The award-winning pastry chefs behind the premium Welsh artisan chocolate company Epicurean Chocolatiers have been recognised at The Great British Food Awards.
Robin and Rosie Evans, who founded Epicurean Chocolatiers a year ago, won a Gold and a Bronze medal at this month’s Great British Food Awards.
They won a Gold award in the Sweet Preserves Category for their Strawberry & Indian Vanilla Jam and a Bronze award in the Chocolate Category for their Epicurean Tasting Selection – and were presented with their awards at a ceremony held on October 6 at ALFI in London.
Robin said: “Winning a Gold and a Bronze award in these national awards if a real honour and they make all the hard work that goes into creating a business while raising a young family very worthwhile.”
Launched in 2014, the Great British Food Awards celebrate excellence in the finest food and drink from across the UK. The entries are judged by a panel of chefs, food critics, buyers and food writers and each product undergoes a rigorous judging process.
This year’s panel included Raymond Blanc, Nina Matsunaga, Theo Randall, Nisha Katona, William Sitwell, Emily Roux, Bart Stratfold, Gareth Ward and Simon Rogan.
Robin and Rosie, who run their business from their workshop in Bala, North Wales, also recently won a World Confectionery Award for the Emerging Enterprise of the Year.
Established with a vision to create exceptional handcrafted chocolates using the finest ingredients, their company has rapidly evolved from a kitchen-table start-up into a luxury artisan brand supplying both consumers and luxury hospitality venues across the UK.
Robin, 26, who grew up in Neston, Cheshire, has experience at prestigious establishments including The Ritz, Brown’s Hotel, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and the Chester Grosvenor Hotel, while. Rosie, from Llanidloes in mid-Wales, has specialist chocolate and pastry skills.
Epicurean Chocolatiers collections showcase Welsh provenance through ingredients such as Halen Môn sea salt, local honey, Welsh whisky and sparkling wine, paired with the world’s finest chocolate and flavourings. Their unique approach has created a distinctive brand identity that resonates strongly with customers seeking authentic, premium products.
As well as their exceptional chocolates and pralines, they have a range of jams, marmalades and spreads and Welsh honeycomb. On November 1, they launch their Christmas range which includes:
Spiced plum & redcurrant jam (£11.95)
Ripe, juicy organic British plums and redcurrants, slowly cooked with a refined selection of warming seasonal spices to create a richly spiced, fruit-forward preserve.
Christmas Selection (6 flavours) (£25.00)
A refined collection of twelve handcrafted chocolate bonbons, created especially for the festive season. Six indulgent flavour combinations bring together rich chocolate, seasonal ingredients and elegant patisserie-inspired flavours. Each bonbon is finished by hand and presented in Epicurean Chocolatiers’ signature festive gift box.
The collection includes:
- Tonka, Orange & Grand Marnier
- Champagne Gel & Panettone Ganache
- Griotte Cherry, Kirsch & Vanilla
- Crunchy Hazelnut Praline
- Saffron Marzipan & Saffron, Lemon & Brown Butter Ganache
- Fresh Mint & Rare Tea Peppermint Ganache
