A British pastry chef living in Melbourne has been getting creative with chocolate from her apartment to survive the city’s strict lockdown.

Victoria Willits, like many international hospitality workers, was stood-down in the coronavirus pandemic, leaving her trying to get by without government assistance.

Since July, she’s been handcrafting artisan chocolate bars from her Melbourne CBD apartment and selling them on her Facebook and Instagram pages.

Victoria told Broadsheet she wanted to practice chocolate work for her own sake, before posting them to Facebook.

“I did a few bonbons and a few chocolate bars and I jokingly posted [some pictures] on my Facebook and said, ‘Would anyone like to buy any?’ And quite a few of my friends responded saying yes,” she said.

Making 10-15 bars per week, the bars vary in flavour and colour – some packed with sweets like Curly Wurlys, Oreos, pretzels, M&Ms and Kitkats – with the top surface of the bars created in a colourful and abstract design.

Generously, Victoria is also donating 10 per cent of each sale to the CoVid-19 Employee Assistance Directive (COVID19EAD), a charity that helps provide much-needed assistance including food, rent and other essential items to international visa holders whom are unable to work or get any financial assistance.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the amazing response I’ve had and I want to help share that with other visa-holders and other people in hospo,” she says. “[It’s] an industry where we look after people … and I feel the need to continue that on because people have helped me out.”

Cocoa-Vid chocolate bars are $15 each or $40 for three. Australia-wide shipping is available for $10.95.