Craig Alibone Chocolate

From a space in the heart of Bodø, Craig Alibone pairs the limitless, surprising flavours of chocolate with the elegance of champagne. We spoke to the chef about his award-winning chocolate and an offering that’s unique in Northern Norway.

Patisserie, chocolate, and champagne in downtown Bodø

“Many of our recipes start with flavours that are familiar to everyone. But our aim is always to do something a little different. The great thing about chocolate is that there is so much you can do with it.”

Craig Alibone, the owner and chef at the chocolatier, patisserie, and champagneria on Torvgata in Bodø, is proud of the flavours his team creates. And he’s not the only one that’s impressed. In 2019, the brand’s oak-smoked chocolate with sea salt won bronze at the Academy of Chocolate awards. And the same year, his white chocolate with fennel seed and salted cashew nuts also won bronze.

But the experiments don’t end there. Craig’s range includes miso and brown butter, mango and hibiscus, and white chocolate with local blueberries and toasted oats. And, Craig tells us, a macaron with bacon and maple syrup is just around the corner.

“Too many people are content with the chocolate they find on the high street. But when it comes to finding new and exciting flavours, the opportunities are endless. We think they’re worth exploring.”

That exploration has been at the heart of the Craig Alibone brand since it was founded. As an ambassador for the French chocolate brand, Valrhona, Craig has long used their luxury chocolate alongside locally sourced ingredients, from sea salt from Saltstraumen to Norwegian whisky from Myken. Yet a lot has changed since he opened his first chocolate shop in Bodø in 2016.

“Back then, we had a really small range based on Valrhona chocolate. It’s responsibly sourced and fairly traded chocolate, from the highest quality beans around. But in the beginning, I was focused on encouraging people to just try it!”

From that point, though, the company has gone from strength to strength. Alongside awards for their chocolate in 2019, 2020, and 2021, Craig and his team moved into this new, larger space on Torvgata two years ago—and diversified the brand’s offering to match. Now they serve patisserie during the day and chocolate in the evening— paired with drinks chosen by some of Norway’s best sommeliers.

The move from chocolate to patisserie might seem like a strange one—but not if you know Craig’s talents. Working in kitchens since the age of 16, Craig trained with some of the biggest names in international cooking, including at the school of French-born pastry heavyweight, Alain Ducasse.

“With patisserie, you just have to learn the French way— and training at Alain Ducasse was the best way to do that. It was incredible. I learned so much, but it also kickstarted my thought process on how I wanted to do things my own way. When I finished, I started as head pastry chef at the Holmenkollen Hotel in Oslo, where I could put all my new skills to the test.”

Since then, chocolate and patisserie have gone hand in hand for Craig. But, as a French-trained Brit in Norway, his development has always balanced his three main influences.

“There are big parts of me that miss the UK. That’s why I try to incorporate British flavours into our recipes—although that’s always risk,” Craig laughs.

“For example, I wanted to make a chocolate that recalled the taste of rice pudding, something that I just love but isn’t really eaten in this part of the world. We used a jasmine milk ganache—and it went down incredibly well with our guests.”

In fact, Craig says, it’s his space’s guests in Bodø to whom he’s most grateful.

“I feel like we’ve slowly become an important part of the community here,” he explains.

“The pandemic could have been a really difficult time for us, as it was for so many. But there were nights in the last couple of years when I was literally in tears of gratitude. This place survived because the community rallied round to support us. That’s when I knew we had been accepted by this town.”

Now, after the pandemic’s disruption, there’s a lot going on in the patisserie. Craig holds a regular jazz night in the cocktail bar and the venue is looking to start savoury foods too.

“The emphasis will be on snacks and sharing. We’re planning to include some influences from back home too. Expect scotch eggs and toad in the hole—but with a little twist.”

And Craig has bigger plans, too.

“Another Craig Alibone space in another city is on the horizon. The idea’s still young and we have lots of homework to do, but Bodø has shown us that we have an idea people love. We can’t wait to share it with the rest of Norway.” Instagram / @craigalibonepatisserie Facebook / @craigalibonepatisserie craigalibone.com