Ilze's Story

Ilze van der Merwe is trained both as a gourmet chef and as a chocolatier. She gained experience in the trade when she worked as a patisserie chef in well-known restaurants and department stores in London.

Ilze has always had a passion for food - especially pastry, but initially followed a "safe road" career by becoming a teacher-cum-psychologist. However, she finally fulfilled her passion when she opened her first small coffee shop in Cape Town. Later, she worked as a freelance caterer for corporate and private clients in Johannesburg and Pretoria, and then opened a Cookery School in Pretoria.

After moving to London with her family, Ilze trained full-time at Le Cordon Bleu in Marylebone and obtained the Grand Diplôme de Cuisine et de Pâtisserie, the ultimate qualification in French cuisine and patisserie.

It was during these years of training that chocolate really became a favourite and a fascination. After extensive training in this area through Ecole de Chocolat, Barry Callebaut (Belgium) and Valhrona (France), she decided to test the market with her own product.

She has a passion for people and a love for flavour. These two things together, enable her to make mouth-watering chocolates.

Ilze got the inspiration for her business, Ilze's Chocolat, from the book of Nehemiah:

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Chocolate symbolises "choice food" for Ilze. Even more important is the sharing with friends and family and ultimately with the wider world - that is real joy!

But we also have to share with those who have nothing prepared. And there are many people in that situation all over the world. There is one particular group that we are called to focus on: AIDS orphans in Soshanguve, South Africa. There are 2.6 million AIDS orphans in South Africa and there are simply not enough money to build accommodation for all of them. However, if some of them can be given a hot meal and a welcoming place to do their homework every afternoon, as well as caring people who can be adults who listen and give them love during the day, then they are more able to face the very difficult circumstances under which they have to live. Ilze has committed to make a contribution of 10% of earnings from Ilze's Chocolat every month towards the support of this task. For more information, go to the website www.hope4saorphans.com.

Ilze has been making chocolates professionally since 2006 and has built a client base in London and the Thames Valley. Ilze's Chocolat has become known not only for its unique taste, but also for its striking look - particularly the Signature Range.

The success recipe is still to source the best and freshest products and the best range of couvertures possible. She still insists on giving an increasingly discerning market, a pure and preservative free product. Of course that means that the products have a shorter shelf life than most of the mass produced chocolates on the market. But then who would want to keep chocolates for that long anyway!