India isn’t known for its chocolate. But Bibi – one of London’s most inventive Indian restaurants – is changing that.
If you’ve been to Bibi before, you may have tried its Pondicherry Hot Chocolate dessert – an ever-changing dish, but one that typically features a base of spiced pao perdu (French toast) topped with wild rice crumb, toasted rice ice-cream, mandarin gel and chocolate mousse. Or perhaps you’ve been served its creamy chocolate kulfi (a frozen dessert).
The chocolate in these dishes comes from Mason & Co, a bean-to-bar factory in Auroville, an “experimental township” on the south-east coast of India. Auroville is a lively commune in the heart of the jungle focused on sustainability, craft and conscious ways of living. “What stays with you is the energy: people there are fully invested in what they do,” says Bibi’s head chef Chet Sharma. “That sense of purpose brings everyone together.”
Sharma says the chocolate has a “deep cocoa richness … [with] warm spice hints, balanced by a subtle coastal salinity”. This flavour blends well with both the aromatic spices in the Pondicherry Hot Chocolate and vibrant citrus and floral notes in other desserts at Bibi. Its profile is the result of a rigorous, hands-on process. The beans are fermented and dried, then roasted, ground and hand-tempered on site. “Usually, chocolate in India is hyper-processed, a far cry from the artisanal chocolate you get in Europe,” says Sharma. “Mason & Co completely revolutionised my idea of what Indian chocolate could be.”
Bibi has also just launched a line of bespoke chocolate bars with Mason & Co, which Sharma says are “an extension of the BiBi dining experience – rich, nuanced and reflective of heritage”. After their meal, diners are presented with six chocolate bars and can select one to take home. They can also buy the full set. The bars are inspired by Sharma’s first chocolate tasting at Mason & Co, which he wants to recreate for guests. Flavours include cardamom and coconut milk dark chocolate; a caramel, almond and curry leaf bar; a sea salt and sourdough number; and a chilli and cinnamon bar.
“None of the flavours are meant to shout,” Sharma says. “Each bar is designed to be enjoyed slowly, letting the flavours unfold in stages.”
Bibi’s partnership with Mason & Co goes deeper than flavour profiles – it’s also about a commitment to social responsibility. Mason & Co’s employees are local women. Many of their husbands have left to work in the Middle East or on cruise ships, and their jobs allow them to upskill and gain a stable income.
For Sharma, flavour and ethics are inseparable. “Great food starts with people who truly care about what they produce.”
