The Change-Over...

So the day has finally arrived. After many amazing sounding applicants for job of Choc Star manager, I came upon this pair. Presenting: Shrimp & Ben!

Both were wilting in their office jobs and longing to get to grips with the Choc Star world. It's really physical, LONG hours, no weekends off, I kept telling them. We're so ready, they said. We want to get stuck in!

Until I starting putting the word out there for a replacement so I could get on and pursue other things, there was one thing about doing Choc Star that had never occurred to me. Yes, it's knackering, yes, you've got to be really on it to do it and yes, you are working while most other people are playing. But there is one thing that has never happened to me once in the van - and that is grappling with the desire for the clock to hurry up until home time. It just isn't like that. The rhythm is different all the time, the punters are often different and the day passes in a blur of nice chats, chocolate offerings, neon lights and music.

I'll miss this. But I'm truly excited that while I am ready to move on, two others are ready to step in. Shrimp and Ben are a delight already - do stop by and say hello if you're near.

Jimmy will be on the Southbank as part of the street food section of the Real Food Market by the Royal Festival Hall, Fridays-Sundays most weekends (but check the blog for more specific details).

Hope to see some of you there at some point - we're under the new industrial commemorative staircase, down form the Hayward Gallery.

For now, here are a few snaps of what we've been up to lately (apologies for the yawning gap between posts - life has been mental).

Book launch of Richard Johnson's Street Food Revolution - this old boy was a devil for the choc!

Cast and crew for Ridley Scott's prequel to Alien. Charlize Theron wanted to give them all a treat so we hot-footed it over to Pinewood. (Sadly no pics of CT scooping in the van).

A wedding in Somerset - this guest loved Jimmy so much he was behind that counter faster than all hell. I hit the dance floor while I had the chance....

Some of my Friday regulars on the Southbank. These two are hilarious and demons for the shakes.

Under the new stairs for the Festival of Britain celebrations. It's becoming a real chow and hang zone...

Another wedding down in the countryside. We take in large lungfuls of sweet, balmy air while we can - suck it up and save it for London.

Two of our most regular customers - Anne and Manny. She likes cupcakes, he likes death metal. Always a pleasure to see.

By the bandstand for the Royal Street Food Festival that eat.st showed out for. Great group of traders, we had a ball.


Another choc fiend...

And here is Jimmy nuzzling up to The Rye as part of the #16days event that eat.st and The Meatwagon put on. Peckham, we love you!


More soon. Enjoy the sun y'all!