Marc Basset, restaurant critic for a national newspaper, has made vitriol his trademark. His vivid cruelty makes his many readers laugh – until a chef roasts himself to death in his bread oven, leaving Bassett's review of his restaurant stuck to the door. When Marc learns of the chef's suicide, he experiences a new sensation – remorse. By apologising to the wife and daughter, he begins to experience levels of self-satisfaction that he never thought possible.