EDWARD STREET TASTEMAKERS: PETER INGALL, OWNER OF MAYFIELD CHOCOLATES

Peter Ingall, Owner of Mayfield Chocolates

Mayfield Chocolates is a hidden gem of Edward Street, creating beautiful handmade chocolates that add a little luxury to everyone’s day. Founder and owner, Peter Ingall knows a thing or two about chocolate having started Mayfield Chocolates 25 years ago, so we sat down with him to ask about his success and what chocolates he will be eating this Easter!

How long have you been running Mayfield Chocolates?

Mayfield Chocolates began on the Gold Coast in 1993. When Mayfield Chocolates began, we really wanted a space where people could walk in and are instantly immersed in a chocolate environment. At Mayfield Chocolates, we focus on producing premium chocolates with flavours of Australia such as South Australian brandy, Queensland pineapples and Queensland rum. We have won a gold medal in Europe for our chocolates and our unique range is tailored specifically to our customers so that they can buy exactly what they want and go home with specialty chocolates that won’t disappoint.

Why Edward street?

Firstly, the site was beautiful and is heritage listed. Secondly, Edward Street is an upmarket shopping precinct that is accessible for a lot of CBD workers and visitors to our lovely city. Valentine’s Day was a real success because of the office workers who dropped in for last minute Valentine’s Day gifts. Many of our customers are people who walked past our shop front and have kept us in mind for when they needed a gift.

How many chocolatiers do you have?

We have two or three chocolatiers working with us at any one time and something that we like to focus on is creating a good taste experience for our customers with quality Australian chocolates. Mayfield Chocolates have their own set of unique recipes that use real ingredients, that draw out the colour, flavour and decadent texture of the chocolate. My favourite recipe is the Sunshine Truffle, which uses real Queensland pineapple and fresh cream. It’s Pina Colada flavours in a chocolate!

Has being on Edward Street increased your clientele?

We have picked up a lot of new clients since moving to Edward Street. Our clientele is built in a number of ways, including existing customers, people who walk past, word of mouth and people finding us online. Having an online presence is very important to our business and customers can find us on multiple platforms like Facebook, Instagram and our website.

In 25 years of business, have you had any funny experiences?

A funny story from one of our regular customers was after she bought one of our big thirty-two-piece chocolate gift boxes. She woke up to some strange noises during the night, only to walk downstairs and find a possum with chocolate all around its mouth, eating her new box of Mayfield Chocolates!

We have also had a couple of instances where people have used our chocolates to get engaged. For example, a customer asked me to put an engagement ring inside a chocolate egg. Another customer asked me to put a Tiffany’s box inside one of our gift boxes, so he could propose to his girlfriend.

What are your Easter best sellers?

Easter is our busiest time of year and our top sellers are our Easter eggs and bunnies. Our bunnies Mr. Cuddles, Mr Suave and Mr Harry Handsome Hare are the most popular with customers around Easter time. We also have Easter boxes with special Easter chocolates like the Hot Cross Truffle and Macadamia Easter Eggs. For a special touch, we have a local artist create Easter gift tags. All hand-made and beautifully drawn, they symbolise how we like to do different and creative things for each holiday season.

What was your background before Mayfield Chocolate?

I have a marketing legal background. I was the Marketing Manager of Darrell Lea in Sydney when I first started in the industry. When I stopped working for Darrell Lea, I decided to go to Germany and study confectionary. It was in Germany that I discovered my love for confectionary – in particular chocolate. I learnt many useful things that I still utilise today, like product development.

Not long after, I met my wife and she was a big inspiration when developing the flavours of Mayfield Chocolates. She had a wonderful palate, much better than mine and she worked alongside me to create many of the chocolates we still sell today.

What do you do at Easter?

I take time to relax after the busy period. Easter can be such a rush that I like to enjoy the down time.

Do you have any special chocolates for yourself at Easter?

I love the Hot Cross Truffles at Easter or just a simple box of mixed chocolates.

What’s in the Hot Cross Truffles?

There are two kinds of Hot Cross Truffle:

Dark chocolate, plum and port ganache – rich, dark and fruity.
Milk chocolate, cinnamon nutmeg and cloves ganache – non-alcoholic.

How many chocolates do you eat in a day?

I don’t normally eat too many. But occasionally I will have one or two chocolates here and there.

Which is your favourite chocolate?

I don’t have a favourite but if I had to pick one I like, it would be the Bush Ranger’s Dream. The Bush Ranger’s Dream is filled with rum and sultana ganache, which gives it rich and fruity tones.

Tips for people wanting to impress this Easter?

If you are looking for a gift for your partner, then I would recommend an Easter Gift Box. The best part about this gift is that you can choose a selection of different chocolates that will suit your partner.

If you are looking for a few chocolates for the kids, then I would suggest any of the chocolates bunnies Mr. Cuddles, Mr Suave and Mr Harry Handsome Hare in milk, dark or white chocolate.