Chocolate crush
For Zeba Kohli, chocolates are more than comfort food. They’re what define her legacy, her life. It was at the young age of 15 that she first stepped into her grandfather, A. Fazalbhoy’s chocolate factory. Since then, the entrepreneur has only worked at ways in which to make the family business flourish.
“Nana started the shop back in 1946. He had many grandchildren, but I was one of his favourites. I used to run errands for him and be his Man Friday of sorts. It was my training grounds in a way,” says chocolatier Zeba who runs the successful Fantasie Chocolates business.
What started off as a modest store by her grandfather, today sells 33 varieties of flavoured chocolates across five stores in the country. Being a chocolatier, Zeba says, is not as sweet as it sounds. “I have been dismissed as a chocolatewali on multiple occasions by people who weren’t very pleased to see a woman doing well for herself, but I don’t let those comments get to me. My work speaks for itself,” she says.
What makes her job fun is the potential for creativity that it offers. “My chocolates go beyond the usual size and shapes. I’ve made chocolate jewellery, chocolate clothes and what not. Having said that, every order is special and edgy.” Apart from pleasing her clients with her stunning chocolates, Zeba also does her bit for charity by creating employment opportunities for the lesser-privileged women.
Besides chocolates, Zeba also likes to put her entrepreneurial skills to use with other events. She recently organised a fashion exhibition titled Project 7 in Mumbai where apart from showcasing her own jewellery line with Sabina Singh, Zeba also got the likes of Salamat Husain (MF Husain’s grandson) on board with his photography exhibition. “The number seven stands for the seven charkas of meditation. It has a positive vibe to it,” says Zeba who is a spiritual person at heart.
But when she’s not working Zeba does like to let her hair down. One of the popular faces in Mumbai’s social circuit, she believes in having a distinct style when about town. And she’s not referring to the clothes. “I am not brand-crazy. I don’t care that much about what I am wearing. A woman’s best accessories I believe are a clean mind and heart. As long as you’re well-groomed and lead life like it’s a celebration, you’ll always look fabulous,” she says with a smile.
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