slats11 &
Mr Optimistic,
Been de-camping for last 48hrs, so now trying to catch up with this freight-train again... You've been discussing cabin crew activity/position.
Of course they MIGHT have been recently dealing with pax dinner. 0200z is 2200L at Rio. They were 3hrs30 into the flight, but it was a big load. If pax finished, crew dinner (cabin and/or flight-crew) might have been still under way.
[Just as an aside, I was once served dinner on an A320 and, as the steward lost his balance, the meal tray collided gently with the throttles. No harm done until he panicked and whipped the tray backwards, depositing its contents (including curry & rice) all over the centre pedestal!]
It can take the CC a long time, from the receipt of a command to secure the cabin, to complete the task. The most compelling evidence I've seen that they had not completed that task was the excellent picture posted by
Shadoko,
here, of one of the galley catering-cannister stowage units. The latches that must be closed to secure the cannisters are plainly open. Any proximate cabin crew member worth his/her salt would have secured them before sitting down, if severe turbulence was expected.