News & Politics - British chocolatier resigns after "extraordinary act of truffle-squishing"

elisheva · 10-16-2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Thorntons man quits over chocolate 'squishing'

By Tom Chivers
Last Updated: 2:43am BST 16/10/2007

The man described as the "Willy Wonka" of Britain's chocolatiers has resigned after engaging in an "act of truffle-squishing" in a rival store.

Barry Colenso, the master chocolatier at Thorntons, was watched by baffled staff as he roamed the Hotel Chocolat store in Nottingham, handling various truffles.

When they inspected his handiwork after he left, it was discovered that he had mutilated £63.50's worth of chocolates.

CCTV images later confirmed that the perpetrator was Mr Colenso.

A statement from Hotel Chocolat said: "This was an extraordinary act of truffle-squishing. We can only guess at what provoked it.

“The staff observed Mr Colenso handling a number of truffles in a way that made them suspicious. When we checked the truffles, they had been squashed and damaged."
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According to the statement, Mr Colenso has agreed to leave Thorntons after admitting to "inappropriate handling" of Hotel Chocolat's products.

A Thornton's spokesman said: "Mr Barry Colenso has resigned. We will not be commenting any further on this matter."

Hotel Chocolat said it would not be taking further action regarding the incident.

Mr Colenso has made headlines before, having designed a 390kg (860lb) chocolate billboard that was erected in London’s Covent Garden in Easter of this year. Passers-by ate the sign in three hours.

Thorntons has been Britain's premier specialist chocolatier since its founding in 1911, despite the rapid growth of rivals Hotel Chocolat, who have opened 23 stores since their move from catalogue-only service to the high street in 2004.

Hee! I just love that phrase, an extraordinary act of truffle squishing.

Lain · 10-17-2007, 11:57 AM

The picture of Wily Wonka and Slugworth comes to mind in this one

**sunnykerr** · 10-17-2007, 05:09 PM

Mutilated truffles?

That's a new reason to get fired!

migamoo · 10-17-2007, 06:41 PM

This has got to be one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time. But in a serious note, why?


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