At 8:00 on a Saturday morning, we were working on a braised lamb chop with onions and potatoes. We were all a little smug when our chef showed up at 9:15, an hour and fifteen minutes late for the practical. He had over slept.

So at 12:30, the whole of intermediate pastry was gathered for a demonstration of inverted puff pastry. Usually, we start right on time. The chef mumbled something about Ben, the translator being late. “He left,” I said. “I just saw him leave.” The chef left the room. Marcello looked straight at me, "Do you think you could do it?” he asked. Stupidly, I said of course I could. In a second, Marcello was out of the room. The chef and Marcello walked back in the room and looked straight at me. “Let’s go,” the chef said. It was later reported that 95% of my blood was in my face, but I translated the class for 48 people.