Tasting chocolate for a living? Someone’s got to do it…

???????????????????????????????Brandt Maybury has got the ultimate dream job, spending his nine to five as a taste specialist for organic chocolate company Green & Black’s. The former chef told us all about his delicious career…

What does your job as a taste specialist involve?

While there are some days that I do have to eat chocolate, it’s actually quite a varied role! A big part is working on the new flavours and other products – coming up with ideas and concepts, running the different versions until we find something that we’re happy with and then move into production. I get involved with promoting the brand too, doing events and helping out online with recipes.

How did you get started at Green & Black’s?

I started working as a chef at the age of 18. I’ve worked my way around different hotels and restaurants. I then decided that I wanted to work in product development, so I was creating the products that you see in some of the supermarkets, coffee chains and desserts on airlines. After a few years, I got approached about the position at Green & Black’s and jumped at the chance!

LemonWhat’s a typical day like for you at work?

Some days I’m working on a new flavour of chocolate. Another day, I could be going out to see where some of our amazing ingredients come from. I also hold events, talking about how we go from our cocoa beans to a bar of chocolate.

Have you got any specialist qualifications?

I never went to catering college, and I don’t really have any formal qualifications other than health and safety courses and food hygiene certificates. My training has been on the job throughout my career.

What is the best thing about your job?

Obviously, getting to work with chocolate every day is brilliant, but the thing for me is just being part of the brand. Green & Black’s isn’t just the great chocolate that we make, it’s the history. In 1991, when it first started, we were the first organic chocolate bar in the UK, and then in 1994, the Maya Gold bar was the first fair trade product. To be part of that story and that brand is brilliant.

What’s the most challenging part of the role?

Not getting fat! [laughs] On a more serious note, the thing with product development is that sometimes it can be a little bit frustrating. I enjoy that challenge though – when you get the final product onto the shelf, you get a lot of satisfaction.

What skills make for a good taste specialist?

I think passion is really important, and you have to be confident with your knowledge of food and your opinions. The ability to really think about food as well. With good quality chocolate like ours, you get all those fruity notes, spicy notes. When you stop to think about what you’re tasting, it changes your experience. If you can do that, that’s a big benefit as well.

Got a question about life in the world of culinary product development? Ask Brandt on Twitter, @tastespecialist, or find out more about the products he’s working on at www.greenandblacks.co.uk

Source Magazine, Winter 2013

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