talking chocolate at the International Chocolate Festival in Silicon Valley
I was thrilled to be invited to be the Keynote Speaker at the first ever International Chocolate Festival April 21-22, 2018, at the San Mateo Event Center in Silicon Valley, California.
I enjoyed talking about Chocolate Travel and the Terroir of Chocolate with chocolate lovers at the International Chocolate Festival in San Mateo, California.
The first ever International Chocolate Festival held in San Mateo got a terrific turnout for its first run in April, 2018.
the international chocolate fest 2018 in silicon valley was a hit
The truly international event attracted 15,000 visitors over the course of its two-day run, with ongoing cooking demonstrations, a Guatemala-flavoured cacao ceremony, several other speakers, and a myriad of chocolate goodies to taste from the 50+ vendors who came from as far away as Dubai, UAE.
Martin van Almsick, general manager, (left) and Patrick Dorais, director of sales (right) for Al Nassma Chocolate of Dubai were a hit at the International Chocolate Festival.
tasting and experiencing chocolate at the international chocolate festival
It was cool to meet Dubai-based Martin van Almsick and Patrick Dorais of Al Nassma Chocolate and witness the enthusiasm they received from chocolate lovers tasting camel’s milk chocolate for the first time. Readers of Chocolatour volume I may recall that I included Al Nassma in the A-Z guide for chocolate lovers in the back of the book, and mentioned enjoying Al Nassma’s dark chocolate flavoured with oranges, dates or almonds. Al Nassma’s camel’s milk chocolate is quite different than any other chocolate you will have tried. I hope to visit their camel-milking facility in the United Arab Emirates prior to publishing volume III of Chocolatour.
Another popular vendor at the International Chocolate Festival (ICF) was Sacred Chocolate manned by none other than Sacred Steve (Adler) of San Rafael, California. Sacred Chocolate is raw, unroasted, organic, stone-ground, and vegan, and comes in a variety of mind-blowing flavours such as the Amazonia featuring 22 herbs and berries from the Amazon jungle, and the TuMo bar containing ginger, curcumin, and peppercorn to offer your body a healthy punch that grows on you with every bite.
It was a pleasure meeting fellow author Birgitte Rasine and seeing her beautiful illustrated book entitled, “the Jaguar and the Cacao Tree.”
Multi international award winner Pacari Chocolate, based in Ecuador, is one of the finest South American chocolate makers, and had a very popular booth at the ICF. Cao Chocolate of Miami, Florida, was there with its terrific single origin chocolate offerings. And there were also many California-based chocolate companies, old and new. Michael’s Chocolates is a new company from San Francisco specializing in flavoured bonbons. Raphio Chocolate is a terrific new organic bean-to-bar chocolate maker based in Fresno, California. I really loved their 72% dark chocolate bar infused with Clementine Olive Oil and have enjoyed several of their single origin bars as well.
Raphio Chocolate by Elisia Otavi is 100% organic, non-GMO and gluten and preservative free. I loved the 72% dark chocolate bar infused with Clementine Olive Oil from the Enzo Olive Oil Company. It is silky smooth and has a lovely touch of citrus from the clementines.
There was truly something for everyone to explore and enjoy–and so many fascinating people to talk to!
Isabel Cali of One Light Tribe led us through a captivating cacao ceremony that featured fresh cacao from Guatemala.
The highlight of the festival for me was meeting Isabel Cali, an American who spends much of her time in the Amazon and jungles of Central America expanding her knowledge in plant medicine. Isabel is the founder of One Light Tribe, a collective that celebrates healing through medicinal plants such as cacao. I will be writing more about Isabel and her work in the post I will be writing about sacred cacao ceremonies. Stay tuned for that.
One Light Tribe hosted the cacao ceremony at the International Chocolate Festival in Silicon Valley.
Hats off to Pamm McFadden and the rest of the team that worked tirelessly to put together this fantastic event for chocolate and cacao lovers featuring the best California chocolate as well as many international chocolate companies as well.
Well done! What an incredible event! The International Chocolate Fest offered such a big amount of nice vendors.
It was indeed a great event, Jacklin. I haven’t heard anything about as to whether they will be having a similar event in 2019. There certainly seemed to be plenty of interest inn 2018.
I heard about this chocolate festival but missed attending it. You helped me see what I missed. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for it next year.
Yes, it was an amazing chocolate event. Thanks for stopping by my site. Do come again. 🙂
Chocolate travel… what a great idea!
What a fascinating conference that must have been. And congratulations on being chosen as a speaker
I love chocolates, who doesn’t from childrens to elders, all. Its great to see such international festivals are being celebrated with chocolate as theme.
Wait! There was a Chocolate Festival in my own backyard and I missed it?!
You bet! 15,000 people attended the first Silicon Valley International Chocolate Fest. I’m sure next year will be even bigger!
! Obviously most of the world has a love for, and a growing curiosity about chocolate. I’m so glad your interest was ahead of the curve. Hopefully you’ll have more time to pursue your chocolate travel and writing career. I look forward to Volume ll of Chocolatour.
I had no idea that there is an international chocolate festival in the Silicon Valley. You will be my go to person, whenever and wherever I need any information on chocolates, seriously! I so very much want to be a part of this festival
Hi Neha, and thanks for the vote of confidence! I do indeed hope to be everyone’s “go to girl” when it comes to the world of chocolate. Stay tuned! 🙂
That’s fantastic Doreen. Way to go. They chose well when they chose you for the keynote.
Thanks so much, Virginia. I’ve come a long way from the early days of Chocolatouring, yet every day still feels fresh and full of adventure. Hope to do some more exploring with you again soon. 🙂
Doreen! This is a separate level of specialisation on the knowledge of chocolates. I never knew chocolates could be classified similar to coffee in the way of being categorised as unroasted, vegan etc etc. Waiting to hear more about the lady from South America that you mention at One Light Tribe
Thanks for your enthusiastic comment, Kartik. I will indeed be writing more about One Light Tribe in a future post. Stay tuned, and do subscribe to my site if you don’t want to miss it! 🙂
What an amazing event! So many great vendors, of course 15,000 people wanted to be a part of it! That cacao ceremony looks really intriguing, I haven’t seen one before.
Thanks for your comment, Crysta. Every cacao ceremony is quite different. I will soon write a post about this, so please stay tuned! 🙂
Silicon Valley must indeed have reverberated with the magic of chocolate. And of course, no Chocolate event would be complete without Doreen’s presence. The event looks so interesting and it would have been a great experience interacting with Chocolate experts from around the world.
Such a wonderful opportunity for you Doreen! I’m sure that everyone learned a lot from your expertise. Hope to hear you speak one day.
Thx so much, Sue! Recommend me as a speaker to a conference you may be involved with, and I’ll be there!
The blog was very attractive to read. Thanks for sharing.
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You’re welcome! Maybe next year, the International Chocolate Festival in Silicon Valley will incorporate some form of chocolate spa treatment into their offerings as I see the Grenada Chocolate Festival now has done.
15,000 participants! That is one huge meeting. Congratulations on your presentation~
Thanks, Irene. The International Chocolate Fest was a fabulous event. I commend the organizers for pulling it off.
The blog was very attractive and easy to read. Thanks for sharing this article with us.
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You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed my post. I see your spa has a chocolate coloured facial on its website. Is that cocoa-based? If you have any chocolate treatments at the Samaya spa, please send me an e-mail about them.
What a fun festival it must have been. Funny, I was thinking of you just this morning. I was having my cappuccino with nothing to eat for breakfast and found some sort of chocolate wafer things that are common in Valencia.
Thank you for sharing this with us..
So much chocolate! Congratulations on being invited to be the Keynote Speaker, what a great honour.
Thanks so much, Nathalie. It was indeed a great event. 🙂
Big congratulations again, Doreen! Delightful for you to be invited to be the keynote at such a great event.
Thanks so much, Rose. It truly was a pleasure and a great event.
I heard about this chocolate festival but missed attending it. You helped me see what I missed. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for it next year.
Right on, Carole. I’m sure it will be even bigger and better next year.
Fascinating snippets from the conference. I had no idea there was such a thing as camel’s milk chocolate, and I can’t wait to hear more about the cacao ceremony. Chocolate always makes me feel better!
That cacao ceremony sounds fascinating! Great to hear they featured Guatemalan cacao!
15,000 visitors!! Wow, that speaks volumes about our love of chocolate. What an awesome event for you to be the keynote speaker. Was the smell of chocolate everywhere?
Hi Debra. No, you didn’t really smell chocolate too much as no one was making chocolate on site. But it was everywhere around, and everyone was happy. 🙂
I am glad you had the opportunity to meet so many fellow chocolate enthusiasts. Congratulations on being the Keynote Speaker.
Thanks so much, Bev. That Toastmasters training sure prepared me well for the event. 🙂
Chocolate travel… what a great idea!
Thanks, Elizabeth. It’s great when we can combine out passions in our work. 🙂
What a fascinating conference that must have been. And congratulations on being chosen as a speaker!
Thanks, Karen!
Doreen,
Nice review! Indeed the camel milk chocolate bar with orange is a best seller. Many tourists visiting Dubai take this bar back home.
I hope you find enough time to visit the Al Bastakiya historical district in Dubai where a few cafes and restaurants serve camel milk ice cream.
Cheers.
Thanks so much for your comment, Fred! I’m very interested to learn of the camel’s milk ice-aream! I see that on your site, you mention the camel’s milk chocolate truffles? Are you making those as well? I would love to taste them! I do hope to make it back to Dubai sometime soon, and will definitely look you up!
Indeed we do make French-style chocolate truffles made out of camel milk. Please feel free to connect with us on instagram to stay tuned and know where to find us in Dubai. But I really do recommend you a dinner at the Arabian Tea House located in Al Bastakiya, no matter what. It will be one of your best culinary experience.
Thanks for the recommendations, Fred. I will try my best to get to Dubai and area in the next year.
What a fun festival it must have been. Funny, I was thinking of you just this morning. I was having my cappuccino with nothing to eat for breakfast and found some sort of chocolate wafer things that are common in Valencia. I thought Doreen wouldn’t approve of this 🙂 . See how you are starting to affect my taste buds? Love it 🙂
Well, thank you, Kemkem! I’m glad that I am influencing chocolate lovers of the world! Chocolate wafers can be OK if they have pure dark chocolate in them. Read the ingredient list. The fewer ingredients, the better, as that generally indicates purity of products.
What an event and to be the keynote speaker is amazing!! Congratulations on all your achievements!!
Thanks so much, Marilyn. 🙂
Sounds like Heaven, Doreen! You certainly found your calling, and you get to travel too!
Thanks, Judy! And thx for being along on this delicious journey with me and the rest of us! Stay tuned for more.
Looks both delicious and educational. That’s my kind of festival. I’m not surprised a chocolate conference would be so popular. Most people love chocolate. I’d love to see the cacao ceremony.
Hi Nancie, and thx for your comment. Yes, chocolate festivals are great. I hope you get to attend one soon, as well as a cacao ceremony. Stay tuned for more on that.
How very exciting, Doreen ! Obviously most of the world has a love for, and a growing curiosity about chocolate. I’m so glad your interest was ahead of the curve. Hopefully you’ll have more time to pursue your chocolate travel and writing career. I look forward to Volume ll of Choclatour.
Thx so much, Linda! Who would have known back in 2009 that chocolate would take over my life? I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love doing, and hope that I will get volume II done before too long.
Love Reading about your travels ,Doreen. Camel’s milk Chocolate sounds very interesting ,Indeed.
Thx so much, Sue. It’s great having you along (virtually) to share it all with me. A writer is nothing without joyous, involved readers.
That must have been a real hoot. Most folks have no idea about the real story of chocolate and how it is produced. Thank you for helping us learn about it …. and we now know how to buy it.
Thx so much, Betty. Having friends and fans like you make my job so much easier!
Who better to be keynote speaker than you Doreen? What a privilege to speak to 15,000 people on a subject you know inside out. I am intrigued as to what camel’s milk chocolate tastes like. I am sure I will find out one day……….
Thx so much for the words of confidence, Phoenicia. It means a lot to me.
How cool to have met all these people there Doreen. So sorry I wasn’t one of them, but one of these days we’ll work something out.:-)
that would be super awesome, Kathy. I’m hoping I’ll soon find my way back to California. 🙂
Congratulations, Doreen, on being the keynote speaker at the fest! It looks like it was a lot of fun, and delicious!
Thx so much for your comment, Andrea. It was indeed a lot of fun at the International Chocolate Festival! ❤️
I am so proud to know you! It is so great you found your niche early on and that you are already in Volume III. You are truly a chocolate connoisseur.
Thanks so much for that endorsement, Carol. Much appreciated! I am nearing completion of research for volume II of Chocolatour, which will focus on the Americas and the Caribbean. Hopefully to be published before the end of this year. Volume III of Chocolatour will cover Asia, Africa, Australia, NZ, the Middle East and other cocoa growing regions such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. So I’m definitely into chocolate travel for the long haul. 🙂
It was wonderful to have you at the festival! People truly enjoyed hearing your talks.
We wish you wonderful chocolatey travels.
Thanks, Pamm! Great meeting you, too, as well as Susann and Daryl. Hats off to you for all your hard work.