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About Us
The Lick the Spoon Story...
The Lick the Spoon story is really the story of founder and
Creative Director, Diana Short…
Long before she was born, family history was paving the way
for a life filled with good food. Diana’s grandfather was a
chef at London’s famous Hyde Park hotel, and as a child she
would gaze at the black & white photographs of the glorious
banquets in the halcyon days of 1950’s elegance, wondering how
it would have been to cook alongside the grandfather she never
got to meet. A trip to London with her father (a lifelong
chocolate aficionado) included a visit to a luxurious
chocolate shop filled with glorious smells, neat rows of
exquisite chocolates and polished dark wood counters. These
memories stayed with Diana.
During school holidays Diana worked in local restaurant
kitchens watching the chefs at work learning their techniques.
By the age of twenty-one Diana was running her own bistro in
Cheltenham, but with a Sagittarian urge to travel departed for
Europe on her moped without even a ferry ticket or a map!
For two years Diana travelled Europe, finding work as a
freelance artist or “Madonnari”, painting classical scenes and
creating frescos for wealthy villa owners. When her trusty (if
rusty!) moped was stolen in Nice, Diana settled there and
spent six years working her way to the position of Chef de
Cuisine running a brigade of French chefs. Eventually
returning to the UK Diana continued to work as a head chef
creating inspirational menus for events such as the Wildscreen
film awards.
A part time Jazz & Blues singer Diana met husband Matthew
whilst they played in a band together.
In 2006 with first son Harrison just a toddler and second son
Thomas on the way, Lick the Spoon was created. Drawing on
years of culinary experimentation Lick the Spoon immediately
gained attention and began to win awards. In the first year of
trading Lick the Spoon’s chocolates were named best in
category at the Taste of the West awards. An inspirational
speech and talk with Michael Caines OBE led to the creation of
the “Wonders of the West” collection. Using flavours from, and
inspired by, the South-West, it was this collection that
achieved finalist status in the Waitrose Made in Britain
awards 2008.
The Made in Britain awards marked a turning point for Lick the
Spoon, not just for the national publicity it brought, but
also as a catalyst to expand from a home business and set up a
chocolate factory, swiftly followed by the first Lick the
Spoon store.
Lick the Spoon products have been stocked seasonally by Harvey
Nichols and Selfridges and have a dedicated display area at
Liberty of London. Nigella Lawson,
Alan Titchmarsh and many Cotswold based
celebrities are all Lick the Spoon fans.
Diana has now begun to pass on her vast knowledge to a small
talented team. Together, they produce the existing portfolio
of products, brainstorming to invent new seasonal specialities
from individual fresh chocolates to elaborate display pieces
and stunning chocolate wedding cakes.
Our mission is not only to bring the best fine chocolate to
our customers, but also to inspire and delight them with a
creativity that elevates chocolate beyond a delicious
indulgence to an enduring chocolate memory.
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