Ratatouille quotes

View Quote [after reviewing Gusteau's restaurant] 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 talents, 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.

View Quote I know I'm supposed to hate humans, but there's something about them. They don't just survive, they discover, they create...I mean, just look at what they do with food!

View Quote Émile: Wait a minute... you read?
R?my: Well... not excessively.
Émile: Aw, man! Does Dad know?
R?my: You could fill a book — a lot of books — with things Dad doesn't know. And they have, which is why I read. Which, is also our secret.
Émile: I don't like secrets. All this cooking and...and reading and TV-watching, while we...read and cook. It's like you're involving me in crime, and I let you. Why do I let you?

View Quote [Django shows R?my dead rats in exterminator shop]
Django: Take a good, long look, R?my. This what happens when a rat gets a little too comfortable around humans. The world we live in belongs to the enemy. We must live carefully. We look out for our own kind, R?my. When all is said and done, we're all we've got. [starts to walk away]
R?my: No.
Django: [stops] What?
R?my: No. Dad, I don't believe it. You're telling me that the future is, can only be, more of this?
Django: This is the way things are. You can't change nature.
R?my: Change is nature, Dad. The part that we can influence. And it starts when we decide. [he walks away]
Django: Where are you going?
R?my: With luck, forward.

View Quote Colette: This is no time to experiment! We have customers waiting!
Linguini: You're right! I should listen to you! [he pushes R?my through his toque. R?my slaps him in the face with his own hand immediately] Ow!

View Quote TV Reporter: 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.

View Quote [he bursts frantically through a window carrying a book over his head. Frame freezes] This is me. I think it's apparent I need to rethink my life a little bit. What's my problem? First of all, I'm a rat, which means life is hard. And second, I have a highly developed sense of taste and smell.

View Quote This much I knew. If you are what you eat, then I only wanna eat the good stuff.

View Quote Turns out that funny smell was rat poison. Suddenly dad didn't think my talent was useless. I was feeling pretty good about my gift, until Dad gave me a job. [Later, bored] [sniffs] Clean. [sniffs] Clean. [sniffs] Cleanariffic. [sniffs] Cleanarino. [sniffs] Close to godliness-- [rat holding food looks up at him, confused] --which means clean. Ya' know, "cleanliness is close to--" N-Never mind. Move on.

View Quote If we're going to be thieves, why not steal the good stuff in the kitchen, where nothing is poisoned?

View Quote You're in Paris now, baby. My town. No brother of mine eats rejectamenta in my town.

View Quote [Yelling out orders to the other rats] Team three will be handling fish! Team four: roasted items! Team five: grill! Team six: sauces! Get to your stations, go, go, go!

View Quote We don't wanna throw this in with the garbage! This is special.

View Quote Change is nature. The part we can influence. And it starts when we decide.

View Quote [holding R?my in a jar] You're the one who was getting fancy with the spices! What did you throw in there? Oregano? [terrified R?my shakes his head] No? What? Ro--uh, rosemary? [he shakes his head again] That's a spice, isn't it? Rosemary? [R?my nods.] You didn't throw rosemary in there? Then what was all the flipping and all the throwing and the-- [Linguini sulks] I need this job. I've lost so many. I don't know how to cook and now I'm actually talking to a rat as if you-- [he gasps] Did you nod? [R?my nods] Have you been nodding? You understand me![R?my, brow raised, nods again]. So I'm not crazy! Wait a second, wait a second-- Uh, I can't cook, can I? [R?my thinks for a moment, then shakes his head] But you, heh, you can, right? [R?my shrugs modestly but acknowledgedly]. Look, don't be so modest. You're a rat for Pete's sake.