Dallas Chocolate Festival Main Event 2017

Learn from the experts.  Hosted by Catherine Cellar, these 45 minute sessions twill showcase talented people from across the industry as they explain the world of chocolate and make chocolate treats.  Seating is first come first served.

Schedule for the Whole Foods Demo Room:

11:00AM:  Breaking Down the Chocolate Wall with Heather Holland
Lost in the chocolate aisle at your favorite store? Chocolate expert from the Hunting For Chocolate website, Heather Holland, breaks down all the categories, definitions and certifications that can be found on chocolate bars in a retail environment.  Learn what it all means and what to look for so you come home with a bar you love.

Noon:  Strangely Delicious Chocolate Pairings with Megan Giller
Chocolate can pair with far more than marshmallows and graham crackers.  Food writer and journalist Megan Giller will demonstrate the wide array of chocolate flavors and the unusual things you can pair them with. Learn some tips and tricks you can use to  mix it up the next time you get together with friends.

1:00PM:  Baking fun with Paul Wackym
The baker behind Wackym’s Kitchen will be whipping up a delicious treat that you can make at home.

2:00PM:  Bake-less Chocolate Pastries with Chocolate Secrets
The experts in all things delicious will demonstrate how to make simple and elegant no-bake chocolate treats for your next gathering.

3:00PM: Hello Truffles!
Hello Cocoa makes great chocolate in Northwest Arkansas. Learn how they go from bean to bar to truffle.

Hosted by Dr. Carla Martin, the Lecture Room will feature presentations by exhibitors at the festival.  Their discussions will give attendees insight into the world of craft chocolate.  From the challenges to the joys and all the adventures in between.  Seats are available on a first come first seated basis.

11:00:  A Tasting History of Chocolate with Dr. Carla Martin
What is the difference between the chocolate of the Aztecs and what we eat today?  Dr. Martin will explain how chocolate has evolved over the ages into what we think of as chocolate today.

12:00  What Goes into a $10 Chocolate Bar?
Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco has become a leading force in cacao sourcing. Learn from head chocolate maker Greg D’Alesandre how they search for the finest beans and how they transform them into fine craft chocolate.

1:00 How Did I Get Here?  Chocolate as a Second Career
Ever dream of leaving the rat race to play with chocolate all day? That’s what these brave folks did. Hear about how they decided to take the leap from a different career into the world of chocolate. Featuring Ben Rasmussen (Potomac Chocolate), Yeli Marshall (Yellibelly Chocolate), David Menkes (Letterpress Chocolate), and more.

2:00  Life in a Chocolate Factory
Working in chocolate might be delicious, but it’s also well…work!  Hear some of the lessons learned from TCHO head chocolate maker Brad Kintzer who has lived to tell the tale.

3:00  Social Issues in Chocolate
We don’t always think about where the food we eat comes from. Chocolate is no different. As the craft chocolate industry grows, a spotlight has been turned of the role of the farmers, traders, and big manufacturers. Learn about the issues facing workers, the impact on the environment, and even the role of trade organizations on the business of the chocolate industry from Carla Barboto, president and co-founder of Pacari Chocolate of Ecuador.

A place to check in if you bring kids to the Dallas Chocolate Festival.  We’ll have some hands on fun for the kids including a chocolate fountain, games, a chocolate scavenger hunt and more.

Making chocolate is a complex process.  Staring with the cacao pods, the product goes through cleaning, fermenting, roasting, grinding, winnowing, conching and tempering before it can be poured into the molds that make chocolate bars.

The experts in this room will be working through all the stages of the process throughout the day so that visitors can see what each step involves.

Other features at the Dallas Chocolate Festival Include:

• Parking:  parking is available at no charge for event ticket holders in the parking garage located next door to the fig.  Ticket holders will need to show proof of a ticket to get into the garage.
• Food Trucks: Easy Slider Truck will be parked at the curb on Akard.  This is a great place to grab a bite to fuel your chocolate adventures.
• Gift Shop:  Get your Dallas Chocolate Festival T-shirts and other souvenirs

The Fairmont Dallas is literally across the street.  And, they’ve got a $149 rate for fans of the Dallas Chocolate Festival.  So, come into town for the Chocolate, and stay for the weekend.  Rate available for Friday, Sept 8 and Saturday, Sept. 9th exclusively with the link provided below.