The Team

JORDON - Factory Manager + CHOCOLATE MAKER

What is your favourite Ocelot bar and why?
White Almond. Chocolate was an infrequent but always appreciated treat growing up and it reminds me of then. When the milky bars were always on me!

Best part of your job?
It’s creative, down to earth and even-tempered. There are plenty of highly detailed components to manage; organic ingredients, stock levels, the recording of processed goods. It’s a privilege to work with and create such a high quality product. You would be hard pressed to not feel passionate about this.

What do you like to listen to while you’re making chocolate?
It depends on the day, the music played in the background of the factory is an eclectic mix. I do enjoy sneaking an earphone while packaging at times to listen to an audiobook.

Tell us something interesting or fun about yourself?
I enjoy solo exercise, some running and bouldering. It’s a great way to focus.

Do you have a hero?
I haven’t considered who or what makes a hero in so long, I focus on my own output of positivity to those around me mostly, my own immediate circle. Which has grown since working with Ocelot, extending to those who have tried the chocolate and feel excited to talk about it with me.

Favourite place in the world?
The west coast of Scotland, there is a special feeling that surrounds the landscape of the back end of nowhere in Scotland. It’s untouched and mystical. To retire to a bothy on the side of a lochan is the dream.

What is your favourite Ocelot bar and why?

Blood Orange! I love how the orange flavour feels bright, contrasting with the dark chocolate.

What is the best part of your job?

I really enjoy the process of packaging the chocolate. Jordan and Dev are fun to work with and I like being in a small team.

What do you like to listen to while you’re making chocolate?

Whatever music fits the vibe of the day… Usually something chill in the morning and then something more fun for after lunch. Dev is usually the DJ!

Tell us something interesting or fun about yourself?

I taught myself to cook from watching cookery shows religiously as a child. Recently I’ve started crochet and I’m working on my first scarf!

Do you have a hero?

I have no heroes but I am continually inspired by anyone who tries to make the world a better place.

Favourite place in the world?

I really enjoy spending time in graveyards and libraries. I like peaceful, quiet places with history.

What is your favourite Ocelot bar and why?

The Sea Salt, I like the subtle taste difference it has to a plain dark chocolate.

Best part of your job?

Learning something new at a type of job that you don’t see often.

What do you like to listen to while you’re making chocolate?

I like a mix of different music - as long as it’s played loud!

Tell us something interesting or fun about yourself?

I religiously perform with my band The Marx! I also enjoy photography - mostly taking photos of live music and the city.

Do you have a hero?
There are a lot of people whose work I admire but I don’t have any direct hero.

Favourite place in the world?

Anywhere in good company!

What is your favourite Ocelot bar and why?

Buckwheat - I love the contrast of the crunch against the smooth milk chocolate, and the maltiness - its a bit like a malteser, but better. Our Femme milk chocolate is definitely the nicest chocolate I’ve ever eaten.

Best part of your job?

When you see your product in a shop or cafe that you’ve admired for years: you feel very proud, and like all the hard work was worth it.

What do you like to listen to while you’re working in the factory?

I leave the music choices up to the staff and I’m always delighted (and surprised) by their eclectic choice! One minute its 90’s pop, the next minute it’s some Finnish death metal. If I’m on my own I might listen to a podcast: Adam Buxton or Quentin Tarantino’s Video Archives are favourites.

Tell us something interesting or fun about yourself?

I can juggle (up to 4 tomatoes), I can play the drums, and I can hold my breath for 4 minutes (but not all at the same time).

Do you have a hero?

I definitely look up to some of the top chefs, like Rene Redzepi. I met him when we ate at Noma a few years ago, and I held the toilet door open for Lars Ulrich while we were there, so that was a pretty good day!

Favourite place in the world?

Milia, the small mountain settlement on Crete, where I got married. No mains electricity, just candles, wood fires, sunshine, and the most delicious home cooked food - you leave there a different person.

What is your favourite Ocelot bar and why? 
Same as Laura - Blood Orange! A Chocolate Orange was my favourite Christmas treat as a kid - recreating that taste in an organic dark chocolate was a vital moment for me. And you don’t even need a hammer to break a piece off!

What is the best part of your job?

Designing the packaging for a new bar! And my favourite part of that is choosing the colours from the Pantone chart - yum! Colour is my thing.

What do you like to listen to while you’re working?

If I'm really concentrating on something I actually prefer quiet - I like to just be in tune with the sounds around me. Otherwise, I would put on an album I can listen to all the way through - Illmatic, Birth of the Cool, Chaleur Humaine, Alt-J are some favourites.

Who is your hero?

Nathalie du Pasquier. She's never made a piece of art that wasn't my idea of perfection. She is my 'future me' inspiration: I’d love to think that I’m just at the beginning and in my 70’s/80’s/90’s I’ll be firing out the best, most relevant work of my life.

Favourite place in the world? 

The bramble bushes around our house. When the berries (Scottish wild blackberries) ripen in late summer I go out in the morning and fill a bowl. It makes everything seem right in the world - the rich warm perfumed smell, nothing on your mind except reaching the next berry, and then walking home through the woods with scratched, stinging arms and a bounty of nutritious food you've found for your family. It's the basic human programming for happiness.