Examentrainers

How Do i Become... A Chocolate Taster?

						each other. To be good at this job
						you need a lot of discipline.”
				5		Just as a wine connoisseur can
						judge the finest vintage wine,
						Doutre-Roussel is able to judge the
						finest flavour of cocoa bean, a skill
		By David Rose				which developed from a sweettoothed
						hobby. “When I was
1		IT MAY be every little boy’s				growing up I spent my pocket
		and girl’s dream job - eating				money on dark and milk chocolate,
		chocolate and sweets all day with				tasting the difference and wanting
		melt-in-the-mouth impunity. While				to find new varieties,” she says.
		Johnny Depp stars in Roald Dahl’s				“Later, I learnt more about the
		film Charlie and the Chocolate				subject and gave talks about it.”
		Factory, most supermarkets and		6		Backgrounds in sales or marketing
		food stores have their very own				can be useful for food
		Willy Wonkas, who appear to				buyers, with starting salaries in the
		indulge every chocoholic’s fantasy.				�17,000-�20,000 range, but the
		But don’t be fooled by the				main credential is a passion for
		decadent job title; these				flavour and quality. Doutre-
		confectionery buyers and tasters				Roussel, 38, applied for her job
		are nothing if not serious about				after friends saw it advertised and
		chocolate.				suggested that it was perfect for
2		Chlo� Doutre-Roussel,				her. “It’s not just knowing the
		confectionery buyer for Fortnum				product, it’s a case of listening
		and Mason, the London luxury				to your taste buds and your
		store, starts work at 5am each day				body,” she says. “I’ve been
		to ensure that her taste buds are				working here for two years but
		perfectly primed.				I consider myself to have 25
3		“After I wake up, I sit with my				years’ serious tasting behind
		laptop, surrounded by chocolate				me. With enough practice you
		to taste,” she says. “To do this				can find a whole variety of flavours
		properly, you need to be slightly				and nuances you would not have
		hungry, not eat anything else				noticed before.”
		beforehand and be far away from
		things with strong tastes or smells,				“To do this properly you need to be slightly hungry and very disciplined.”
		such as tea or coffee.”
4		Also, this is not a job for
		gluttons, she says: “If you taste
		more than four to six chocolates
		your taste buds become saturated.
		I will always only compare equivalent
		types of cocoa contents with