Sohla El-Waylly Got Her Start In The Restaurant Business Through Yogurt
Great things often have humble beginnings. Beer, the magical elixir that is, to paraphrase Homer Simpson, "the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems," may have been the impetus for the Neolithic Revolution, according to the History Channel. That means humans might have developed agrarian societies just because that societal structure made it easier to create alcohol. Rachael Ray built an empire around quick, easy meals that began in a market in Albany, according to Britannica. Now, rising star Sohla El-Waylly is claiming that her passion and prowess with food might have begun slinging yogurt.
Though El-Waylly isn't yet a true household name, she's been rapidly creeping into the national consciousness, and with good reason. She's a talented chef who seems to have a comprehensive knowledge of food. Her YouTube show, "Stump Sohla," was all about sharing deep kitchen secrets and showed she knew far more than the average short order cook. Supercuts put together from her time on Bon Appétit's "Test Kitchen" (via YouTube) likewise prove her to be an encyclopedia of culinary information.
Though she's a font of facts now, such was not always the case. As every monsoon season must start with a single raindrop, Starbucks had to begin by selling a single cup of coffee, and Paul Hollywood needed to craft a career one critical judgment at a time, so too did El-Waylly need to begin her journey modestly.
A Baskin-Robbins yogurt machine may be to thank for one of the greatest minds in food
When she appeared on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," Sohla El-Waylly shared a lot of information. She explained how to avoid some of the mistakes people make when making an omelet and told the world what her favorite brunch booze is. She also described how she got started with food. It turns out, the world has Baskin-Robbins to thank for her fascination with all things culinary.
Baskin-Robbins is the original home of 31 flavors of ice cream, but the creamery also carries frozen yogurt, though it's not nearly as famous for that. Apparently, it was working around the yogurt that first inspired El-Waylly to use her adept mind in the realm of cuisine. "I would just stand by the frozen yogurt machine," El-Waylly told Seth on the show. She went on to explain she would make some kind of little swirl with the machine, at least that's what her gestures seemed to indicate.
Upon the revelation of these inauspicious beginnings, Meyers asked if El-Waylly's parents were proud of their accomplished chef daughter. "Um," was the extent of her reply, followed by an awkward pause indicating that while she was appearing on national television after turning swirls from a Baskin machine into a career in food, her parents were somehow less than thrilled with her choices.