Wikia

Chef Skinner

Background information
Feature films	Ratatouille
Television programs
Video games
Park attractions
Portrayed by
Portrayed by
Animators
Voice	Ian Holm
Performance model
Designer
Inspiration
Honors and awards	Annie Award for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production (Ian Holm)
Character information
Full name
Other names
Personality	Envious, drastic, nervous, short-tempered
Appearance	Short, slender, half bald, mustachioed, chef uniform and hat
Birthday
Occupation	Chef (formerly), Linguini's ex-boss
Affiliations	Bad
Goal	To train cooks and kill rats
Home	Gusteau's Restaurant in Paris, France
Relatives
Pets
Allies	Talon Labrathe, Francois, The Health Inspector (occasional ally)
Minions	Talon Labarthe, The Health Inspector
Enemies	His ex-employees Linguini and Colette, Remy, Auguste Gusteau
Likes	Success, wine, giving orders
Dislikes	Being overthrown, better chefs
Powers and abilities	Strength
Weapons	Kitchen appliances and tools
Fate	Gets captured by the rats and trapped in a supply closet and denounces the restaurant when released, but fails to put Linguini out of a job as he opens a new restaurant.
Quote	"Linguini... you are fired! F-I-R-E-D. FIRED!!!!"

[Source]

Chef Skinner is the main antagonist in Disney/Pixar's 2007 film Ratatouille. He is voiced by Ian Holm.

Personality

Chef Skinner wants Remy to create his own foods for him and feels the need to act tough. He was claiming the restaurant as his when Auguste Gusteau had no heir.

Ratatouille

He is also head chef of the famous restaurant Gusteau's. He was sous-chef under Gusteau but became the head chef after Gusteau's death. 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 evidently did not hold Gusteau's ideals in the highest regard, and was more interested in personal profit from his line of Chef Gusteau Frozen Foods. This line comprised of several different foreign foods like chicken, haggis, burritos, and corn dogs in order to appease overseas markets, with Gusteau as its image to woo buyers.

Skinner reluctantly hires Linguini to work at the restaurant as the plongeur (garbage boy) when he learns that Linguini's mother, Renata, with whom Gusteau was close, requested that Linguini get the job prior to her recent death. He is shocked when Linguini makes a soup that night that impresses a food critic that just happened to be at the restaurant, although it was Remy who cooked it in secret. Suspicious, Skinner forces Linguini to make it again.

After Linguini and Remy team up, they successfully recreate the soup and impress Skinner. However, they become rivals when Skinner learns that Linguini is Gusteau's biological son, and is determined to keep Linguini from discovering this fact. He becomes even more determined when he sees Linguini making contact with Remy on numerous occasions, suspecting that Linguini is scheming in the kitchen.

He loses the restaurant to Alfredo Linguini when it comes out that Linguini is the son of the dead chef. Remy discovered this fact and gave it to Linguini so that he may assume his rightful place as owner. Linguini later cancels the frozen food line altogether, as it was smearing Gusteau's image.

Skinner spies on Linguini and eventually discovers that Remy is the cook. He captures him and intends on forcing him to create a new frozen food line while leaving Linguini in danger of Anton Ego, who was at the restaurant. He attends 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 actually likes it. After Skinner tries his own dish and finds its taste irrestible as well, he races to the kitchen to find that Remy and his colony of rats cooked the dish, and is locked in the fridge. However, the rats had to let him loose and Skinner reports the rat infestation to the health department, causing the restaurant to be closed. Linguini starts a new restaurant later and Skinner finally leaves him alone.

Gallery

Trivia

Skinner's name is a nod to behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner, famous for his experiments with rats.
Even though Skinner's appearance is that of an Italian, he has a French accent.
Skinner's behavior, diminutive size, and body language are loosely based on Louis de Funès.
Skinner is unique among the villains, as he does technically win, 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.
Skinner is, to date, the only Pixar character to curse, saying in the quote at the top of this page.

Ratatouille