Māori pâtissier Tom Hilton knows how bittersweet professional success can be.
For more than a decade the Ngāti Whātua, Ngā Puhi and Whakatōhea uri has worked across the world as a pastry chef and chocolatier.
"That's what we do as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, chefs, bakers. We're creating nostalgia through taste," Hilton said.
Hilton grew up in the United Kingdom but moved back to Takahiwai near Whangārei to live with his dad when he was 16.
"It was just really good and obviously learning more about our culture."
While in Aotearoa, his hospitality teacher spotted his talent in the kitchen.
"She told me all these stories of her time in London and travelling Europe and this sparked the curiosity."
Tom's curiosity led him to the doorstep of revered Scottish pastry chef and chocolatier William Curley in London.
Eventually he worked his way up to becoming a pastry chef.
But the pursuit of perfection took a toll - with Tom working 80-100 hours a week in a cut-throat industry.
It's an intensity he struggled to shake when he returned to Aotearoa in 2017.
"When I came back I was horrible. I shouldn't laugh, but in the kitchen... I was constantly going, go, go."
The intense pressure of his career finally catching up to him.
"It was more culmination of a decade ish of that intensiveness, the pressure and the toxicity of the industry alone; it just compounds and you know, blows up."
Tom slowly found his way out of that dark place - through the help of a life coach and by making chocolate.
"Once I picked up the tools, it's like they never left. And they brought that love back."
He's now launching Ao Cacao - a luxury chocolate business with a distinctly indigenous flavour. Some of his more unique offerings include fried bread, paua, hangi and steam pudding bon bons.
He's planning to open his first store next year in Auckland - his next dream is opening an indigenous chocolate school.
"Just paying it forward... that's the pinnacle for me."
