The Champion of Chocolate.

It had been a long and winding road for Andrew. Fifteen years of family problems, untrustworthy partners, health issues, fire and the world financial collapse all played their part in his life. Now he was on the verge of achieving their ultimate dream and his life's ambition.

He left school following his father's path of accounting. He didn't finish first year, hating every minute of it. He wanted to make his parents proud though, and went back to college. That didn't last either, until his father pulled strings for him in the bank. He got a decent job in Dublin with a major bank but still dreamt through the long days of one thing - chocolate.

His job ended simply. His direct supervisor called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory a stupid film. He clattered him across the chin with a left hook. Within minutes and without being told, Andrew started packing up his personal items from his desk. He left not knowing if he had been fired or not.

One thing he had learned from the bank was the importance of savings. At the tender age of 22, he told his friends about his love of food and his obsession with chocolate.Andrew wanted to go to culinary college and feed his nurturing desire in how to cook properly. He finished top of his class after three years and became a sous-chef at a top Dublin five-star restaurant.

Having his creative side stifled by the chef, Andrew soon became disillusioned. He wasted two and a half years until they employed a new pastry chef by the name of Tomasina. She was German and shared the same desire and love for chocolate. They hit it off immediately. Andrew soon found himself in the company of Tomasina, learning new ways and the complexities of chocolate.

One night, in the company of friends and too much wine, Andrew blurted out that he wanted to rule the world of chocolate. Everyone in the room laughed heartily except one man - Jon. Jon was the son of a wealthy financier and was eager to make his own mark in the world of business. Speaking further, they both had an idea to open a chocolate cafe. Tomasina and Andrew would run the chocolate end of operations and Jon would locate premises and staff.

Andrew put his entire life savings into the business. It bore fruit. They opened three cafes in one year, all making and raking in cash. Jon had ambitious plans, yet Andrew didn't quite agree. Then Tomasina fell pregnant. She had to take it easy near the end of her term. Jon franchised the business and the company grew exponentially. Using their exquisite brands of chocolate, the coffee and related products were flying off the shelves.

Andrew and Tomasina wanted to stick to the core value of selling the chocolate. Jon didn't agree. He wanted to brand the chocolate cafes and push the chocolate through this avenue. It became legal and very messy, very quickly.Andrew managed to hold onto the chocolate recipes and his one and only store. Jon soon coped without them both by employing another chocolatier.

Animosity soon developed between the two. A suspicious fire closed the shop for three months. The insurance money to refurbish was held back as an investigation was conducted against Andrew. His health detiorated as a result and he slowly drifted into depression. Tomasina soon moved out, taking with her their son, Philip.

Andrew celebrated his thirtieth birthday on his own, in a damp one bedroomed apartment in the city centre. He had never felt so alone. He contemplated his own demise. But then over a cup of coffee he was offered a complimentary piece of chocolate. He didn't like what he tasted and knew what he could change. He saw the way back.

He threw himself back into work, studying the old French and Belgian ways of taking the cocoa beans, harnessing, mixing and making chocolate. Travelling between the chocolate schools dotted throughout Europe, he refound his love. Sending Tomasina an over sized, ambitious and impressive chocolate present, he wrote a simple note.

"I'm back. Without you, Philip and chocolate in my life - I have nothing."

Andrew returned to Dublin, opening a small chocolate shop in a former old bookstore on Grafton Street. He held onto the the semblance of the exterior and placed a simple sign on the front. He wanted the chocolate to speak for itself. The front sign simply said "APT Chocolate."

It didn't take much time for the chocolate buzz. Word of mouth spread the popularity of his APT mixes. The variety and complexity of his four core chocolates sold themselves. He soon had investors and financiers wanting to back his every move. He turned every single one of them down.

Chocolatiers began to flock to him. Word flowed back to Tomasina that Andrew was doing very well. They had spent seven months apart, barely speaking a word. The queue outside the door of the small shop was immense.

The shop sign melted her heart. APT stood for Andrew, Philip and Tomasina.

She walked past the long line and walked directly up to him. Seeing the happiness in his eyes, a single tear brushed her cheek. Without saying anything, she kissed him deeply, forgetting the past months.

Now that his life was back on track, they combined ideas and workings with chocolate. New themes launched their business into the stratosphere. They won award after award, propelling them into the spotlight. But Andrew still craved a simpler but huge accomplishment. To be a Chocolate Master.

Andrew had worked hard for this moment. Five years on their own, perfecting and exacting their own particular brands of chocolate. And now he was on the verge of becoming the king of chocolate.

He was in the final three of the Masters of Chocolate. The World Championships of Chocolate.

The 2011 Champion of Chocolate took to the stage with the golden envelope in hand. He announced the three finalists representing Mexico, Japan and Ireland. Andrew was proud. Tomasina gazed on with Philip, teary eyed.

The announcer stated Japan in third place. He had done well coming second, he thought to himself. Andrew really didn't expect to win.

But then his life got better. Ireland had a new Master. A Champion of Chocolate.