Bournemouth chocolatier on the crest of a wave

A leading chocolatier from Bournemouth is once again on the crest of a wave after being asked to host his hugely popular chocolate workshops on board a cruise ship.

Enterprising Gerry Wilton from Chocolate Delight is taking to the high seas in December on board the latest addition to the Thomson Cruises' fleet, Thomson Dream, to teach passengers all about chocolate on a 14 night cruise to the Caribbean.

It's not the first time that the top chocolatier has experienced the sweet taste of success with his floating chocolate classes, however. Last year, Gerry taught passengers the indulgent art of Belgian chocolate truffle making on board an 18 night cruise to Greenland, Iceland and Norway.

"I'll be showing Thomson Cruises passengers how to make delicious chocolate cocktails and edible chocolate shoes as well as holding chocolate portrait painting sessions," says chocolate entrepreneur Gerry, who also owns and runs the Chocolate Boutique Hotel, recently described as one of the six best novelty hotels in the world by Sunday Times Travel Magazine.

"I'll also be talking to passengers about the history of chocolate and the production of cocoa, showing them how to temper chocolate and teaching them how to make delicious Belgian chocolate truffles by hand using raw ingredients, a skill that will stay with them forever."

Gerry will be holding eight chocolate themed workshops during Thomson Dream's 14 night cruise, which takes in Madeira with its exotic blooms, rollercoaster hills and cascading waterfalls before leaving for the Caribbean, visiting Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, Antigua and Tortola.

"I'll be hosting two workshops each day that passengers are at sea," says Gerry, who will be taking up to 150kgs of chocolate to sea with him, as well as all the necessary kit such as aprons, trays, bowls, spatulas and chocolate shoe moulds.

Not surprisingly, Gerry says he is really looking forward to the trip, which leaves on the 8th of December. "Surely this must be a dream job, cruising the Caribbean, surrounded by chocolate?" he says.

To find out more about Thomson Cruises' ship Thomson Dream, visit thomson.co.uk/cruise. To learn more about Gerry's Chocolate Delight workshops and the Chocolate Boutique Hotel, go to chocolatedelight.co.uk.