Having spent an inspiring few weeks last October judging for the UK’s Academy of Chocolate, I eagerly scrolled through the email in December announcing the winners. I knew New Zealand was in a strong position, but when the results came through I was blown away. Thirty medals, from just five makers in a country of barely 5.2 million people.
New Zealand may frequently get missed off world maps for all sorts of things, but our place was now even more firmly solidified on the world chocolate map!
It’s October 2017 and there is a subtle chill in the air, after a brief pit-stop in Ukraine we finally make it to Georgia, a country nestled up in the Caucasus mountains, just north of Armenia.
He is a tall fellow, and he greets us, leaning on his cane. He is not old, but something in his face tells me his experiences take him beyond his years and life on this earth. Any mention of the word ‘chocolate’ brings a cheeky sparkle to his eyes. He is Gella Kuprashvilli, from Tbilisi, and he is Georgia’s only bean to bar chocolate maker!
The Adventures of Elle Coco 