"Chez Vince" is the forty-third episode of the fourth season of Recess, which was first broadcast on May 7th, 2000.
Plot[]
Spoiler Warning: Plot twists, ending details, etc. are included in the plot. You have been warned.Summary[]
Vince becomes one of the greatest chefs in the history of the playground - possibly even the world. He is then discovered by Chef Pierre, who cooks for the Teachers' Lounge, when the teachers are dining at Vince's makeshift diner, Chez Vince.
Main Story[]
Whilst receiving their lunches, the gang is unanimous in their shared sentiment that the standard of food is sub-par - with both Spinelli and T.J. voicing their dismay. The staff soon responds to them; Vince soon replies to Lunchlady Irma saying that he could do better, to which Lawson reiterates this (loud enough that the whole cafeteria can hear him) and sets him the challenge of doing so.
He accepts the challenge and is shown to the kitchen; he soon uses several spices to improve on a dish. Vince presents his dish to Mikey, asking him to sample it first; Lawson immediately takes the spork off of Mikey as states that he will be the first. He then states that "[this] stuff rules," which is followed by several other students aggressively eating from the dish. Vince is then the de-facto head of the kitchen staff, executively planning and preparing the all the meals. After some time, all the students and teachers patronize the cafeteria during lunch (leading to a severe absent of children on the playground); even Principal Prickly and Miss Finster find Vince's meals to be extremely delicious.
Chez Vince is a success, with the gang (with the exception of Vince) playing the serving staff. However, Chef Pierre soon bursts into Chez Vince; ignoring T.J. and demanding an explanation from Prickly on why he is eating in the cafeteria, under the assumption that his food is bad. Upon tasting Prickly meal, he is taking a back with joy and the senses of taste. Upon which, he asks to see the chef, who Spinelli reveals to be Vince, "the best darn kickballer in the Fourth Grade." Chef Pierre then quizzes Vince on where he studied and his teachers on this discipline, to which he replied that these feelings came to him naturally. Chef Pierre proclaimed that he had "the gift" and, if properly nurtured, he would be a great chef; he left the kitchen of Chez Vince and started working in the teachers' lounge kitchen.
After stating that Chez Vince was history and dismissing both the gang's help and their company for him to study for the soufflé test, the gang is overheard taking about Pierre by Butch. He tells the gang about how a previous student named Henry was sent to France "to perfect his natural gift," was, was "never [seen] again." Butch's archetypal behavior was sometimes to be the bearer of bad news/scary stories or to suggest actions that may become precedent (much like that of Stinky Peterson in both the episodes "My Fair Gretchen" and "Gus' Fortune"). The gang then asked how Chef Pierre knew Henry was good enough, to which he replied that he passed the soufflé test.
They then knew that they had to sabotage his soufflé to prevent him from leaving the group. T.J. initially wanted Mikey to deflate the soufflé using a brown paper bag whilst it was being presented to Superintendent Skinner; however, upon seeing that he was excited to go to France, he - along with the rest of the gang (Mikey not being present) felt bad and went to inform Mikey before he ruined the soufflé. After Spinelli stopped Mikey from popping the paper bag, they soufflé was launched across the room, it was caught narrowly by T.J. before the superintendent and the principal.
Wondering how the superintendent enjoyed the soufflé, the gang was in the playground near the parking lot. They were all in agreement that they would be happy and support Vince if went to France, knowing that was what he wants. They Soon saw the Superintendent, he stated that it was the best soufflé he had ever had, and that "Vincenzo" would make a great chef. However, Vince - after the gang adding their warmest congratulations - said that he wouldn't pick his future over the company he had in his present; he then said that he wanted to go to Kelso's, not France, but only if the gang would join him, to which the gang replied "Oui."
Goofs[]
- Animation/consistency error: During the first time Vince is cooking, he is seen adding seasonings to the tray. The seasoning powder actually falls in front of the tray instead of on top of the food.
- Consistency/spelling error: Once Chef Pierre meets Vince for the first time, Vince is apparently in front of the Good Food refrigerator. However, it is misspelled: although the refrigerator is only partially visible, the text ends in "b" instead of "d" for both "good" and "food" words.
- Consistency error: According to "Teacher's Lounge", it is extremely difficult for students to enter the teachers' lounge except when invited. Yet, Mikey, T.J., and Spinelli managed to enter the lounge without being invited.
Trivia[]
Regular[]
- This episode is similar to Nickelodeon's Doug episode "Doug's Cookin'".
- It is widely believed that Chez Vince caters - at a minimum - the student body at Third Street School; however, other parties have been known.
- King Bob and his aids.
- Gelman, Skeens, Kurst the Worst, and Mundy (the 'worst' or 'outcast' gang as featured in the episode "Kurst the Not So Bad";)
- The Ashleys;
- Miss Lemon, Miss Finster, Miss Grotke, and Prickly (the faculty)
- Moral: Trying something new is the best way to learn new skills, even if it may seem very difficult.
Continuity[]
- This was one of the five episodes of Recess that was written by Milton Chassman, this one was one of the four episodes that was written solely by him.
- This episode marks the only appearance by Chef Pierre.
Cast[]
- T.J. Detweiler - Andrew Lawrence
- Vince LaSalle - Ricky D'Shon Collins
- Ashley Spinelli - Pamela Segall-Adlon
- Gretchen Grundler - Ashley Johnson
- Mikey Blumberg - Jason Davis
- Gus Griswald - Courtland Mead
- Miss Finster - April Winchell
- Principal Prickly - Dabney Coleman
- King Bob - Toran Caudell
- Ashley Armbruster - Anndi McAfee
- Ashley Boulet - Francesca Smith
- Ashley Quinlan - Rachel Crane
- Lunchlady Irma - Tress MacNeille
- Lunchlady Harriet - Andrea Martin
- Superintendent Skinner - John Astin
- Chef Pierre - Jeff Bennett
Gallery[]
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