diff --git a/src/game/game.ts b/src/game/game.ts
index 3ecb7ea..2509745 100644
--- a/src/game/game.ts
+++ b/src/game/game.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { judge, type Grade } from './judging';
 import { DAYS, proceduralOrder, nameBrowning, prepAsk, type Order, type PrepStep } from './orders';
 import { el, Panel } from '../ui/hud';
 import { Title } from '../ui/title';
+import { eye } from '../ui/eye';
 
 const SAVE_KEY = 'toastsim.save';
 
@@ -228,6 +229,7 @@ export class Game {
     // gesture the browser wants before any audio is allowed to make a sound.
     this.kitchen.root.visible = false;
     this.ticket.hide();
+    eye.hide(); // he doesn't watch you read the menu
     new Title(this.save, (day) => {
       audio.resume();
       if (day === 'daily') {
@@ -614,6 +616,7 @@ export class Game {
   }
 
   beginDay(): void {
+    eye.show(); // he watches you cook
     const day = this.save.day;
     // Procedural days are seeded BY the day, not by a running stream: a reload
     // re-deals the identical order (no reroll-scumming), and the harness can
diff --git a/src/scenes/eggbench.ts b/src/scenes/eggbench.ts
index 5eac6f7..d836d65 100644
--- a/src/scenes/eggbench.ts
+++ b/src/scenes/eggbench.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as THREE from 'three';
 import type { App, View } from '../core/app';
 import { audio } from '../core/audio';
+import { eye } from '../ui/eye';
 import {
   type EggSession,
   newEggSession,
@@ -230,10 +231,12 @@ export class EggBenchView implements View {
           this.wordEl.style.color = '#e2603a';
           (this.bowlMix.material as THREE.MeshStandardMaterial).color.setHex(0xf0d060);
           (this.bowlMix.material as THREE.MeshStandardMaterial).opacity = 0.9;
+          eye.mood('disappointed', 3);
           this.finishSeparation(false);
         } else if (r.done) {
           this.wordEl.textContent = `separated — ${eggResult(s).separated}/${s.need}`;
           this.wordEl.style.color = '#8fce8f';
+          eye.mood('impressed', 2);
           this.finishSeparation(true);
         }
       };
@@ -311,6 +314,7 @@ export class EggBenchView implements View {
         this.puff.push(p);
       }
       audio.fart(s.eggs[i].index + s.rottenIn * 7);
+      eye.mood('horrified', 4);
       this.wordEl.textContent = 'ROTTEN. in the bowl. D dumps it — and he heard that.';
       this.wordEl.style.color = '#e2603a';
       return;
diff --git a/src/scenes/grill.ts b/src/scenes/grill.ts
index 75f9099..536370d 100644
--- a/src/scenes/grill.ts
+++ b/src/scenes/grill.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as THREE from 'three';
 import type { App, View } from '../core/app';
 import { audio } from '../core/audio';
+import { eye } from '../ui/eye';
 import {
   type GrillSession,
   newGrillSession,
@@ -202,7 +203,10 @@ export class GrillView implements View {
       s.env.sheltered = !s.env.sheltered;
     }
 
+    const flaresBefore = s.flares;
     grillStep(s, dt);
+    if (s.flares > flaresBefore) eye.mood('intrigued', 1.6); // he likes a little fire
+
     // Open-air sizzle: the sum of heat actually UNDER the meat, so a piece
     // parked on the cool side goes quiet and one over fresh coals roars.
     const under = s.foods.reduce((a, f) => a + s.zone.sample(f.u, f.v), 0) / Math.max(1, s.foods.length);
diff --git a/src/scenes/judge.ts b/src/scenes/judge.ts
index 8a6b015..eee2903 100644
--- a/src/scenes/judge.ts
+++ b/src/scenes/judge.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { judgeFace, verdictLines } from '../game/lines';
 import { TOOLS, type ToolId } from '../sim/cutlery';
 import { clear, el, Panel } from '../ui/hud';
 import { assetUrl } from './assets';
+import { eye } from '../ui/eye';
 
 /**
  * The scorecard. This is the screen the game is actually about: every number
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ export class JudgeView implements View {
   }
 
   show(slice: Slice, verdict: Verdict, order: Order, tool: ToolId, rand: () => number): void {
+    eye.hide(); // the full portrait takes over from the corner glance
     this.slice = slice;
     this.spin = 0;
     this.heatmap = 0;
diff --git a/src/scenes/pan.ts b/src/scenes/pan.ts
index 0fbbed4..d00bb7b 100644
--- a/src/scenes/pan.ts
+++ b/src/scenes/pan.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as THREE from 'three';
 import type { App, View } from '../core/app';
 import { audio } from '../core/audio';
+import { eye } from '../ui/eye';
 import {
   type PanSession,
   newPanSession,
@@ -180,6 +181,7 @@ export class PanView implements View {
       flip(s);
       this.flipAnim = 1;
       audio.clunk();
+      eye.mood('intrigued', 1.4);
     }
 
     // Drag over the food = baste.
@@ -196,7 +198,11 @@ export class PanView implements View {
     const heat01 = Math.min(1, s.src.output / 9);
     const act = s.food ? 1 : s.hasButter && s.src.output > 1.5 ? 0.45 : 0;
     audio.bed('sizzle', act * heat01 * 0.13, 5600 - s.butter * 3200, 0.8, 0.85 + heat01 * 0.3);
-    if (s.zapped) audio.clatter(1, 2);
+    if (s.zapped) {
+      audio.clatter(1, 2);
+      eye.mood('horrified', 3);
+    }
+    if (butterState(s) === 'burnt') eye.mood('disappointed', 0.8);
     this.syncVisuals(dt);
     this.updateHud();
 
diff --git a/src/scenes/poach.ts b/src/scenes/poach.ts
index c46f35e..c69f938 100644
--- a/src/scenes/poach.ts
+++ b/src/scenes/poach.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as THREE from 'three';
 import type { App, View } from '../core/app';
 import { audio } from '../core/audio';
+import { eye } from '../ui/eye';
 import {
   type PoachSession,
   newPoachSession,
@@ -227,6 +228,7 @@ export class PoachView implements View {
       this.eggWhite.visible = true;
       this.eggYolk.visible = true;
       audio.clatter(0.4, 0.9);
+      eye.mood(s.rags > 0.25 ? 'disappointed' : 'intrigued', 2);
       // Rags appear immediately if the drop was bad.
       this.spawnRags(s.rags);
     }
@@ -245,6 +247,8 @@ export class PoachView implements View {
     audio.bed('water', 0.02 + t01 * 0.05, 260 + t01 * 480, 0.6, 0.45 + t01 * 0.2);
     const bps = s.src.output > BOIL_AT ? 13 : s.src.output >= SHIVER_LO ? 3 : s.src.output > 4 ? 1.2 : 0.15;
     if (Math.random() < bps * dt) audio.blip(t01);
+    // A rolling boil with an egg in it: he can see the white tearing from here.
+    if (s.dropped && !s.lifted && s.src.output > BOIL_AT) eye.mood('disappointed', 0.8);
     this.syncVisuals(dt);
     this.updateHud();
 
diff --git a/src/ui/eye.ts b/src/ui/eye.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70f7f74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/eye.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import { assetUrl } from '../scenes/assets';
+
+export type Mood = 'neutral' | 'intrigued' | 'impressed' | 'disappointed' | 'horrified';
+
+/**
+ * The live judge: a small portrait in the corner that watches you cook. He is
+ * not a meter — he is a face, and faces are the oldest diegetic read there is.
+ * Scenes poke him at high-signal moments; he drifts back to neutral on his own.
+ */
+class Eye {
+  private el: HTMLImageElement | null = null;
+  private timer: number | null = null;
+  private current: Mood = 'neutral';
+
+  private ensure(): HTMLImageElement {
+    if (!this.el) {
+      const img = document.createElement('img');
+      img.id = 'judge-eye';
+      img.alt = '';
+      img.style.cssText = [
+        'position:fixed', 'left:14px', 'bottom:14px', 'width:88px', 'height:88px',
+        'object-fit:cover', 'border-radius:50%', 'border:3px solid #3a2c20',
+        'box-shadow:0 4px 14px rgba(0,0,0,.5)', 'z-index:30', 'display:none',
+        'transition:transform .15s', 'pointer-events:none',
+      ].join(';');
+      document.body.appendChild(img);
+      this.el = img;
+      this.set('neutral');
+    }
+    return this.el;
+  }
+
+  private set(m: Mood): void {
+    this.current = m;
+    this.ensure().src = assetUrl(`/assets/img/judge_${m}.png`);
+  }
+
+  show(): void {
+    this.ensure().style.display = 'block';
+    this.set('neutral');
+  }
+
+  hide(): void {
+    if (this.el) this.el.style.display = 'none';
+    if (this.timer !== null) window.clearTimeout(this.timer);
+  }
+
+  /** React. He holds the face for `hold` seconds, then lets it go. */
+  mood(m: Mood, hold = 2.4): void {
+    const el = this.ensure();
+    if (el.style.display === 'none') return;
+    if (m !== this.current) {
+      this.set(m);
+      el.style.transform = 'scale(1.12)';
+      window.setTimeout(() => { el.style.transform = 'scale(1)'; }, 150);
+    }
+    if (this.timer !== null) window.clearTimeout(this.timer);
+    if (m !== 'neutral') this.timer = window.setTimeout(() => this.set('neutral'), hold * 1000);
+  }
+}
+
+export const eye = new Eye();