William Curley, Britain's Best Chocolatier

William Curley, the acclaimed Scottish chocolatier and pastry chef, has earned a revered place in the world of gourmet confections, blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge creativity. Curley’s creations have become synonymous with luxury and indulgence, attracting food connoisseurs from across the globe.

In this podcast episode, William talks to Renae Leith-Manos about his grandmother being a huge influence on both his cooking and baking, since he was a young boy. He reflects on how he pursued his dream to be a chef at some of the world's great restaurants and how he landed in the world of chocolate.

Curley talks about being trained under the legendary Pier Kaufmann and later working with renowned chefs Raymond Blanc and Marco Pierre White, and reflects on how and why his culinary journey is steeped in world-class expertise.

He also shares how he always looks for the very best produce when he travels, hazelnuts from Italy and olive oil from Greece, and that he incorporates these ingredients into his chocolates back in London. His principles on using the best local produce and no excess sugar or additives for his chocolate has led to an impressive array of accolades, including being crowned the four-time winner of the prestigious ‘Britain’s Best Chocolatier’ title by the Academy of Chocolate.

Curley’s eponymous boutique in London within the Como Metropolitan hotel has long been a pilgrimage for chocolate lovers, offering exquisite hand-crafted chocolates, decadent pâtisserie, and innovative desserts. Speaking from Como Metropolitan, where he has his shop in the foyer, he shares his plans for more event, from cooking classes to talkshows.

William's philosophy on the future is quite simple yet profound: be happy with what you have and build on that. And he says this is great philosophical reminder in this busy world of hustle bustle life.

His personal favourite chocolate is from South America using the beans from Peru, and he use trinitario and creolo beans in his chocolates--also from Peru. Curley also talks about the best way to enjoy chocolate is by using the real chocolate--the main ingredients are cacao beans, cacao butter, sugar and vanilla. It will give you the health benefits like the antioxidants and polyphenols and have much less sugar.

Beyond the realm of chocolate, William Curley is also dedicated to educating the next generation of pâtissiers, ensuring that the art of fine chocolate-making continues to evolve.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:57 Meet William Curley
2:42 Baking and cooking influence from his granny
3:38 Chocolate everywhere at home, but balance is key
4:47 How did you become a chocolatier?
6:22 First work at Pierre Ronier, Belgium
7:13 Aimed to learn french, landed at flemish
9:09 A pastry chef that led him to the world of chocolate
11:55 A team of 21 pastry chefs at Savoy--incredible team
13:21 The beginning of William Curley Patissier Chocolate
14:51 The first shop at 2004 at Richmond
15:52 The road to be the best chocolatier in Britain
18:20 A chocolatier in Como Metropolitan
20:06 A healthy chocolate--no excess sugar, no additives
22:40 Great produce found while travelling
24:20 Can we get your chocolates online?
25:23 Be happy what you have and build on that
27:31 Where2FromHere, William?
27:58 William's personal favourite chocolate
28:40 The best cacao beans are from Peru
30:33 The health benefits of chocolate--read your chocolate ingredients!

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Host: Renae Leith-Manos
Editor: Raf Camit
Graphic & Design: Clara
For more luxury travel go to: www.renaesworld.com.au
For Como Metropolitan London: https://www.comohotels.com/london/como-metropolitan-london
For more on William Curley go to: https://www.williamcurley.co.uk
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