Passionate in creating pretty and delicious cakes at an affordable price, Emma's level of knowledge is sure to be of great benefit for all those who enrol on her courses.

For how long has your business been operating?

The business has been running for two and a half years and we’ve been in our shop on Boutport Street for 18 months.

What do you love about owning your own business?

I love the fact that I’m able to design and create such special cakes for so many occasions.

What can you offer future students on your course?

Fundamentally, I want to offer them the belief that they can create beautiful cakes themselves. It’s great to be able to change people’s opinions on their baking abilities, and there’s nothing better than seeing a happy face after they’ve made a beautiful cake.  

What made you decide to become a tutor?

It’s because I love teaching and passing on information. I want to give them the confidence to be more adventurous with baking and help them craft unique cake creations in their own homes.

What is the most difficult cake you’ve ever had to make and why?

I had to make a cake for a wedding once that was 4ft high and covered head-to-toe in hand-made edible flowers. Thankfully it worked out perfectly and the groom bit a huge chunk out of the side as soon as he saw it!

How do you see the shop growing in the future?

We aim to bring on more staff in the coming months as the demand increases, and I would also love to do more classes. I have a few ideas in the pipeline that I can’t yet tell you about. Ultimately, we’re always looking to offer something that’s a little different to all other cake making shops.

What is your favourite film?

At Christmas I would say Love Actually, but the rest of the time it’s Con Air.

What is your favourite cake?

Chocolate cake without a doubt!

Carlo has been decorated with numerous awards over the years, his first being the highly esteemed Henrietta Green's 'Best Chocolates in Britain'. More recently, his Champagne chocolate truffles won the Silver Award in the 2011 Taste of the West Awards. His products are found in delicatessens and shops all over the country, including London's Fortnum & Mason and Dart's Farm near Exeter.

We were able to speak with Carlo to find out more what about he hopes to offer through his Chocolate Easter Egg Workshop course, which will be running at our North Devon Campus.

What do you hope to offer potential students at Petroc?

I hope to teach them about chocolate making and give them the experience and knowledge to do this themselves. Everybody likes chocolate, but not everyone knows how to do it.

What made you become a tutor?

It’s a case of natural progression, challenging myself to do something a little different. I wanted to make people aware of the difference between good and bad chocolate, as so often people think that all chocolate is the same.

What is the most exciting aspect of being a chocolatier?

It’s very nice to see people enjoying my products and praising my skills. Knowing that you’re good at the job you do naturally spurs you on to do more.

What is your favourite chocolate flavour combination?

When I was younger it was definitely milk chocolate. However as I’ve got a bit older I now much prefer dark chocolate.

What has been your best success to date?

I’d say it’s got to be having Fortnum & Mason stocking my products for the last 26 years. To have a store with such a reputation selling my chocolate is truly an honour. The hand-rolled Champagne truffles I produce also won gold at the Great Taste Awards in 2012, so that’s something I’m also very proud of.

What advice would you five to anyone looking to study at Petroc?

If you want to know the secret of chocolate, book yourself onto my chocolate making course today and find out.

Craig holds a Level 3 Professional Cookery qualification which he gained while studying here at Petroc.

What do you feel you can offer potential students at Petroc?

I can help to provide students with the skills to produce good quality food and the confidence to do so.

What made you become a tutor?

I have many friends who are teachers, and the majority of those have always said that I would make a good teacher. I started by doing some part time and voluntary work, and after I found it enjoyable I found myself wanting to do more.

What do you feel makes the food industry so exciting?

It’s an industry which is constantly evolving and there are so many different types of foods to explore – particularly in the case of fish. Everyone needs to eat, so being able to cook proficiently is something that’s always going to be of real benefit.

What is your favourite fish to cook with?

It’s hard to put my finger on an exact variety because I like to cook with all of them. Fish is very easy to cook and it offers a host of nutritional benefits. However, it’s very easy to get wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Who is your favourite celebrity chef?

I really like Marcus Wareing because he’s on Masterchef. It’s such a good programme and it’s great to see how simple ingredients can be expanded and paired with different flavours.

What advice would you give to potential students looking to enrol on your course?

Have confidence in your abilities. Confidence is absolutely huge and will ensure your skills develop. Also, just ensure you have as much fun as possible.

David has been involved in wine education since 1996, moving into e-learning in 1998 by combining work-based learning with numerous e-learning content creation projects. His overwhelming knowledge of the wine industry is sure to be of great benefit to all who enrol. 

David is the course tutor for World of Wines, our fantastic new part time course which offers information about beautiful wines from all over the world. Here's a little more information about him. 

What do you feel you can offer potential students enrolling on your course?

I want to offer the students the opportunity to learn in a relaxed atmosphere while being aware that information is there for them should they ask for it.

What made you want to become a tutor?

I’m keen to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for the world of wine. There’s a lot of detail about wine readily available which is incorrect, and I want to ensure my students are learning the right information. It’s often the case that people know a lot more about wine than they originally think, an aptitude which quickly develops after just a few prompts.

What makes the wine industry so interesting?

It’s got to be the wealth of wine experiences that are available. No less than 63 different countries around the world produce wine, which means that the variety of types currently on the market is bigger than ever.

What is your favourite film?                               

My favourite film is the Battle of the River Plate, the 1956 depiction of the battle in 1939.

What is your favourite glass of wine?

It would have to either be a top class Bordeaux or a Pouilly-Fumé, but which I would choose I’m not too sure. If they weren’t available, it would be a Chateau Palmer.