Tom's Mince Pie Chocolates: Flavour with a Mission

As Christmas approaches, our senses come alive with the allure of festive flavours. This holiday season, we introduce a special, limited-edition Mince Pie chocolate—an idea born from a young, neurodivergent visionary named Thomas. His journey with us at Harry Specters is a story of transformation, and autism acceptance in the workplace.

Here, we share Tom's story in his own words and celebrate his creativity:

"Hi, I'm Thomas," begins Tom. "Most people call me Tom. I'm a college student, currently doing my 2nd year of a BTEC course. As part of my BTEC, I need to complete 60 hours of work experience."

The Harry Specters team - including Thomas - receiving the 2024 Kings Award for Promoting Opportunity

For Tom, though, finding a placement wasn’t as simple as filling out an application. The world still carries many misconceptions about autism, leading to limited opportunities for people like Tom. As he explains, “I struggled in my first year to find a placement; I believe this is because I declared on my applications I have Autism.”

Tom sheds light on the barriers many neurodivergent individuals face: “For employers, it can be worrying as they are obligated to make reasonable adjustments. This can be costly and involve hours of training.” The reality of these constraints often means autistic people are overlooked, misunderstood, and left out of employment opportunities. But Tom’s story took a positive turn when his family reached out to their local community for work experience suggestions, leading them to Harry Specters.

At Harry Specters, we celebrate diversity and the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring. When Tom joined our team, he found an environment that valued his unique perspective and creativity. “I felt valued,” Tom shares, “everyone got on with working. I didn’t feel the need to make small talk as I’m not very good with that. Like many with autism, it’s not our strongest skill!”

Thomas hard at work unmoulding chocolates

Through his time with us so far, Tom has experienced a newfound independence. His time at Harry Specters sparked a passion for culinary creativity that he hadn’t known before. “Watching all the chocolates being made, I felt inspired—so much so that what I thought I wanted to do for a career has now changed,” he says. “I went from thinking my future would be in IT to wanting to get into professional cookery.” Tom’s excitement for his new path soon found him experimenting in his kitchen at home, trying his hand at recipes and even developing his own chocolate creations. His confidence grew, and so did his passion.

One of Tom’s creations, the Mince Pie chocolate, was inspired by his love for festive flavours and family traditions. “I started to wonder if I could link my experience at Harry Specters to my own cooking,” he shares, “so I made some of my chocolates and let my family try them—they liked them and made jokes like, ‘Maybe you should ask Mona if you could pitch these chocolates to the company.’” Encouraged, Tom did just that. He prepared a detailed presentation, combining his IT skills with his culinary passion, and pitched his festive creation to the Harry Specters team.

A snippet of Tom's presentation given to the Harry Specters team

Much to his delight, our team was thrilled with Tom’s proposal. The Mince Pie chocolate—a flavour that echoes the warmth of a cosy Christmas—has been crafted by our chocolatiers based on Tom’s original idea and will be available this season as a limited-edition luxury Christmas chocolate. Tom’s journey illustrates what we stand for at Harry Specters: offering a space for neurodivergent individuals to thrive, challenge misconceptions, and bring their unique talents to life.

Tom’s journey to a future career in the culinary arts and his love for chocolate reflect our mission to inspire change through every indulgent bite. When you enjoy our Mince Pie chocolates this Christmas, you’re not just treating yourself to luxury; you’re supporting a future where neurodivergent individuals are celebrated and encouraged to pursue their dreams. Tom expresses his gratitude, saying, “I cannot thank everyone at Harry Specters enough for being so amazing and supportive of me and others like me. Harry Specters is changing lives and helping the wider community see that people with autism can not only be employed but add value to companies.”

The story of Tom’s Mince Pie chocolate reminds us that true luxury is about depth, both in flavour and purpose. Every box of Harry Specters chocolates represents a commitment to a brighter, more inclusive future, where talents like Tom’s can flourish. 

Tom closes his story with a heartfelt message to our supporters: “Thank you to everyone who supports and buys from Harry Specters—because of you, I was able to start work experience here, and the experience has totally changed my life. Next year, I start my journey in professional cookery! I hope you enjoy my chocolates.”

This holiday season, by choosing Harry Specters, you are doing so much more than enjoying luxurious Christmas chocolates. You are championing a world where neurodivergent talents are celebrated and given room to shine. So indulge, knowing that you are part of a movement for acceptance, inclusion, and remarkable taste.

Try Tom's Mince Pie Chocolates while stocks last!