Kokova Magazine

Ruth Hinks is a chocolatier with a world class reputation in chocolate and pastry - and is an inspiration to speak too.

Ruth secured a top-5 finish for the UK ahead of national Chocolate Masters from France, Belgium and Switzerland - the highest result by a UK pastry chef in an international competition.

Yet work aside, Ruth is also a busy mum and fits her successful career and cookery school business around her family demands. She even had her daughter at work with her on the morning we had our chat, before she had to go off to school.

Ruth has two children and her husband is Scottish, hence they have settled, and she runs her successful Chocolate & Pastry School, in Peebles, Scotland.

Since its opening in 2009, the school has welcomed over 4000 students - many of whom have travelled from overseas to attend her courses. Past students include HRH Prince Edward, who spent a morning making chocolate truffles with Ruth.

When I asked Ruth where she got her passion for chocolate she explained it was all down to her Dad! He was a dentist and had deprived Ruth of all chocolate as she grew up.

When she was 12 Ruth wanted to save up for a music player so she decided to go out and buy a chocolate mould and make Easter Eggs to sell. This later proved to be the start of her chocolate addiction.

Having failed Home Economics, today Ruth is the linchpin of an umbrella of chocolate and pastry brands which are Cocoa Black, Ruth Hinks Recipes and The Chocolate & Pastry School.

Cocoa Black offers chocolate and pastry making classes such as: chocolate bars, chocolate caramels, chocolate showstopper pieces, petits fours, French patisserie class, plus many more. Ranging from a couple of hours to a couple of days, you can be sure to find a class or course to suit your needs.

The school is hugely popular and I understand you need to make bookings at least three to four months in advance.

Ruth trained as a chef in South Africa but found it very difficult to find courses specifically for chocolate or to train as a chocolatier. When she left South Africa in 1996 she then embarked on her travels. This was an inspirational time where she learnt so much, particularly recipes and ideas.

I asked Ruth about her thoughts with regard to health, sugar, pastry and sweet treats. She believes "everything in moderation' - I wouldn't bake with my children every day, but once in a while and that's the same with food. I cook everything from scratch, every day"

Ruth feels it is more about the lack of knowledge, and how today too many people buy ready-made meals and are not sure of what is in them. Ruth did explain she likes to accommodate all diets and what the customer wants as much as possible, including dairy and gluten-free examples. She runs a pastry class specifically on ‘ gluten-free.

This successful businesswoman is now motivated by a desire to pass on her chocolate and pastry skills to culinary enthusiasts and the next generation of talent in her field.

Discover more at www.cocoablack.com/chocolate-pastry-school