Skinner The soup. Where is the soup? [pushes Linguini] Out of my way, garbage boy! [He notices that Linguini is holding a ladle] You are cooking?! How dare you cook in my kitchen?!
Voiced by Ian Holm 
Ratatouille (2007) · 105 quotes
Ratatouille (2007) · 105 quotes
4th most-quoted character in Ratatouille (2007): in 19 of its 105 quotes
Most scenes with: Horst (8), Linguini (5), Colette (2)
You are either very lucky, or very unlucky. You will make this soup again, and this time, I will be paying attention, very close attention. They think you might be a cook, but you know what I think, Linguini? I think that you are a sneaky, over-reaching little- [sees R?my in kitchen] Rat!!
More lines from Skinner
7 quotes Skinner Skinner [Linguini walks in door of kitchen]
Welcome to hell.
Skinner You're fired! F-I-R-E-D! Fired!!
Skinner Tell them Chef Linguini has prepared something special for them, something definitely "off-menu", mmm?. Oh, and don't forget to stress its...Linguini-ness.
Skinner And you, Mr. Linguini, are no idiot. Let us toast your non-idiocy.
Skinner [captures Remy in a cage]
You may think you are a chef, but you are still... only a rat. So! I have in mind a simple arrangement; you will create for me a new line of Chef Skinner frozen foods, and I, in return, will not kill you. Au revoir, rat!
Skinner [takes a bite of the ratatouille; last words before his defeat]
No. It can't be. [barges into the kitchen] Who cooked the ratatouille?! I demand to know! [sees the kitchen full of rats and gasps]
Scenes with Skinner
11 scenes
Larousse Hey boss, look who's here! Alfredo Linguini, Renata's little boy! All grown-up. You remember Renata, Gusteau's old flame?
Skinner [disinterested]
Oh, yes, how are you, uh...
Larousse Linguini.
Skinner Linguini. How is--?
M-My mother?
Larousse Renata.
Skinner Ah yes, Renata. How is she?
She's good. Well, not--She's been better. I-I mean, uh--
She died.
Skinner [awkwardly]
Oh. I'm...sorry.
Oh, no, don't be. She believed in heaven, so she's covered. You know, afterlife-wise. [he gives Skinner a letter]
Skinner What is this?
She-she dropped it off for you. I-I think she hoped it would help me. You know, get a job...here.
Skinner Kill it!
Now?
Skinner No, not in the kitchen! Are you mad?
Skinner [Skinner has made Linguini drunk]
Have you ever had a pet rat?
Nope.
Skinner Did you work in a lab with rats?
Nope.
Skinner Perhaps you lived in squalor at some point?!
Nopity, nopity no.
Skinner You know something about rats! You know you do!
You know who know do whack-a-do...ratta-tatta! Hey, why do they call it that?
Skinner What?
Ratatouille! It's like a stew, right? Why do they call it that? If you're gonna name a food, you should give it a name that sounds delicious! "Ratatouille" doesn't sound delicious. It sounds like "rat" and "patootie". Rat-patootie...which does not sound delicious. [holds up his glass, gesturing for more wine]
Skinner [angrily]
Regrettably...[Drops wine bottle into trash can] we are all out of wine.
Someone has asked what is new!
New?
Yes! What do I tell them?
Well, what did you tell them?
I told them I would ask!
Skinner What are you blathering about?
Customers are asking what is new! What should I tell them?
Skinner What did you tell them?
I told them I would ask!
Skinner [The restaurant thinks Linguini made a fantastic soup] [to Linguini]
What are you playing at?
I, um--am I still fired?
You can't fire him!
Skinner What?!
LeClaire [food critic] likes it, yeah? She made a point of telling you so! If she write a review to that effect and find out you fire the cook responsible?
Skinner Ha! He's a garbage-boy.
Who made something she liked! How can we claim to represent the name of Gusteau if we don't apply his most cherished belief?
Skinner And what belief is that, Mademoiselle Tatou?
Anyone can cook. [whole room falls silent]
Skinner No, no, no, no, no, no-o-o-o-o!!
Lawyer The DNA matches, the timing works, everything checks out. He is Gusteau's son.
Skinner This can't just happen! The whole thing is a set up! The boy knows! [sees Linguini innocently cooking in kitchen] Look at him out there, pretending to be an idiot! He's toying with my mind like a cat with a ball of-of something!
Lawyer String?
Skinner Yes! Playing dumb, taunting me with that rat!
Lawyer Rat?
Skinner Yes! He's consorting with it, deliberately trying to make me think it's important!
Lawyer The rat?
Skinner Exactly!
Lawyer [awkwardly]
Is the rat important?
Skinner Of course not! He just wants me to think that it is! Oh, I see the theatricality of it! A rat appears on the boy's first night, I order him to kill it, and now he wants me to see it everywhere! [snapping fingers] Oooooh! "Oooh, it's here! No, it isn't, it's here!" Am I seeing things, am I crazy?! Is there a Phantom Rat, or is there not?! Oh no! I refuse to be sucked into his little game, of--
Lawyer [disturbed]
Should I be concerned about this? About you?
Lawyer I was worried about the hair sample you gave me. I had to sent it back to the lab.
Skinner Why?
Lawyer Because the first time, it came back identified as...rodent hair.
[Skinner has asked his lawyer to help him with Gusteau's will]
Lawyer: Ahem, well, the will stipulates that if after a period of two years from the date of death no heir appears, Gusteau's business interests will pass to his sous-chef, you.
Skinner I know what the will stipulates! What I want to know is if this letter, [looks at Linguini out window] if this boy changes anything!
Lawyer: [compares Linguini's image to Gusteau's] There's not much resemblance...
Skinner There's no resemblance, at all! He's not Gusteau's son; Gusteau had no children! And what of the timing of all this?! The deadline in the will expires in less than a month! Suddenly some boy arrives with a letter from his recently-deceased mother claiming Gusteau is his father?! Highly suspect!
Lawyer: [observes Gusteau's old toque] But the boy does not know?
Skinner She claims she never told him, or Gusteau, and asks that I not tell!
Lawyer: Why you? What does she want?
Skinner [disinterested]
A job for the boy.
Lawyer: [takes out Gusteau's hair from toque] Only a job?
Skinner Well...yes.
Lawyer: [folds hair in tissue] Then what are you worried about? If he works here, you'll be able to keep an eye on him while I do a little digging, find out how much of this is real. I'll need you to collect some DNA samples from the boy, hair, maybe.
Skinner Mark my words, the whole thing is highly suspect! [nervously] He knows something...
Lawyer: Relax; he's a garbage boy. I think you can handle him. [leaves Skinner feeling uneasy]
Skinner I knew it!
It's my... Second, third, fourth... Fifth time. Monday was my first time. But I've been taking out the garbage lots of time before that…
Skinner Yes, yes. Have some more wine. Tell me, Linguini about your interests. Do you like animals?
What? Animals? What kind?
Skinner Oh, the usual, dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs, rats.
[comes out with scraps of gourmet food]
I brought you something to -- [sees Emile eating the garbage] AGH!!!!! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! SPIT THAT OUT RIGHT NOW!
[Emile shamefully spits out the garbage; Remy sighs]
I have got to teach you about food. Close your eyes. [Emile does; hands him some cheese] Now, take a bite of thi -- [Emile inhales it] NO! NO, NO! Don't just hork it down!
Too late. [swallows]
Here. [hands him another piece] Ah, chew it slowly... Only think about the taste.
[Emile tastes the cheese slowly; everything behind him fades to black as a faint yellow-grey visualization appears along with a low bass melody]
See?
Not really.
Creamy, salty sweet... an oaky nuttiness... You detect that?
Oh, I'm detecting nuttiness.
Close your eyes. [hands Emile half a grape] Now taste this.
[Emile tastes the grape; light violet visualizations appear to a vibraphone melody]
Whole different thing, right? Sweet, crisp, slight tang on the finish?
Okay...
Now, try them together.
[Emile tastes them both at once; both melodies slowly begin to merge and get progressively louder as the visualizations grow and change shape little by little] Emile Okay... I think I'm gettin' a little something there...
Uh-huh?
It might be the nuttiness...
See?
Could be the tang...
That's it! Now, imagine every great taste in the world being combined into infinite combinations, and tastes that no one has tried yet! Discoveries to be made!
I think...
Uh-huh?!
You've lost me again.
But that was interesting. Most interesting garbage I ever-- HEY! What are we doing?! Dad doesn't know you are alive yet! We've got to go to the colony! Everyone will be thrilled!
Yeah! But…
What?
The thing is, I kind of have too…
What do you have to more than family? What's more important here?
Well, I… It wouldn't hurt to visit.
Skinner Have you ever had a pet rat?
No.
Skinner Did you work in a lab with rats?
No.
Skinner Perhaps you lived in squalor at some point!
Nopety nopety no.
Skinner You know something about rats! You know you do!
You know who know do whacka-doo. Ratta-tatta. Hey! Why do they call it that?
Skinner What?
Ratatouille. It's like a stew, right? Why do they call it that? You’re gonna name a food, you should give it a name that sounds delicious. Ratatouille Doesn’t sound delicious, it sounds like rat and patootie, Ratpatootie, which does not sound delicious. [sharing more wine]
Skinner Regrettably, [drops the wine on the trash can] we are all out of wine.
My son has returned. [Rats cheering] And finding someone to replace you for poison checker has been a disaster. Nothing's been poisoned, thank gosh, but it hasn't been easy. You didn't make it easy.
I know. I am sorry, Dad.
Well, the important thing is that you're home.
Yeah, well, about that…
You look thin. Why is that? A shortage of food, or a surplus of snobbery?
It's locked. Hmm.
Remy, what are you doing in here?
[harassed]
Emile shows up...I said not to... He goes and blabs - it's a disaster! Anyway, they're hungry, that food safe is locked, and I need the key.
They want you to steal food?
Yes. No...it's complicated! It's family. They don't have your–– ideals! [The cardboard Gusteaus start speaking]
Gusteau's Barbecue Spare-Ribs: Ideals? Hah! If Chef Fancy Pants had any ideals, you think I'd be hawkin' barbecue over here?!
Gusteau's Microwave Burritos: Or microwave burritos?
Gusteau's Tooth-Pickin' Chicken: Or tooth, I say, Tooth-pickin' Chicken? S'about as French as a Corn Dog!
Gusteau's Corn Puppies: Roof! Rumming roon!
Gusteau's Barbecue Spare-Ribs: Ha! We're inventin' new ways to sell out over here!
Gusteau's Haggis Bites: Will ye be wantin' some Haggis Bites, then?
I cannot control how they use my image Remy! I am dead!
Can you guys SHUT UP?! [the cutouts then stop talking] I've got to think! Word's getting out if I can't keep them quiet. The entire clan's going to be after me with their mouths open and... [finds the key and spots his will] Here it is. Hey. Your will! Oh, this is interesting. Mind if I...?
Not at all.
[upon seeing Linguini's name in Gusteau's file]
Linguini? Why would Linguini be filed with your will?
This used to be my office. [Remy reads Gusteau's will and the letter Linguini's mother wrote.]
How could you not know this?!
I am a figment of your imagination! You did not know, how could I?!
Well, your son is the rightful owner of this restaurant!!
Skinner [enters the room; spots Remy; gasps]
No! No! The rat! [Remy grabs the papers and runs off. Skinner dashes outside to catch him, only to bump into Lalo riding a motor scooter] NOOOOOOOO--!!!
Lalo Sorry, Chef!
Skinner The rat! It's stolen my documents! It's getting away! [pushes Lalo off the scooter, and drives off to find Remy]
Skinner [After Skinner falls into the water, letting Remy get away with the will, he walks back to Gusteau's, soaked. He enters the office to see Linguini.] [gasps]
You! [angrily points to doorway] Get out of my office.
He's not in your office. You are in his. [Reveals the will and letter. Horst shoves Skinner out the door]
Other characters in Ratatouille
More Ian Holm characters
Bilbo Baggins
Terry Rapson
Ash
Father Vito Cornelius
Sam Mussabini
Simeon Weisz
Squealer
William Gull/Jack the Ripper