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Big Island Chocolate Festival Schedule of Friday Seminars for 2024
All farm seminars will be held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in the Naupaka Salon 1. Walk into the lobby and all the way down to the left. You will see our signs.
Cacao Farm Seminars and Chocolate Culinary Demonstrations
Friday, April 26, 2024 1 pm – 5 pm
- 1-2 p.m. “Fermentation Process with Cacao” by Benjamin Field, a nurseryman from Kahalu'u, O'ahu. Green Field Nursery raised in Kahalu'u, on the island of Oahu. He grew up on his family's plant nursery and attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he completed a bachelors of science degree in ethnobotany. During this time at the university, he planted the first few cacao trees back at the nursery and let them grow on their own. Following graduation Ben moved back to the nursery with plans of eventually taking over. During this time he systematically planted the flood plain portion of his family's property with a cacao agroforest. In 2017 he formed Mapele Fields LLC. The company has grown to now process cacao for 21 growers in the Koolaupoko region. The nursery component is also still running, mostly specializing in native material for the local landscape industry.
- 2:15-3:15 p.m. “Maximizing Profits and Reach with Eco-tourism” Facilitated by Maddy Smith; As the founder of Barefoot Chocolatini, a chocolate eco-tourism company located on the Big Island of Hawai'i, and former president of East Hawaii Cacao Association, she strives to bring Hawai’i chocolate to the forefront of the local and international industry. After touring over 30 cacao farms and chocolate factories across the Hawaiian Islands and Mainland, leading tours and private retreats and processing chocolate from bean to bar in her home, she now wants to offer her expertise to budding new cacao farmers to thrive in the industry.
- 3:30-4:45 p.m. “The Importance of Proper Tempering - Your Quality of Chocolate Depends on it” - facilitated by Stéphane Tréand MOF of The prestigious Pastry School offers tips on how to temper chocolate and will be completing a beautiful all chocolate showpiece designed to stun party guests or serve as a stunning buffet centerpiece. Tréand’s prestigious Pastry School in California instructs students of all abilities in the pastry and baking arts.
Q&A of all speakers will occur directly after the last presentation.
Speakers for 2024
Benjamin Field, founder of Mapele Fields LLC, a local company that processes cacao for over 21 growers in the Koolaupoko region. Ben was born and raised in Kahalu'u, on the island of Oahu. He grew up on his family's plant nursery and attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he completed a bachelors of science degree in ethnobotany. During this time at the university, he planted the first few cacao trees back at the nursery and let them grow on their own. Following graduation Ben moved back to the nursery with plans of eventually taking over. During this time he systematically planted the flood plain portion of his family's property with a cacao agroforest then started his own company in 2017. The nursery component is also still running, mostly specializing in native material for the local landscape industry. Ben has been happily married since 2017 and has a 4-year old daughter.
Maddy Smith, founder of Barefoot Chocolatini, a chocolate eco-tourism company located on the Big Island, and former president of East Hawaii Cacao Association, she strives to bring Hawai’i chocolate to the forefront of the local and international industry. After touring over 30 cacao farms and chocolate factories across the Hawaiian Islands and Mainland, leading tours and private retreats and processing chocolate from bean to bar in her home, she now wants to offer her expertise to budding new cacao farmers. For more information, visit her website: https://www.barefootchocolatini.com/.
Stéphane Tréand MOF, and owner of The Pastry School, is a 40+ year veteran of the food industry, Stéphane Tréand’s pastry journey began in Northern France when his father sent him to work at the local bakery. Stéphane held a variety of positions at several bakeries and pastry shops in the Paris area where he learned all of the fundamental basics of French pastry and bakery. In 1989, Stéphane opened his own patisserie tearoom “Pâtisserie Tréand”, located in Brignoles in Provence, South of France. Already a food lover, he focused on the quality products.