Tour of Webkinz World: La Soufflé and Le Snout

By Cowabelle Cowoline

Whenever there’s an important occasion in my life, my mom and I go to celebrate by having dinner at Le Snout and dessert at La Soufflé. These wonderful eateries are run by two fabulous chefs, Chef Gazpacho and Chef Sophia. I was lucky enough to sit down with them and ask them about their restaurants!

CC: Thanks so much for agreeing to speak with me! It means a lot.

CG: No problem!

CS: Glad to help.

CC: First, I wanted to ask both of you: when did you know you wanted to be chefs?

CG: For me, it was when I was a little piglet. I would help my mom out in the kitchen. I LOVED it! My mom always encouraged me to cook – especially when I got good at it! She thought it was great that she’d come home from work and I’d have dinner on the table. Some recipes were a bit more…interesting…than others, but she always thanked me for my effort!

CS: My story is a bit different. When I was little, I thought I might be a biologist when I grew up. As the years passed, though, I found myself cooking more and more – and enjoying it more than anything else. Biology is an interest of mine, but cooking is my passion. When the time came to get a higher education, I knew I had to be a chef.

CC: You two knew each other back in cooking school, right?

CS: Oh, yes. I knew Chef Gazpacho. I actually followed his career after we graduated. He always seemed to be lucky in business.

CG: Working as Fluffington’s personal chef was my first real job, so that was pretty amazing. I did get a little bit lucky. Fluffington gave me a loan to start Le Snout.

CC: It wasn’t so easy for you, though, was it Chef Sophia?

CS: Definitely not. I worked for other Webkinz, in lots of different restaurants. I learned a lot along the way, and I saved up as much as I could. My dream was to open a restaurant of my own. When I found a place here in Kinzville, I knew it was perfect.

CC: Except that Chef Gazpacho was right next door.

CS: Well, yes.

CG: But we worked it out!

CS: It took some time and thinking, but we realized that both of us have specialties – Chef Gazpacho is wonderful at main courses. And I, of course, am the queen of desserts.

CG: No argument there.

CC: What’s the hardest part about running a restaurant?

CG: Being innovative. Everyone always wants something new, while also wanting you to keep the old standbys on the menu. It’s not easy.

CS: I’d tend to agree with that. But it’s also one of the most enjoyable parts – it’s challenging to come up with something delicious and new.

CC: Would the two of you ever go into business together?

CG: I think we value our friendship too much.

CS: We work best when we have our own places. But I AM very glad we’re right next door.

CC: One last question: Chef Gazpacho, what’s the best dessert Chef Sophia makes, and Chef Sophia, what’s the best dish Chef Gazpacho makes?

CG: Her chocolate fudge cake is the best thing I’ve ever eaten.

CS: His ophidian callaloo is the most exquisite soup you’ll ever taste.

CC: Thanks to both of you!