Interview
CHOCOLATE SHOP SUCCESS STORY
1- Could you tell us about your professional career?
My career started after I graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. I was unemployed for six months, which left a void in my life that I had to fill. I spent a lot of time baking and experimenting in the kitchen, where my ultimate joy was successfully managing to follow a recipe. I knew I had a lot to learn, and the perfect way to that was to start from the beginning. I went to Le Cordon Bleu, a culinary arts school in Paris, for an intensive course in classic French pastry, which included a small course on chocolate-making.
When I came back to Saudi Arabia, I started applying what I had learned within my small social circle of family and friends, and I received a lot of positive feedback. At that stage, my mind was still unsettled as to what I wanted to do, but in my heart I yearned to work with chocolate. My resolution was to start a small chocolate store bearing my family’s name: Mirza. Instagram was an essential part of my e-commerce business, as I had a diverse audience happy to engage with Mirza.
After a year and a half establishing a solid clientèle, I officially opened my store in July 2018. Of course, this journey is not solely about me for – I am where I am today because of my family.
2- How did you end up specializing in chocolate?
Proudly embracing the bold differences between my love of architecture and chocolate allowed me to expand my expertise and widen my imagination. My chocolate molds are my canvasses, and what I decide to reflect is a part of me.
I focus on colorful chocolate bonbons because vibrant colors, beautiful shine and great flavors never fail to bring joy to people. I always try to have a story for every collection I make, because we all value a good story.
3- To what do you owe the success of your store/restaurant?
I think the key for a successful chocolate store is to use refined ingredients. Chocolate has the ability to accentuate flavors. We make sure we pair it with flavors and ingredients that enhance it perfectly.
Not only that, we hand-decorate each bonbon to reflect our philosophy and demonstrate our master craftsmanship.
4- What are your plans for your store/ restaurant?
Mirza is still in its early stages and we have lots more ideas to bring to the table. Saudi Arabia is a huge market, and it is setting the bar very high for the chocolate industry. My main goal is to maintain the premium quality and image that reflects Mirza no matter how big we manage to grow.
