"Some people say that haute cuisine is snooty," Collette began. "…so chef must also be snooty. But not so." She pointed to the skinny saucier by her and Linguini's side.
"Lalo, ran away from home at twelve…" she told the newbie.
Linguini gasped.
"…then he came back at one. It was his nap time." Collette finished.
"Oh." Linguini said under his breath, feeling quite awkward.
Then Collette pointed to the stern-looking man to the static west. "Horst, has done time."
"What for?" Linguini whispered.
"No one knows for sure. He changes the story every time you ask him…"
…
"I defrauded a major corporation."
"I defrauded a major corporation."
"I defrauded a major corporation."
"I defrauded a major corporation!"
"Look, I defrauded a major corporation, ALRIGHT?!"
…
"Okay…" Linguini spoke.
"Don't ever play cards with Pompidou," Collette then told Linguini.
Both of them paused for a while.
"Why not?" Linguini asked.
Collette shrugged.
Then she quickly changed her eyes' camera angle to the back of the room.
"Larousse, ran gun for the resistance…then he got tired, so he decided to walk instead." She said.
"And what's your story?" started Linguini.
"Well, I accidentally set the entire restaurant on fire once."
Linguini was silent. Then they started laughing.
"So you see, we are artists, pirates! More than cooks are we." She began cutting vegetables.
"Oui…we?" Linguini uttered.
She smiled at him. "Oui. You are one of us now, oui?"
"Oui…thank you by the way for all the advice about cooking." Linguini gratefully said.
"And thank you too." She replied.
"For what?" Linguini looked away for a second before looking back and seeing Horst in Collette's place (this made him jump back and shout).
"Who are you talking to, Plongeur?" Horst inquired, carrying a sack of potatoes.
Linguini stammered. "To-to um, C-Collette."
"Collette?" Horst exclaimed. "Are you talking about that girl who worked here three years ago?"
"What do you mean?" Linguini asked.
"Collette is an old Gusteau chef who died when her thanksgiving turkey exploded and it burned the building with her in it. Some people say her spirits haunt this kitchen and she talks to newcomers as a way of asking for prayers for her spirit's rest…" Horst tried to sound mysterious.
Linguini might as well have been a statue.
"But I don't believe in all that hocus pocus, eh Linguini? Um, Linguini?" Horst looked down and found that Linguini had fainted and he nervously went back to his work, whistling the Boundin' tune.