Q&A | Made with love

Married for just a year, Swiss businessman Nicolas Thoenen, a chocolate importer, and dietician Mayuri Bhawan were brought together by a friend and a mutual love of chocolate.

How did you meet and was it love at first sight?

Mayuri Bhawan (MB) We met through a mutual friend at the time. It wasn’t love at first sight, but there was an easy connection from the beginning — and somehow, no matter where life took us, we kept finding our way back to each other. Looking back, it truly feels like kismet.

Describe your wedding in Franschhoek and share a standout memory for each of you of the special day.

MB: Our wedding was filled with beautiful moments, but the ceremony felt the most sacred to us. What stood out most was when the priest said that no matter how busy life gets, we should always make time for one meal together each day.

And when our tummies feel full and happy, I would suggest a piece of chocolate — but just “a piece” — for each of us.

Nicolas Thoenen (NT): That simple reminder truly resonated with us. It’s never just about the food — it’s our moment to slow down, reconnect, be present, and choose each other every single day

As a couple whose careers are intertwined with food, if you had to choose one food that represents your relationship, what would it be?

MB: We’d have to say potatoes and Swiss cheese — or better yet, fondue. Potatoes because they’re a comforting staple in Indian homes, versatile, familiar, and impossible not to love. Swiss cheese because it reflects the Swiss roots — simple, distinctive, and full of character. Together, they come alive as fondue, warm, comforting, and meant to be shared. A perfect blend of our cultures, our stories, and our love … all in one pot, just like us.

NT: And when our tummies feel full and happy, I would suggest a piece of chocolate — but just ‘a piece’ — for each of us.

If you could choose a romantic dinner prepared by a famous chef who would you select to cook that special meal?

MB: Definitely Yotam Ottolenghi. We love how fresh his dishes feel and how bold yet balanced the flavour combinations are. For us, his food is the perfect mix of wholesome and vibrant.

If we were on a cooking competition show, who would be the chef and who would be the messy assistant?

NT: We would say May as the chef, and I would be her creative assistant. With her professional background in being a registered dietitian with her own practice, I will always go with her initial suggestions on ingredients to prepare a tasty, healthy dish.

What is your number one food pet peeve in your relationship?

NT: Grabbing a potato fry off the other person’s plate before they’ve even had a bite. It’s a classic little battle that happens Every. Single. Time.

If you lost your taste for all flavours except one, which one would you keep: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, or umami?

NT: We both would pick salty; we nevertheless love variety and not too much routine when it comes to meals and flavours. Spicy meals are also very high up on our agenda.

Good quality chocolate can be the ultimate pick up. What is your favourite choice when it comes to the confection?

NT: We both love dark chocolate. Mayuri used to be a milk-chocolate girl, but after tasting Lindt dark chocolates when we met — and I kept sending her oversized (over 10kg!) boxes of pralines — she started liking dark chocolates with around 70% of cocoa more and more. Her conversion thereafter to Valor sugar-free dark chocolate was not a difficult one. You can call us ‘team dark chocolate’.

Anything chocolate is one of the most popular desserts but what is your favourite dessert that shares the love language?

MB: Hands down, we both agree it’s a chocolate fondant. Warm, gooey, and perfect to share.

The recipe:

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

This delectable double chocolate recipe was developed by French chef Michael Bras, a great lover of chocolate who, on a family skiing trip and inspired by hot chocolate, used the concept of a frozen hot chocolate centre in the middle of a chocolate sponge — the centre melts on baking and oozes perfectly when one spoons into the dessert.

Makes 4-6 depending on the size of baking dish.

Filling:

75ml cream

125g dark chocolate

10ml Cointreau, rum or brandy, optional

Sponge:

125g butter, softened

85g (140ml) caster sugar

2 extra large eggs

80g (150ml) cake wheat flour

50g (125ml) cocoa powder

To serve:

Whipped cream

1. Make the filling by gently heating the cream in a pan until steaming, but not boiling. Break the chocolate into pieces and whisk into the hot cream until melted. Add the chosen alcohol if using. While still warm, pour into a shallow plastic container with a lid and store in the fridge/freezer until solid, for about two hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 200° C. Beat the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating each one well before adding the next.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa together twice and fold into the egg mixture. Grease 4-6 ramekins well.
4. Fill two thirds of each prepared container with sponge mixture, spreading it slightly up the sides.
5. Remove filling mixture from the fridge and cut into square blocks. Place squares of chocolate in the centre of the sponge mixture and cover with more chocolate sponge mixture.
6. Place containers on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. Cakes should feel springy to the touch when ready. Run a small knife around edges, unmould, and serve immediately with a dollop of cream.