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10 years of Bristol24/7: Zara’s Chocolates
Zara’s Chocolates was established 11 years ago by Zara Narracott in Bedminster.
She operated out of a small corner of the Ivory Flowers shop on North Street.
Establishing her business was the culmination of a life-long dream – at school Zara was voted ‘most likely to become Willy Wonka’ – and a year after starting she was able to hire her first employee, chocolatier Helen Jones.
is needed now More than ever
A few years later, Bristol24/7 approached Zara’s Chocolates to create our first-ever edible cover.
Issue 33 of Bristol24/7 was made out of chocolate!
Helen Jones remembers the “really fun” day she created this cover well.
She said: “Someone approached us from Bristol24/7 and kind of floated the idea – I really really enjoyed doing it.
“It was one of my favourite things that I’ve done I think.
“We have these sheets of marble which we temper our chocolate on. So, that’s what the background is.
“And my piping skills came through there (at the bottom of the cover).
“I’ve got good handwriting, that’s for sure!”
Since the cover, Zara’s Chocolates has moved further up North Street and now has its own café as well as a large kitchen in the back.
They took over 200 North Street from craft shop Paper Village in 2018.
They are currently a chocolatier down, as Zara is on maternity leave after having her first child, however things are still as busy as ever.
Zara’s Chocolates is now based at 200 North Street after a brief stint working out of Ivory Flowers – photo: Seun Matiluko
Helen said: “Because we’ve got the café now, especially when it’s cold and wet, it’s common for people to come inside and get a hot chocolate.
“It’s getting busier the more people get to know us as well.
“We still get a lot of people that come in and say, ‘Oh I didn’t know you were. How long have you been here?'”
Helen has loved exercising her creative skills at Zara’s Chocolates over the past 10 years, including back in 2018 when she co-created this massive egg! – photo: Ellie Pipe
Helen added: “Christmas is the busiest, craziest time of year.
We’ve been making (chocolate) since September, really, trying to get organised because Zara’s not going to be here.
“All of these (pointing to trays of chocolate in the kitchen) are going to be dried Ferrero Roche.
“And we have lots of boxes full of back stock for Christmas products.”
The Zara’s Chocolates kitchen has been incredibly busy in the run up to Christmas – photo: Maleeka Adrien
Helen has been working at Zara’s Chocolates for 10 years – she previously worked for a shop in Clifton which “made chocolate shoes and handbags and shipped them off to Harvey Nichols in Dubai” – and is proud of how much she’s developed as a chocolatier over the past decade.
She said: “When I started I kind of knew a bit about chocolate but not loads.
“I never knew how to temper chocolate or marble or anything like that.
“Zara’s taught me everything I know.”
Tickets are available now on the Spiegeltent website
Bristol24/7 is also celebrating a decade of incredible work.
This article is part of 10 Years of Bristol24/7, a series taking a look back at some of our magazine covers ahead of our anniversary party at the Spiegeltent on November 30.
To get your tickets, visit christmasspiegeltent.co.uk/product/b10-celebrating-10-years-of-bristol-24-7-30th-nov.
Main photo: Seun Matiluko
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