who to this day is mocked for being short for his age.
- Skinner bears several similarities to Mr. Huph from The Incredibles. As a few examples, he is is energetic, angry, short, and more or less obsessed with money and power. He is also the head of Gusteau's, just like Mr. Huph is the CEO of Insuricare.
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