I set up Truffles by Gemma in February 2008 based on a love of chocolate and a desire to share it with others. Chocolate has been a passion and a hobby since I was a girl and, after graduating with a degree in History of Art and spending several years in marketing, I decided it was time to turn my passion into a business.

Working from my kitchen at home in Blackheath, my fledgling business has grown organically from church auctions and farmers' markets to supplying shops in Blackheath and Greenwich. I love working with chocolate in any form, and this love is the inspiration for my business, specialising in truffles and chocolate cakes.

I make everything myself by hand starting from the highest quality raw ingredients. I do not buy in any fillings or decorations. That way, I know exactly what has gone into every cake and every chocolate!

As well as being passionate about chocolate, I also feel strongly that we should do what we can to protect the environment. I try to create as little waste as possible, recycling as much as I can and composting all food waste. I save energy by only using kitchen appliances when they are full, including the oven! The card for my packaging comes from FSC-approved forests and is recyclable. Socially responsible and ethical sourcing is important to me. All my chocolate is organically grown and fairly traded and, where I can, I work with seasonal ingredients that have been produced locally using traditional or organic methods. The herbs for the chocolates I grow myself!

I hope you enjoy my cakes and chocolates as much as I do!