When you first walk through the doors of the Tocumwal Chocolate School, don’t be surprised if your jaw ends up somewhere near your feet.
But after entering the establishment of Wendy and Martin Alford, you would be forgiven for believing you had stepped into a chocolate-lover’s paradise.
Because your intuition would be precisely on the mark.
Owned and operated by power couple Wendy and Martin Alford, the school runs tasting classes for everyone — from hardcore chocolate enthusiasts to complete beginners.
At the same time, guests can be treated to a bed-and-breakfast experience that would rival even the most sumptuous establishments.
The entire building, after all, was purpose-designed to meet the niche requirements of a chocolate school and a bed-and-breakfast service.
And with a space like this, it’s no surprise that the school was recently named a Regional Finalist for Outstanding Visitor Experience in the Riverina Murray Business Awards 2024.
In the early days of the school, Wendy said she spent much of her time developing and formulating the school’s tasting classes.
“The first section [of the class] takes an hour,” Wendy said.
Wendy and her guests “go through all the origins of cacao, where it comes from, where it’s grown, how it’s done”, Wendy said.
“We go through all of this, so [guests] understand how cacao gets from the farm, how it then gets worked through at the manufacturing end, and how it becomes chocolate from cacao,” she said.
“Then we taste anywhere between 10 to 14 flavours of cacao.”
After enjoying a tasting class, guests display fairly consistent responses.
The most common feedback Wendy receives is summarised in just a few words.
“People go ‘Oh my God, I never knew that. I have learned so much. This is not what I thought it was.’”
The Tocumwal Chocolate School is among four finalists from the Riverina Murray region to be selected by the panel of judges for demonstrating ‘how their business showcases the Region/community and how their offering is unique within their industry’, according to the Business NSW website.
Alongside Tocumwal Chocolate School, the other three finalists include Deni Ute Muster, of Deniliquin; the Ladbroken Distillery Brewhouse, of Tumbarumba; and The Depot, of Deniliquin.
The winner of the category will be announced at the Riverina Murray Awards Gala in Junee, on Friday, September 27.