Tory Top Chocolate
We sit on the window-seats padded in burlap and exchange preferences. Mine is for Chablis with chocolate, whereas Paul O’Connell’s is for rum, both of us agreeing on the ideal content of 70-82 per cent cacao. I’m listening to a new language as O’Connell, an evangelist of chocolate, explains the passion that has inspired his return to Cork city and its roots in his remembered childhood near Tory Top Park in Ballyphehane.
The park gives the title to his business – selecting, importing, producing and promoting the best chocolate possible – and it’s a name that has been used already for O’Connell’s artisan chocolate outlet in San Francisco. That grew from his career in engineering, starting with recruitment on his graduation from the Limerick College of Engineering to IREMA in Springfield, Massachusetts. In the ensuing 35 years spent in America, he worked as plant engineer for a succession of chocolate manufacturers such as Guittard and had established his own engineering firm by the time he met John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg, artisan chocolate makers.
“I went as consultant to them, thinking I knew everything about chocolate,” he says. “But as a plant engineer working with machines and equipment on an industrial scale, this was a world I’d never seen. There’s a scholarly element to chocolate, involving botany, biology, chemistry; you don’t see all this until you get into the process for yourself.”
Now he extols that background, importing organic sun-dried beans in the burlap sacks recycled here into cushioning. His hand-painted walls on Marlborough Street, Cork, show flowing images of plantation to bud to bean to bar, a visual education by his sister Arlene Pope. Education is at the heart of this enterprise, located in what was the well-known premises of John O’Flynn and Sons, Butchers. Now those famous curved windows on the street frame the entrance to an interior refurbished by O’Connell himself during the past 18 months. “I knew the building before I bought it. I wanted the space to have an image, a feel. I went looking for people to help but eventually got tired of waiting for them to turn up so just got stuck into it myself. It’s a unique place in which to make chocolate the way I make it.”
Recycling is a crucial principle, especially in the production area, where much of the equipment has been imported from his own stock in California. “Tory Top was a subsidiary of my engineering company; I began building machines and now I use them here myself. We’re determined not to generate anything but chocolate. We return the sacks, the shells from the beans go to horticulture or agriculture, anything that hits the floor goes to pig farmers, there’s no trash leaving here.”
He explains the ritual, from selection, purchase, import and processing of the plant-based product using only cacao beans and cane sugar to the brisk snap of the wrapped bar. Laying an almost reverent hand on an antique melangeur, he quotes the gods of the Mayan civilisation where it all began, and here in Cork the grinding stones are still granite. Tradition lives on even in the modern systems of winnowing and tempering, in the addition of sugar, how the chocolate is aged and how the flavours are infused with mint, elderberry or herbal teas. While Tory Top chocolate is not a cafe, its takeaway service offers single-origin coffee, while introducing hot chocolate with tropical flavours from Nicaragua, Ghana, Madagascar or Trinidad. I’m booked already for a Champarrabo from Mexico. Although now some of these plantations may be in a crisis of climate change, the smaller producers are no mystery to O’Connell, who worked as a teenager unloading banana boats at Cork docks.
From this walk-in venue in a five-storey building (an apartment is planned for the upper floors), his schedule includes classes, demonstrations, bonding and team-building experiences and more modest mobile social and celebratory events, including the pleasures of chocolate with wine tasting. It’s an early set-up, he says, and he will be looking for partnerships with like-minded companies.
His walls speak of Vietnam or Tanzania, Ecuador or Ivory Coast but on a shelf there’s a packet of Barry’s Earl Grey tea. “I love Cork,” he says. “I love the size of it, its diversity; it’s a happening place. I think you’re never quite at home until you’re home.” Mary Leland
Harry Lowe Chocolates
Chocolates don’t come much more exclusive than the newly launched Harry Lowe Chocolates at Adare Manor. The space, in a restored 19th-century cottage, once home to the estate’s groundskeeper – whose devotion to the estate’s gardens continues to inspire visitors today – has been reimagined as a unique chocolate boutique.
At the helm of this creative venture is Cedric Rivière, a seasoned French chocolatier with an impressive career that spans some of the most prestigious kitchens in Europe. Having honed his skills at renowned establishments such as Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc and Bastide de Gordes, Cedric brings an expertise that marries tradition with innovation. His vision for Harry Lowe Chocolates combines artistry with precision while remaining true to the history and ethos of Adare Manor. Joining Cedric is Arda Zabun, another highly skilled chocolatier whose career at the Waldorf Astoria in Doha adds to the depth and expertise of the team.
Rows of glossy, meticulously crafted chocolates line the shelves, inviting guests to taste the creations as they are being made. Guests watch as bonbons and bars are crafted in an intimate open kitchen, where ganache is poured on to a polished green marble slab, and the chocolate tempering machines work quietly in the background. Here, you don’t just buy chocolates – you see them being made, sample everything and chat with the team, who can tell you exactly what temperature it takes to temper the perfect batch.
Among the chocolates on offer are single-origin bars made with carefully sourced ingredients from around the world. The bar design pays homage to Adare Manor, with some moulds inspired by the intricate windows of the manor house, while others feature textures echoing the stonework of Harry Lowe’s cottage. The Madong 70% Dark Chocolate Bar, made with cacao from Papua New Guinea, carries a subtle smokiness from the volcanic soil where the beans are grown – a rich, bold flavour. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, the hazelnut sea salted praline is a standout, notable for its smooth texture and balance of salty and sweet, making it one of the most popular choices in the collection.
The boxes of pralines and hand-painted bonbons are beautifully packaged, with prices starting at €40 and scaling up to a more luxurious option: the three-tier, custom-made leather coffret. The sunflower praline with sea salt, pine kernel praline and Irish Cream Liqueur bonbons stand out for their distinctive taste and bold texture combinations, with a contrast between smooth fillings, delicate crunch and perfectly tempered chocolate.
One of the unique features of Harry Lowe Chocolates is its laser cutting machine, the only one of its kind in the country. This cutting-edge (no pun intended) technology allows intricate, precise designs on the chocolates, adding a playful and artistic element to the creations. The team is already using the machine to craft limited-edition, seasonal chocolates that will tie into holidays and festive events throughout the year.
Looking ahead, Harry Lowe Chocolates plans to introduce chocolate-making workshops, where guests can learn from Cedric Rivière and his team about the intricacies of tempering, moulding and flavouring chocolates. These workshops, along with tastings and special events, are designed to deepen the guest experience, making it as hands-on as possible. For those not staying at Adare Manor, the chocolates can still be enjoyed via online ordering, with click-and-collect options through the Adare Manor website, or delivery within Ireland. Corinna Hardgrave
Bean and Goose
Tucked away in Gorey, Co Wexford, the Bean and Goose chocolate factory offers an experience far beyond simply buying a bar of chocolate. Visitors can step into their production facility, enjoy a rich hot chocolate while watching chocolatiers at work, and even bring their dogs along. It’s an immersive experience that reflects the company’s commitment to sustainable, ethically sourced chocolate, paired with Irish creativity.
Bean and Goose, founded in 2014 by sisters Karen and Natalie Keane, began in Karen’s kitchen and has since grown into one of Ireland’s leading artisan chocolate producers. The sisters, self-taught chocolatiers, had a mission to create chocolate that was both delicious and ethical. Early on they began using single-origin cocoa beans from Ecuador, a practice they continue today, sourcing from 17 families in Esmeraldas who grow cocoa in a sustainable way.
The factory in Gorey is where the magic happens. The Keanes have opened the space to the public, allowing visitors to witness the entire process – chocolate-making, wrapping, and packing – all while sipping freshly made hot chocolate. The cafe offers a selection of their signature hot chocolates, including a classic hot chocolate, a winter spice version and even a mocha made with fresh cardamom. Visitors can also buy hot chocolate in pouches, ranging from 120g to one-kilogramme cafe-sized packs.
Bean and Goose has made a name for itself with its approach to flavours, layering Ecuadorian chocolate with Irish ingredients. The dark chocolate has a rich, traditional cocoa flavour, perfect for pairing with a variety of ingredients without being overwhelming. The milk chocolate offers a nostalgic creaminess, reminiscent of the chocolate you imagine from childhood, while the white chocolate brings a unique, balanced sweetness.
Sustainability is central to everything Bean and Goose do. In 2023 and 2024 it was awarded the title of producing the world’s most sustainable couverture chocolate. Every ingredient is chosen with care, from Irish Atlantic sea salt to Connemara seaweed and Flahavan’s oats, infusing each bar with the distinct taste of Ireland.
The creativity also extends to the moulds, inspired by the Irish landscape, from the cliffs and islands to the swells of the sea. The 10g chocolates, called “Islands,” are inspired by Irish cliffs, while the Seascape chocolate disc celebrates Ireland’s connection to the sea. With flavours derived from the ocean, the disc even includes a QR code that links to the sound of the Atlantic, making each bite an immersive experience.
For chocolate aficionados, the 70g bars are central to Bean and Goose’s offerings. Designed with topographical details inspired by Ireland’s landscape, these bars are the backbone of the brand. A standout is the toasted soda bread bar, which incorporates the flavours of freshly baked Irish soda bread.
Whether you’re a local popping in for a weekend visit, a Dublin day-tripper exploring the Wexford coastline, or a dog-walker in search of a treat, Bean and Goose offers an experience that goes beyond chocolate. With its dedication to sustainability, Irish flavours, and community, this is a space where chocolate and creativity meet. Corinna Hardgrave
