As Valentine's Day looms it seems only right that our Producer of the Month is the award winning British chocolatier Paul A Young. Paul has previously participated in British Food Fortnight by creating a British chocolate collection using ingredients sourced from the UK. The collection included Heron Vallery Cider Ganache using cider sourced from the Heron Vallery orchards in Devon. All his chocolates, from geranium truffles to sea salted caramel, are hand made each day in the onsite kitchens at his two London shops.

A former head pastry chef at Quo Vadis and protege of Marco Pierre White, Paul uses the finest ingredients and his extensive knowledge of food and flavours to create his wonderful chocolates. He is true to the flavours of his ingredients, most of which have a seasonal sway be it rhubarb in Springtime or pears in the Autumn......

1. Why do you do what you do?
   Being a chocolatier enables me to express myself. Chocolate has infinite possibilities so I am able challenge and wow my customers with new and innovative creations on a daily basis.


2. What achievement are you most proud of/Most memorable moment?
   Becoming named one of the world’s best chocolatiers in the Financial Times recently and winning best new chocolate shop 2007 in the Academy of Chocolate Awards. Writing my First chocolate book being released in October 2009.


3. If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you do to encourage more people to eat British food?
   Reduce or stop the vast export of British grown and indigenous foods. Instead, sell it in this country at a price everyone can afford so young and old can benefit from eating a well balanced and seasonal diet. Supermarkets should be stocking more British grown produce and support smaller producers.


4. Favourite food and why?
   Apart from chocolate, pork pie with home made piccalilli. What could be more British? Nothing beats a freshly made pork pie with a good amount of jelly and very, very crunchy hot water pastry. Heaven.


5. What are your predictions for the future of British food?
   What I wish for is that we all start buying and eating seasonally and that growers reintroduce traditional and older varieties of fruit and vegetables. There will be a large increase of artisan producers and growers in the coming years. A welcome shock to the mass market and manufactured foods.


6. If you were an advertising executive what slogan would you use to Promote British food?
   Seasonal is sexy! Be the backbone to Great Britain by supporting British growers in eating and buying British. Or, Don't follow the crowd! Lead by buying British and others will follow.


7. Credit crunch tip?
   Eat more fine quality chocolate as it lifts your mood, you only need a small piece of it and it’s affordable. It also makes you and anyone you give it to smile...A LOT!


8. What's on the menu this evening?
   Organic free- range Chicken from my excellent butcher James Elliot with his gorgeous black pudding, savoy cabbage and parsnips. My own chocolates for dessert and a wee dram of 18 year old Glenmorangie.


9. How can people get hold of your produce?
   By visiting my two London chocolateries; 33 Camden Passage, Islington, London, N1 8EA. Tel: 020 7424 5750 or 20, Royal Exchange, Threadneedle St, London, EC3V 3LP Tel: 020 7929 7007, or by calling us on 0207 4245750 and by keeping you eye on our website as we plan to start online sales in 2009 www.paulayoung.co.uk

To read about Paul's previous involvement with British Food Fortnight click here