About

Tēnā Koe e hoa,

He uri tēnei nō Te Parawhau nō Ngāpuhi,

nō Ngāti Whatua nō Manaia, nō Ngāti Tu,

nō Ngāitahuhu, tōku Ngāti Tutama nō Whakatōhea.

Ko Manaia tōku maunga

Ko Terengaparaoa tōku moana

 Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua tōku waka

Ko Tangiteroria tōku Marae

Ko Takahiwai tōku whenua

Ko Netana tōku whānau

Ko Tom tōku Ingoa,

I tipu ake ahau kei ingarangi ki te tonga i te taha o tōku Māmā nō Pāpā – no Ingarangi ia.

My name is Tom Hilton and I am proud of my whakapapa on both my mother and my fathers side. I walk with cultures side by side.

I have been a Patissier and Chocolatier for over the last decade. My journey started in London where I trained under master patissier and chocolatier William Curley MCA, this built the foundation to my craft and fuelled me to hone my skills overseas. Since then I have worked in Haute Patisseries and Chocolateries, 5-Star Hotels and 3 Michelin star kitchens in Europe, USA and Aotearoa. 

I make bespoke chocolates for clients globally including The Royal Family of England, The Rothschild Family and many more. I have published recipes in various cookbooks and ghost written menus for restaurants and hotels in Aotearoa and overseas. 

Te Ao Tiakarete : The World of Chocolate

With Ao, sharing with you my love for the craft through small artisanal batches that push the boundaries. Taking indigenous excellence to the world stage, through the vehicle that is Tiakarete (chocolate)