#cocoatothrill

Were we crazy?

Channel 5’s,

The Wonderful World of Chocolate made its debut this month and the onslaught of Willy Wonka Style Chocolate images did not disappoint. There were glistening chocolate bar shots, satisfying lines of chocolate pieces and

Cocoa To Thrill Chocolate Shoes!

It was Valentine’s day, when we first got the call from Channel 5. One of the busiest days in the chocolate industry and it was well, a little busy. We had just been told that we had beaten off the major chocolate companies to have our chocolate shoes featured at

Arab Fashion Week in Dubai in just over a month and there was no time for dinner dates. The call came pretty much out of the blue. Channel 5  had no idea what we were doing and it just so happened they caught us at the perfect time for their filming schedule.

Perfect timing? Well yes and no. You see, Cocoa To Thrill was about to do something huge, unprecedented really at this point and we really hadn’t figured out how we were going to get it done. Now we had added a film crew to an already crazy schedule who were going to watch our every move in getting over 100 chocolate shoes to Dubai. If we failed, we were going to do it in front of millions of people watching. Thrilling!

First Day On Set Nerves

Our first day filming with Channel 5 was something of a production. We weren’t just filming a show, we physically had to get a lot of work done and there really wasn’t time for interruptions. We had to be incredibly organised if we were going to show viewers exactly what we were doing but also actually do those tasks that we had to accomplish. We couldn’t just strut around in heels all day and put on lipstick, we actually had to make chocolate heels and lipsticks. On day one of shooting we had to get over a 100 chocolate shoes and lipsticks painted and packed plus finalise the designs for the chocolate shoes that were heading to Arab Fashion Week and we were literally weeks away.

Our epic showcase was helped along by the amazing, super calm and fun director at Channel 5, Al. He was just downright cuddly and his demeanour put the whole team at ease whilst we figured out how to get everything done. Our Chocolate Executive Officer, Samona Williams, calmly sipped tea during and in between takes, partly because it was absolutely freezing in the Cocoa To Thrill studio and partly because, well she loves a cuppa. The production crew also had to factor in plenty of breaks so that Samona could rest and hydrate to manage her physical condition. Other than the tight schedule, we pretty much had a laugh. Well as much of a laugh as you can have with a looming deadline and no completed chocolate shoes.

Can you eat our Chocolate Shoes?

The next shoot day was out of the office as we were shooting our new advert. So Channel 5 were shooting us…shooting an ad  in a kind of Russian Doll scenario. The Ad, was a last minute request from the Arab Fashion Council and we were told that it would be showcased on the big screen throughout Arab Fashion Week. The crew, cast and storyboard were assembled in lightening time and tah dah, before we knew it, we were in a posh Chelsea apartment with both our crew and the Channel 5 crew. It was a squeeze but we didn’t expect anything less from prime London real estate. To see the advert click here

On this shoot it was the first time that our Girlboss was going to see a completed chocolate shoe eaten. Literally bitten into. On that subject, we are often asked “Can you eat it” when people look at our chocolate shoes. The answer is of course you can, our chocolate shoes are to be eaten or admired but honestly the truth is, “as long as you don’t eat it in front of our CEO.” Forget shooting the highs and lows of trying to get over 100 chocolate shoes to Arab Fashion week, shooting our CEO’s reaction to seeing a chocolate shoe eaten makes for some Gogglebox worthy telly.  So much artistry, precision, and hard work goes into our chocolate shoes that it’s a pain well understood.

How Do You Ship 100 Chocolate Shoes to the Desert?

Another highlight shooting with Channel 5 was the day the truck left with all the chocolate shoes bound for Dubai. This was probably one of the most nerve-wracking days. After weeks of hard work and attention, the chocolate babies weren’t just leaving home, they were going travelling across the world. For weeks, our eyes had been on those chocolate shoes every step of the way. Each one had been lovingly created and treated with kid gloves. Now they were about to be transited on busy roads and hectic planes, we were dealing with a lot of emotions. The amazing Hariett was directing this time and documented the whole ordeal with a keen eye for detail. The crew attracted a small audience but this felt comforting as if there was a comradery amongst strangers willing our chocolate shoes to make it Dubai safely.Read more about the highs and lows of shipping chocolate shoes to Arab Fashion Week here.

The Wonderful World Of Chocolate

Channel 5’s, The Wonderful World of Chocolate,  is a menagerie of chocolate stories told from the perspective of the chocolate giants and the artisans. It focuses on the delight and wonder of chocolate and gives you a unique glimpse into the minds of us chocolate alchemists that bring joy to the world. Thank you Elephant Studios and Channel 5 for documenting our unique chocolate shoes journey, it’s been emotional. You can check out the show here.