It’s one of Glasgow’s greatest food and drink success stories in recent years, beloved by TV’s Rick Stein and given pride of place on dessert menus across Scotland.
But Bare Bones Chocolate might never have come to be were it not for a particularly rough day at work for Lara Dixon which prompted a move back home in search of a sweeter way of life.
“I was working as a food photographer in London and always found it so inspiring to visit small businesses where people had such hands-on jobs.
“Later I started to transition into fashion photography which was a bit of a disaster.
“There was a really difficult client and I remember sitting on the journey home one day thinking to myself ‘I really don’t want to do this anymore’.
“I pulled a bar of chocolate out of my bag and started eating it, then suddenly started to picture what it would be like to make chocolate all day, every day.
“I googled it then and there and learned that a lot of it comes down to science and numbers which was perfect for my husband Cameron who has a background in engineering.
“We quit our jobs and moved back to Glasgow.”
Inspired and fully committed to this new calling, the first Bare Bones bars were created in 2018 using an old coffee-roaster in a garage that belonged to Dixon’s parents.
A new home on Osborne Street in the Saltmarket area followed, as the pair realised their dream was fast becoming a reality thanks to building interest in their small-batch production process that takes raw cocoa beans all the way to a finished bar.
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Treating their chocolate with the same reverence as a sommelier would a fine wine, the duo has always aimed for complex flavours which develop and enrich over a standard maturation period of two to three weeks.
Also paramount to their core ethos is ensuring workers at every stage of the supply chain are fairly paid at farms that understand the importance of sustainability when it comes to cocoa beans.
This attention to detail and unwavering dedication to the craft is what earned them a spot on the Glasgow episode of Rick Stein's Food Stories in February this year, as a glowing review from the celebrity chef catapulted Bare Bones into a whole new light.
“People love Rick Stein and really trust his opinion because he’s so knowledgeable.
“Even seeing him walk down Osborne Street felt so surreal for us because we’ve been watching him on TV for our whole lives.
“They didn’t let him taste any of the chocolate before the camera was rolling because they wanted to get his genuine first reaction.
“Then he said it was the best chocolate he had ever tasted which was unbelievable and we’ve been so busy ever since.”
The team experienced such an increase in demand for their bars, including the 70% Philippines Dark Chocolate selected by Stein for use in an indulgent profiterole recipe, that they still warn of potential delays in dispatching orders due to the TV appearance.
But even after Bare Bones entered a new era with the opening of a retail shop at 111 King Street in May, Dixon has vowed that expansion will never come at the cost of the high standards they have always maintained.
“We were struggling for space and started to look elsewhere, but the thought of leaving that area was really sad,” she continued.
“That railway arch setting feels like a huge part of our brand now.
“Then we found the new space that was right around the corner and had these big, gorgeous windows.
“We designed and built the whole shop from scratch and now can run backwards and forwards for stock or all have lunch together.
“I know a lot of business owners say, ‘You’ll never find a team that cares as much as you’, but during everything with Rick Stein, we had every single friend or family member who was free helping us out.
“We’re so lucky that we have such a great community around us that shares our dedication to doing things right.”
The wider foodie community in Glasgow has also warmly welcomed Bare Bones into their pastry sections from gooey brownie bites at Fallachan to a smooth cremeux at The Gannet.
“I think that’s one of the things that we’re most proud of with Bare Bones,” Dixon said.
“We always hoped that we could work with the coffee shops we love and admire or the restaurant that you would be proud to send someone to if they were visiting Glasgow.
“Places like Ka Pao, Ox & Finch and The Gannet care so much about what they do and the ingredients they serve.
“For them to know our story and relay that to their customers is so cool and we love being a part of that community.”
Just over halfway through 2024, the team has already ticked off some extraordinary bucket list experiences.
As to what comes next, there’s talk of potential for opening new outlets across the country while continuing to forge connections with like-minded producers from all over Scotland.
With the prospect of such a bright future ahead, Dixon said: “I’m so glad it’s all worked out because we are so passionate about chocolate.
“I could never have imagined that this is what we would be dedicating our lives to, but it really is the best thing we’ve ever done.”
Bare Bones is located at 111 King Street in Glasgow.
For more information visit bareboneschocolate.co.uk.
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