'You can expect a Nestar chocolate to be
delighfully smooth, a mirror shiny jewell'

ISSY'S WORK

As a true artist and fine chocolatier, Issy has trained in Europe and Australia.
He has learnt in depth a skill that takes years to perfect.  An educated buyer
will be able to discern the true characteristics of a premium panned chocolate.

Issy has personally selected chocolate that creates a perfect coating bringing 
out the subtleties of the centre. 

Issy only uses pure premium Callebaut Belgian style chocolate.  When producing 
high quality panned chocolate from appearance,  to taste profiles there is no 
substitute for a perfectly hand panned product.

Issy’s Nestar range is an expression of chocolate as fine art, it creates memories
it evokes emotions. Issy has created his own signature recipes for his brand, Nestar.

INTERVIEW WITH ISSY BILAL - nestar chocolatier

Q.  Why chocolate?
A.  For me fine chocolate exisits as part of the art of living, it’s my aim to play a role
in ‘chocolating’ peoples lives. I’m free to design the chocolate of my dreams!

Q.  I like that! How do you create this ‘art’
A.  A single taste profile, when combined with the right chocolate, done in a 
precise process can produce an explosively powerful experience.

Q.  Tell us about your Panning Room.
A.  I work with 5 pans, 100 year old copper pans, some of which are retained for
different purposes. It’s a private room, no visitors allowed.

Q.  Whys is this? is room environment that important?
A.  Crucial, in every stage, from pre-coating centres, to the slow chocolate infusing
process itself, room atmosphere, from airflow, temperature, moisture/humidity 
levels, to the chocolate temperature itself at different stages,  needs to be precisely
controlled. It is a fluid process that responds differently everytime.

Q.  Sounds like a very skillful, art-form like method,  was it hard to master?
A.  It took me years to perfect and I learn more with every new batch I produce. 
I trained in Australia and Europe, I find panning rewarding, satisfying, I love what I do.
I also create my own glazes, males Nestar highly resitant to extreme environments.

Q. So why ‘Hand-Panned’?
A.  Think of a fine pastry chef,  from the finest ingredients, to the labour of hand work
the time taken, there is no substitue.  In the end result, the quality, a perfectly rounded, 
polished and finished nut, the freshness of a properly coated centre.... you know you 
will get the best and this is what an experienced consumer will look for and expect from 
a hand panned chocolate.

Q  Finally,  do you have a thought or moto you go by everytime you start a new batch?
A. I sure do, I take personal pride in every step to guarantee a perfectly hand panned 
piece  everytime.