Andre works in a restaurant kitchen. He is a junior cook. He starts work early every morning. The kitchen is hot and busy. There are many people working there. Andre likes his job. He is friendly and works hard. But there is one problem. His name is Marco. Marco is the head chef. Marco shouts a lot. He is often in a bad mood. He gives orders very quickly. Andre does not always understand him. This makes Andre feel nervous.

One day, Andre makes a small mistake. He puts too much salt in the soup. Marco sees this. "That soup is terrible!" Marco shouts. "Do it again!" Andre feels sad. He does not say anything. He makes the soup again. He is very careful this time. Marco tastes the soup. He does not say thank you. He just walks away. Andre takes a deep breath. He tries to stay calm. Other cooks watch quietly. They feel sorry for Andre.

Andre keeps working. After work, Andre talks to an older cook named Rosa. "Marco is very difficult," Andre says. "I feel stressed every day." Rosa listens carefully. "I understand," she says. "Marco is hard to work with. But do not give up." She smiles at Andre. "You are a good cook," she tells him. "Keep learning and stay strong." Andre feels better after talking to Rosa. He decides to come back the next day. He knows it will not be easy. But he wants to get better. He takes a deep breath and goes home.

Andre has been working as a line cook in a busy restaurant kitchen for just over three months. The environment is intense and fast-paced, with orders flying in from the moment the doors open. The head chef, a sharp and demanding man named Marco, runs the kitchen with an iron fist. He rarely offers praise and frequently criticises even the smallest errors. Andre finds Marco's style difficult to handle, but he is determined to improve his skills and prove himself. Every shift, he arrives early, prepares his station carefully, and watches the experienced cooks around him. Still, no matter how much effort he puts in, Marco seems to find something to complain about.

The tension between them reaches a breaking point one evening during a particularly busy service. Andre slightly oversalts a batch of soup, and before he can correct it, Marco is standing beside him, voice raised. "This is unacceptable," Marco snaps. "You have been here long enough to know better." Andre keeps his expression steady, remakes the soup without a word, and presents it again. Marco tastes it, sets down his spoon, and moves on without any acknowledgement. Later, while cleaning down his station, Andre overhears Marco criticising him to another cook. The comment stings, but Andre chooses not to react.

After the shift ends, Rosa, a seasoned cook who has worked alongside Marco for years, pulls Andre aside. "You handled that well tonight," she says quietly. "Marco is hard on everyone, but he pushes hardest the ones he thinks have potential." Andre listens, turning the idea over in his mind. He has never thought about it that way before. Rosa adds, "The key is not to take it personally, and to keep improving regardless." Andre thanks her and steps out into the cool night air, feeling something shift inside him. He is not sure whether Marco will ever become easier to work with, but he knows now that his own response is the one thing he can control.