Those who have booked a stay at one of Manchester's most stylish hotels are in for an unexpected sweet treat. And that said treat is in the form of bandana wearing chocolatier Oliver Dunn who is on hand to give a masterclass in cocoa manipulation at the Melia Hotel by INNSiDE on First Street.
Looking more like a lead singer than a chocolatier, Dunn, who goes by 'Oli the Choc' is several months into his role as the hotel's resident chocolatier.
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For Oli, chocolate "runs in his blood", the 38-year-old from Stockport's stint at the hotel is the prolonging of his family's chocolate legacy. The chocolate expert is following in the footsteps his father Simon Dunn who is the founder of the popular Simon Dunn Chocolatiers which boasts esteemed clients like Sir Alex Ferguson.
Speaking about his history with chocolate Oli said: "I look back to the early days when I first started in the business, I saw my dad creating products from nothing into something that people would enjoy.
"Not only eating but the aesthetic of it, the creativity that's what really stood out. For me the first thing I really remembered making was a small figurine of David Beckham, at the time he was playing for Real Madrid and he had all the blond hair and made the chocolate into very thin strands like hair, there's a technique for that.
"I will never forget selling them to my mates in the pub and I got the bug for business as well as the passion for chocolate making."
Now Oli spends his weeks preaching the gospel of chocolate to guests as well as answering questions and of course treating them to some of his delicious treats. As well as the residency, Oli has designed products for a new ‘Curiouser & Curiouser’ chocolate hamper which guests can order for their room when booking their stay at INNSiDE Manchester.
The ‘Curiouser & Curiouser’ hamper, priced at £16, contains a range of quirky chocolate products such as Oli’s famous Holy Grail Bar, Chocolate Fries, Chocolate Cassette Tapes, a Mini Chocolate Gameboy Replica, and other special surprises, featuring chocolates with unusual flavours.
"As you can tell I'm really passionate about chocolate, it really is in my blood. For me, it's the way that I get to communicate with people." He told the MEN.
"It's the ice breaker, talking about chocolate can lead to all sorts of other amazing conversations, and it's also about the way I make people feel. Ultimately the end product is always making people feel good, so if you take chocolate out of the equation that's what's left.
"Leaving people with positive memories, whether it's children's birthday parties, the favour's that we've done for weddings, whatever it might be it's the nostalgia, it's being part of people's memories and I'm really passionate about that."
