“I am punctual—that’s probably the most useful lesson I ever learned. It is the first evidence of your character I have: are you the sort of person who says they’re going to do something and then doesn’t? Being on time is the first thing I require of my cooks. If you have problems doing that, chances are I’m wasting my time showing you how to make hollandaise sauce. It’s the same in social relationships—do you have enough respect for me to show up on time, or do you not? If you don’t, we’re probably going to have problems down the line.”
