William Curley
William Curley
As one of the UK's top chocolatiers, William Curley's chocolates and pâtisserie are some of the most beautiful and delicious sweet treats and desserts ever created.
There’s a wealth of incredible chocolatiers found working hard all over the UK and there’s never been a better time to indulge your sweet tooth with an expertly crafted truffle, bar or pâtisserie. However, if you’re looking for the very best, there’s one man who rises above all others: William Curley.
William was born in Methil – a small coastal town in Fife, Scotland – in 1971. His father, like many in the town, was a dock-worker, but William's path was always going to be in the kitchen – his career started with an apprenticeship at Gleneagles, before his skills took him to the pastry sections of some of the greatest restaurants and chefs in the world. William has worked with some of the greatest chefs in the UK, including Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Marco Pierre White at The Restaurant Hyde Park Hotel (now the Mandarin Oriental) and Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire.
After this, he spent considerable time in France, working with legendary chef Marc Meneau at L'Esperance in Vezelay, Burgundy, and Pierre Romeyer at Maison Du Bouche, just outside Brussels, before returning to London to join Anton Edelman at The Savoy. At just twenty-seven years old, he became the youngest Head Chef Pâtissier in world history.
In 2004, William started his own chocolatier business. Since then, he has become the most awarded chocolate producer in the UK, being named Britain’s Best Chocolatier by The Academy of Chocolate four times and winning a gold medal at The Culinary Olympics. He eventually became a Master of Culinary Arts, which is one of the highest accolades awarded to chefs in Britain, and has written three cookbooks – Couture Chocolate, Pâtisserie and Nostalgic Delights.
By 2012, William had numerous outposts in London. He had his own shops in Richmond and Belgravia, where guests could sit at the bar and order a tasting menu of desserts to try, and he also had his own concession in Harrods where you could buy his chocolates, including the famous Curley Wurly, and his ultra-popular ice cream sandwich.
William is known to incorporate unusual ingredients into his chocolates and patisserie, many of which are inspired by his former wife Suzue, a highly respected Japanese pâtissier. Wasabi, toasted sesame and black vinegar-infused cakes and truffles are among some of his more left-field creations.
As of 2024, William had boutiques in Soho, Harrods and COMO Metropolitan London, as well as a successful online business.
Three things you should know
To commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, William created a chocolate crown and displayed it in the window of Harrods.
William works exclusively with Amedei chocolate, a Tuscan company which ethically sources its beans from all over the world.
Training the next generation of chefs is very important to William, and he regularly holds classes and workshops where he shares the secrets of his success.
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