Demarquette: The Chocolatier of Chelsea

Success stories are hard to resist. So is chocolate. On this basis, the rise of fine chocolatier Marc Demarquette is easy to understand. What is more challenging to explain however, is how, in just three short years, his name has come to be recognised as one of the finest in London.

One of the (many) nice things about chocolate is that you can taste the very best for a very small price, and this Easter there is great satisfaction to be had beyond the realms of Cadbury.

On my recent visit to the Demarquette shop in South Kensington, I was told that chocolate in England is a little like coffee was 20 years ago, and I’m inclined to agree: people are waking up to differences in percentages and varieties, and the wider culinary potential. And the chocolates at Demarquette are the product of quite extraordinary lengths, drawing on a global palette of flavours, exotic rather than gimmicky, they are made with fresh cream (and therefore have a shelf life), sweetened only with honey and lovingly decorated with cocoa butter.

OK, so this is good, but it doesn’t quite do justice to the almost comical lengths that Demarquette goes to in making his creations. Previously working as a city executive, he experienced a life-changing accident, something more serious than a bump on the head but apparently as restorative, and he came to his senses and decided he wanted to be a chocolatier.

A swift year’s immersion in France’s finest schools and a spot of work experience later, he emerged as and has found the kind of success. From going to source his own fruit and tea for the English orchard collection, to using different vintages of real Champagne (Dom Perignon in one instance) the stories of reassuringly anal attention to detail are endless, and the idea of journeying to the far recesses of the globe, boating across Bolivian swamps to find the last remaining wild cocoa plants, is wonderful reminiscent of the tales of old school botanists.

However, the focus at Demarquette remains firmly on the chocolate, in terms of ideology but also in terms of taste – the flavoured creations are never allowed to overwhelm the delicacy of Valrhona cocoa that is used throughout. Flattering attention from such luxury purveyors as Fortnum & Mason and Harrods is one thing, but the taste is the key – and they taste very good indeed.

My personal favourite is a Caledonian honey chocolate (a unique blend of honey is used, of course) but other more exotic flavours such as pear and Thai lemongrass are also very interesting. Quite how all this has been achieved in just three years is at once hugely encouraging and deeply suspicious – what’s the secret, I find myself asking? Ah yes, the chocolate!

Demarquette
285 Fulham Road
Chelsea
SW10 9PZ

Tel: 020 7351 5467

www.demarquette.com