P1Fanatic

Hadnt seen a post on this but thought a few of you must be watching this 4 part programme.

Pretty interesting viewing and a good character for tv. Although I find it a bit annoying that it seems to make out some average joe is trying to make a difference in the world of chocolate consumption. Hes got a double barrelled name, lives in a massive house (albeit rented), has a sister called Arabella and rubs shoulders with Marco Pierre White

Oh and also drives a clapped out Volvo. I havent seen what their other car is - never seen it from the exterior but looks like it has nice cream leather interior so doesnt appear to be a another banger.

Simon

Paddi70

He has a great idea and the product looks good. But I get the feeling that either they are hiding come cash, or that they are nearly on at the bottom of the fund pot.
The clips of him and his son on some awesome looking beach cooking freshly caught fish makes you think there is money somewhere. not quite Jimmys farm, but fun still.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Seems like he knows a lot more about chocolate than Jimmy did about pigs when he started out!

What annoys me is that he seems to have a great product, but then desperately wants to try and sell it in forms that people don't actually want - and then tells them they're wrong! Never mind Aztec-inspired chocolate drinks, and dodgy recipes for dinner parties, what's wrong with perfectly ordinary, decent choccy bars and cakes?!

oldsplice

I saw part of the first episode, but couldn't stand him.............irritating git! So we changed channels and haven't seen it since.

Steve Perriam

yeah saw the first one. but not last week.

not seen anything of his in any shop etc so assume its not gone that well to date ?

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

It is quite watchable, but I cannot help but think the key should look like some massive porky git. Every time you see him near a kitchen he is using a whole bar of his chocolate stuff. I also don't get why he insists on selling his "bar" in a form that nobody really currently wants.

Why not start up in business selling people what they want, and then educate them into the other possibilities as time goes on. The stuff he is selling could promote is alternative product. As it is, he is more than a bit stuffed.

Still, he does have the TV documentary money to fall back on at least

P1Fanatic

Well his bars are 100% cacao (sp?) arent they so no crap added like normal bars i.e. chocolate and milk which turboboost the calories.

The thing I dont get is hes making the worlds best chocolate to stick in recipes - when cooking you dont want really expensive unless your Gordon Ramsay. For average joe a bar of tesco dark choc is fine for cooking.

Simon

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

There does seem to be more to their setup than the prog shows - both he and his wife seem very upper class - did you see their dinner party they threw for a 'few of their friends' - all looked like toffs.

He also lets slip during the shows that he seems to have spent most of his life so far dossing around the world and not really doing any sort of proper job ( maybe on mummy and daddys money or an inheritance from great uncle smyth-carruthers ? ) which is quite typical of the monied classes.

The thing that annoys me though is that the bloke seems to be angling to get a cooking series for himself more than showing the pitfalls of starting his business - half the programme is him in the kitchen doing his Keith Floyd impression.

I think there is a (very) limited market for what hes doing though, probably selling to his Michelin starred mates in London.

The Zohan

I would imagine the real money will come from the cocaine he grows just out of sight of the camera;.

I admire what he is doing, do feel the production team are trying to build the drama and watchability along with him by making things look a lot worse than they really are, i would imagine a call to one of his rupert friends/mummy/daddy or a privte bank and no problem.

mamoon2

I've been watching and yesterday while in Selfridges bought myself some 70% chocolate with chilli (not his brand) to see what all the fuss is about..... It was bloody horrible! Don't think people are ready for this kind of pure chocolate.

Give me milk in my chocolate anyday!

RussBoy

Did anyone pick up on last weeks episode that all the attendees at the chocolate club dinner with exception of the 2 male co-founders were rather fit women??

Nice change of TV viewing though from usual reality crap but I echo points above about being stacked...though my heart did go out to the guy when he dropped that machine off the forklift last week!


R

ianch

he is obviously loaded he owns a farm in venezuela where he lived for 10 yrs or something like, he has a massive rented house he has a factory and all the machines he has bought. he must of had substantial capital in order for the bank to be lending him the amount of money he has used for his business.
and with regards to the fork truck thing he deserved to break it the guy has obviously no licence to be driving one in the first place and no common sense or regards to his or others safety.

ianch

found this

Venezuelan Black | 100% Venezuelan cacao, the finest, rarest, most expensive cacao in the world

and some recipes on here
TANIAHARCOURT-COOZE.COM

ianch

i must say the chocolate brownies do look good

RussBoy

He's obviously spent too long in a Spanish speaking (temperament) country (I speak from experience).

thesyn

Don't think he would merit a cookery program as he has a very limited range to what he cooks. Looks OK though

oldsplice

I reckon a mate of his is the series producer.

Apparition

What a jealous lot you are.
So, the guy has dosh. So what ?
Can't understand this British preoccupation with knocking folks who have.
Yve
BTW I have bugger all.

P1Fanatic

Choc n chilli is fecking awful. Had some in dark selection from Hotel Chocolat I got my girlfriend at Xmas. Uuurgh.

As for what ***** was selling - its an ingredient not a bar to eat.

Simon

P1Fanatic

When youve finished on your soapbox - I was never knocking the guy for having money, just questioning the way the series was trying to come across that he was skint and struggling all the time.

How many people can on the way to selling a product to Selfridges, pop into Marco Pierre Whites gaff and get one of his chefs to knock up a load of truffles for you? Even in Venzuela he's cooking with the large Le Creuset dishes which are £100+ each. Thats not someone on the bread line.

Im not questioning him otherwise. I thought the programme was very good to watch (if it wasnt I wouldnt have watched all 4 episodes). I take my hat off to anyone who has that much passion about something and is willing to do something with it.

Simon

dpb

Gave it 20 seconds - pretentious twaddle

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

did you just open it up and take a bite?

if so, thats why it will have tasted like cack! its for cooking, I can assure you choclatiers all over the world will be climbing over themselves to get some of his chocolate.

the thing thats different about this is, hes growing the stuff himself, hes feeding the trees which are growing the cacao with just water no pesticides etc, hes then shipping the best of the beans over to england and hes using old fashioned machines and techniques to turn the bean into pure 100% chocolate, nothing added. the only other company in the uk to do bean to chocolate is cadburys and look how big they are now, and they add all the cack.

every decent restaurant in the uk and much further will want it, especially after MPW said it was good on tv. hes going to be minted even if he isnt now, he will be. plus this is only part of his dream, what he really wants is to create a chocolate bar as cadburys have, but as is ******* style it will be something different from the norm and it wont have any nastys in it.

Having worked with him in the past, I can say with some certainty he wont just sit down and quit. and good luck to the guy he has worked hard enough for it

James

P1Fanatic

The poster didnt buy ****** stuff - just some other brand 70% cocoa bar.

Simon

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

I know, but still to just open that up it will be very bitter chocolate that is made for cooking.

P1Fanatic

No idea as he doesnt mention the brand. But there are plenty of 70% bars that are for eating. Hotel Chocolate Dark Micro Slabs start at 65% and highest is 85% and all aimed at eating. They even have their own 100% looking at their website.

Personally I think 60% is high enough for general eating. Anything higher is only useful for cooking.

Simon

sarasquares

iTrader: (1)

ive been watching this but got bored with it now. i am pretty sure all the progs could have been squeezed into one show.

and to finish off, his 100% bars are flying off the shelves now

dpb

yeh - its not what you know its who you know ( helped by a few sheep)