Adam Handling MBE: Chocolate Is the Language of Love
Covent Garden’s Ultimate Valentine’s Gift
From ancient ritual to modern indulgence, chocolate has long been entwined with love, desire and celebration. This Valentine’s Day, Adam Handling MBE, the Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur behind some of London’s most talked-about kitchen, gives the tradition a distinctly London address, with a deliciously decadent Valentine’s creation.
Photography, Valentine’s Day Heart Chocolate.
The Ancient Origins of Chocolate and Desire
For centuries, cacao has carried meaning far beyond taste. Revered by the Aztecs as an elixir of vitality and desire, later embraced by European courts as a rare luxury, chocolate became a symbol of intimacy long before it became commonplace. By the Victorian era, it was the ultimate token of affection rich, scarce and emotionally charged. Today, that legacy endures - chocolate remains one of the most evocative gestures of love.
In Covent Garden, one of London’s most historic food districts, Handling reinterprets this timeless ritual through the lens of modern British craftsmanship at the Adam Handling Chocolate Shop. Located at 17 Maiden Lane, moments from his Michelin-starred restaurant Frog by Adam Handling, the boutique transforms one of the chef’s most personal passions into a destination for Valentine’s gifting, food-led travel and year-round discovery. Here, chocolate is treated not as confectionery, but as a serious ingredient shaped by provenance, technique and restraint.
Love at First Bite: A Valentine’s Chocolate Heart
At the centre of the Chocolate Shop’s Valentine’s offering is a limited-edition Valentine’s Day Heart Chocolate, a sculptural centrepiece created to be shared. Filled with layers of salted caramel, marshmallow and milk chocolate ganache, it balances sweetness with depth, indulgence with precision. Priced at £18, it is designed as a romantic gesture that feels thoughtful rather than excessive.
Alongside it sits a Valentine’s box of four hand-painted chocolates (£12), finished in pink and red hues and showcasing a playful yet elegant flavour selection: Krug Champagne, Rhubarb & Custard, Blood Orange and Raspberry & Hibiscus. Each piece is individually crafted and painted in central London by Handling’s team, led by Head Chocolatier Paul Stradling, using the same award-winning chocolate that has already earned the shop multiple Great Taste Awards.
A Michelin-Starred Touch for Valentine’s Shopping in London
What sets the Adam Handling Chocolate Shop apart is its culinary DNA. Handling’s Michelin-starred background and MBE recognition inform every detail, from flavour balance to finish bringing fine-dining discipline into the world of luxury chocolate. Presented in the shop’s signature packaging, the Valentine’s collection feels considered, gift-ready and unmistakably London.
Photography, Chef Adam Handling MBE by Justin DeSouza
The Valentine’s chocolates are available in-store and can also be ordered online until 10 February, ensuring smooth delivery ahead of 14 February. For those seeking a Valentine’s gift that blends romance, craftsmanship and Michelin-level credibility, this Covent Garden chocolate heart speaks the universal language of love, beautifully, and deliciously.
Read more about the Adam Handling Chocolate Shop here
Adam Handling Chocolate Shop
17 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7NL
Open daily, 10am to 10pm
