THIS has to be the best job in the world - tasting chocolate and having the perfect excuse to savour every mouthful.
The hunt was on yesterday for an official chocolate taster to one of the country's biggest cake makers.
Memory Lane Cakes, in Cardiff, put 10 hopefuls through their chocaholic paces at the city's Holland House Hotel to find the best man or woman for the job of tasting the latest products. The winner has the plum position of giving their cocoa-covered thumbs-up or down to the newest cakes and confectionery produced by Memory Lane Cakes for Nestl .
Among the finalists, chosen from hundreds of applicants from across Britain, was Rachel Wilyeo, 23, who lives in Bridgend. The trainee solicitor was entered for the competition by her mother June, who realised it could be the perfect job for her chocolate-loving daughter.
Rachel said, "We got to go the chocolate ball which was held at the Dorchester in London and there were celebrities there including Barbara Windsor.
"I would not be worried about eating too much chocolate - I eat two bars a day as it is. In work we have a tuck shop and in the morning when I have a coffee I always vow to make it last through the day, but ..."
The contestants had to come up with their own cake design and give a two-minute presentation to a panel of judges.
Rachel said, "I have come up with a walnut whip but instead of marshmallow I use nuts as I feel Nestle could make more fun with cakes with nuts."
June, from Cwmafan near Neath, added, "Rachel is a chocaholic, she absolutely loves it. When she was a student it was her only luxury. I saw the competition and knew immediately it was for Rachel."
Among the other tasks set down by Memory Lane Cakes was a chocolate theme quiz, a rigorous taste-bud test to identify chocolate from around the world and a Generation Game-style cake icing challenge.
Gill Thompson, 44, from Birmingham was the eventual winner.
She said, "It is a dream. I think I will wake up in a minute! Being a chocolate lover this is a dream job to have, it's like having the golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
The job is not paid, but it means a monthly supply of luxury chocolate is sent to the taster's home to taste and share with family and friends. Ms Thompson will then give feedback over the phone.
Martin Wiltshire, marketing controller at Memory Lane, said, "This is an official role in the company and it means the winner will be involved in product development to help us develop fantastic cakes.
"Part of the reason for this is that at Memory Lane we are too close to the cakes and we want somebody we can send samples to to get involved in new product development and for them to say no that taste is not quite right, it is too big or too small.
"We want somebody who is fanatical about chocolate - that is the No1 qualification. This has to be one of the best jobs in the country.
"We thought it would be a great idea if we had somebody who could be our chocolate lover and official taster. It is based around Nestle's chocolate lover's range, which we developed because we wanted a product that is all about indulgence and luxury."
Source: icWales | 
