Golden ticket: 106 days since Gabrielle, Silky Oak to satisfy Willy Wonka order

Laura Bottomley, of Silky Oak Chocolate Factory, with the first batch since Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Paul Taylor

Patrons at Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory won’t go wanting.

A screening of the classic 1971 film at the MTG on June 10 forms part of Hawke’s Bay’s Winter F.A.W.C! festivities and you can’t have Willy Wonka without chocolate.

Thankfully, for enthusiasts of Gene Wilder and chocolate, Silky Oak Chocolates resumed production today.

Yes, after 106 days of cleaning up its cyclone-hit Links Rd premises, Silky Oak got back to what it does best.

The very first batch of chocolate had just been tempered when Hawke’s Bay Today arrived, before going into moulds for a very special occasion.

“These ones are actually getting made for MTG. So we’re making bars for them and there’s going to be golden tickets,’’ Silky Oak owner Jeanette Darwen said.

Will you get one of Silky Oak's golden tickets? Photo / Paul Taylor.

Darwen had worried about being able to meet the F.A.W.C! order.

Every patron at MTG for Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory gets a bar of Silky Oak chocolate, although it’s still uncertain exactly what the golden ticket holders will receive.

While chocolate is finally being made at Silky Oak again, the rest of the complex is still some weeks away from being operational. That could make tours of the chocolate factory - like that taken by Charlie Bucket and the film’s other golden ticket holders - temporarily impossible.

Floors have been relaid and walls reinstated, but a lot of equipment still has to be built or sourced before Silky Oak’s museum, cinema, cafe and pantry shop can reopen.

Chocolate production had been due to early this month but Darwen, like many Hawke’s Bay business owners, found cyclone recovery work doesn’t always happen to schedule.

Silky Oak owner Jeanette Darwen faces weeks more work before her business is fully operational. Photo / Paul Taylor

All the same, an important and emotional milestone in the business’ history was reached on Tuesday.

“I’ve just tried to keep everything contained, if that makes sense. Otherwise I might become a blubbering mess,’’ said Darwen.

All going to plan, the rest of her business should be operational by July.

But it’s the chocolate that truly matters and, with that flowing again, the flavourings for centres and marshmallows and all sorts of other goodies can be whipped up again too.