New shop brings "a chocolate dream come true" to St Helier

Tuesday 06 August 2024

Jersey’s most extreme chocolatier, already famed for her chocolate replicas of Corbière Lighthouse and the London skyline, has now opened a shop just a “short hop-skip-and-jump" from St Helier.

Evelyn Day, who is originally from South Africa but has lived in the island since the pandemic, recently opened up a new workshop in Havre des Pas called 'Chocadyllic’.

Islanders might already be familiar with Evelyn's chocolate iteration of Corbière Lighthouse at fairs and fetes, or her Jersey map bars which are a feature of stays at Handpicked Hotels – but now her shop-slash-studio is open for chocolate-lovers to pop in and indulge in the current collection of chocolate bonbons and other sweet treats.

Pictured: Evelyn Day with her chocolate iteration of Corbière Lighthouse.

In an announcement sent out this week, she said: "I have now opened my little chocolate shop just a short hop-skip-and-jump from St Helier.

"There are delicious hand-painted chocolate bonbons and chocolate bars in the shape of our beautiful island for sale.

"There will also be a few little tasters for you to try."

Evelyn added: "I'm currently creating new flavours and designs so you might be lucky enough to see and even taste them first.

"All my chocs are lovingly handmade in the tiny studio which used to be an old garage!"

She explained that for the remainder of summer, opening hours will be irregular – but from September onward, her choc shop will operate on a Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00.

Speaking to Express about Chocadyllic's opening, Evelyn said it was "very exciting" and a new step for the business that she had been "thinking about for a long time".

"It's a chocolate dream come true," she said.

She explained that she was already in the midst of production, making batches and planning for more flavours and designs.

Pictured: Evelyn's mini Jersey maps are one of her most well-known products.

The story of Evelyn's career does not begin with chocolate. In fact, she studied art, photography, print-making and graphic design – a combination of subjects which led her to a career in web design.

It was only during a period of ill health which forced her to stop working that she discovered a love of baking, gradually becoming more and more creative with the recipes and experimenting with different techniques.

She started learning more skills, and posting her cake and chocolate creations online, which led to people sending her requests and commissions.

After making chocolate designs of the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower and Brighton Bandstand, Evelyn decided to complement her one-off pieces with a range of smaller, more accessible offers such as Easter eggs and lollipops in the shape of Brighton Pavilion.

In 2016, she depicted the London skyline for the London Chocolate Festival, and in 2019, she took part in Channel 4's Extreme Chocolate Makers, for which she produced three showpieces, and she has featured on Channel 5's Wonderful World of Chocolate.

Evelyn moved to Jersey with her husband shortly after the pandemic, and broadened her skills to creating Jersey map bars for Handpicked Hotels and a range of bonbons – including some featuring the CI Liquor Company's spiced Indica rum.

She mixes Belgian Couverture chocolate – a staple for chocolatiers – with Jersey dairy products and other local ingredients such as sea salt, black butter and honey.

You can find out more about Chocadyllic via their website.