Gemotions

The review, a digital serpent, flickered across the screen. Chef Jean-Pierre crumpled the paper napkin in his fist, the crinkling sound almost deafening in the otherwise silent kitchen. He’d poured his heart into that soufflé, the one the critic called "a culinary catastrophe." The phone buzzed, a new order. He barked, "Oui, what is it?" into the receiver, the sharpness in his voice surprising even him. He slammed the phone down and then, with a sigh, picked it back up. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands.