Scottish chocolatier awarded medals in Academy of Chocolate Awards

A Scottish chocolatier has been awarded medals in the prestigious Academy of Chocolate Awards.

Chloe Oswald, who owns Angus-based Chocolatia, saw two of her creations named as prizewinners in the global honours.

What started as a sideline business has become a full time job for former Gleneagles chocolatier Oswald. When she was furloughed from her “dream job” during the pandemic, she decided to make her skills work for her, and set up Chocolatia in November 2020. That has now paid off, as two of her confections – a coconut and lime bonbon and a toasted coconut bonbon – have both won at the Academy of Chocolate Awards.

Oswald said: “I’m over the moon to have won these medals as it’s the first time I’ve put myself out there to be judged. I was nervous as standards are so high and wasn’t expecting to win anything so I am really glad I did. I’m very proud to join the other talented award winners.”

The signature collection, pictured, (available year round) features the Coconut and Lime bonbon, and the Mother’s Day collection features the Caramelised Coconut bonbon and will make an appearance this Mother's Day.

The Academy of Chocolate Awards are a worldwide competition, which was launched in 2005 to identify and showcase the world’s most talented chocolate producers and their creations. The chocolates are judged blind, and Oswald’s coconut and lime bonbon was awarded bronze, while her toasted coconut bonbon was awarded a silver medal. The awards are judged by leading chocolatiers, producers, journalists, bloggers, food writers, and other chocolate experts.

The medals have encouraged Chloe to enter her chocolates into the Great Taste Awards and the upcoming ScotHot awards where, she said, she’ll be further ‘judged against peers.’

When not winning awards, Chloe is concentrating on her seasonal collections, and with Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter coming up, she’s being kept very busy, which was the goal during furlough in 2020. Of this she said: “It just felt like I was standing still. I really wanted to do something for myself to push myself to learn and grow. I just felt so stagnant, but obviously I knew I was lucky to have a job”.

It was after speaking to her boss at the time, Phil Skinazi, the executive pastry chef at Gleneagles, that Oswald decided to start Chocolatia, which was also born out of her wanting to test herself.

Chloe Oswald Chocolatier and founder of Chocolatia. Photo: Jamie Butler

"If I'm going to make chocolates at home, I want to do it right. I don't want to make chocolates purely to make money, I want to make chocolates to see what I can do," she added.

Scotland’s larder, and local produce, such as elderflower, Perthshire berries and meadow sweet, can be found in Oswald’s chocolates and her quirky Halloween creations and Christmas chocolates and advent calendars have been a sell-out success. “Because it is just me doing it by myself and there is no big team, I really have the freedom to release whatever flavours I want,” she continued. “Everything is hand painted and decorated, it is a crazy amount of work but it is getting easier the more that I do it. I am learning what works for production and what doesn't."

To try Chloe’s award-winning chocolates, visit her website https://www.chocolatia.co.uk/