What is the Academy of Chocolate?


The Academy of Chocolate was launched in the UK in London on 15 June 2005 and its aims are to:
  • Encourage chocolate lovers to ‘look beyond the label’ to differentiate between chocolate confectionery and ‘real’ chocolate;
  • to improve the standard and knowledge of chocolate in the UK by promoting an understanding of the ingredients of chocolate, through the chain, from bean to bar;
  • to encourage the transparent sourcing of cocoa beans from the plantations, and their production in socially fair and environmentally undamaging conditions;
  • create a Master of Chocolate (a la Master of Wine)
The founding members of the Academy include Sara Jayne Stanes OBE (director of Academy of Culinary Arts and author of Chocolate the Definitive Guide and chocolate), Chantal Coady (Rococo), Martin Christy (Seventypercent.com), Chloe Doutre-Roussel (formerly Fortnum & Mason) and Sarah Jane Evans MW (journalist and wine writer) with renowned chef Michel Roux OBE as its patron.

Sara's Truffles

The Academy has been joined by William Curley (William Curley, Richmond), Bill McCarrick (Sir Hans Sloane); Marie Pierre Moine (journalist and author); Christopher Reeves (chocolate lover and city ‘man’); Paul a Young (Paul A Young Chocolates, Islington, The City and Soho); Kate Johns from Chocolate Week & Nudge PR, Angus Thirlwell (Hotel Chocolat); Frederick Mostert (chocolate lover and lawyer); Claire Burnet (Chococo); Louise Nason (Melt); Keith Hurdman (Thornton’s); James Cronin (Paul a Young); Claire Gallagher (Betty’s and Taylors); Simon Wright (GoDo); Clive Martyr (chocolate lover and lawyer);

The Academy members meet to taste, discuss, demonstrate and debate issue regarding sourcing, transparency and the journey of bean to bar. All members of the public and chocolate lovers are welcome to attend.

This year is the fifth Academy of Chocolate Awards. Prizes were awarded to a number of leading chocolate makers including Amedei, Duffy, Amano, Valrhona, Rococo, William Curley, Paul a Young, Chococo, Hotel Chocolat, Original Beans, and Thornton’s and many more national and international chocolate makers proving how far ‘fine’ chocolate has come over the past decade. (see Awards page)

The Academy members are available for tastings and wine-pairings for the public, educational programmes in schools, and discussions, forums, visits, seminars and demonstrations for chocolatiers, trade buyers, delicatessen owners, chefs and the media. It will also act as a resource to provide advice and information on everything to do with fine chocolate for the public, the media, chocolate producers, cocoa growers, and the hospitality industry.
Cocoa forest