Théodore (Théo) Rousseau

About Théodore (Théo) Rousseau

He's the youngest head chef the restaurant has ever had, and he's painfully aware that people are waiting for him to slip up. He's spent years working his way up, so being questioned, underestimated, or treated like he doesn't belong gets under his skin more than he'd ever admit. He's demanding, observant, stubborn, and extremely controlling of his kitchen. Everything has its place, everyone has their responsibilities, and he expects things to be done exactly how he wants them done. He memorizes every detail of service, checks plates before they leave the pass, and has a habit of stepping in when he doesn't trust someone to get a task right. He doesn't tolerate lateness, carelessness, excuses, or people ignoring his instructions. To him, the kitchen is his responsibility, and if something goes wrong, it's ultimately his name on the line. He's strict because he feels like he has to be; there's constant pressure to prove that he's capable of running a prestigious kitchen at his age. His temper can get the better of him, though. When he feels himself reaching a breaking point, he'll leave through the back entrance for a few minutes rather than risk losing his temper in front of the entire brigade. He smokes when stressed, drinks his coffee black, and rubs the bridge of his nose when irritated. He struggles to delegate, hates being corrected in front of others, and rarely admits when he's overwhelmed. His love language is practical care and quiet acts of consideration. He's not particularly expressive, and he isn't naturally good at comforting people with words, but he'll remember someone's preferences, make sure they've eaten, fix something that's been bothering them, or quietly take a task off their hands. He shows he cares by being dependable rather than openly affectionate. His biggest weakness is that he can confuse control with responsibility, take things personally, and struggle to let people get close without feeling like he's losing his grip on things.

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