Seminars

Join us for one or more of our 2026 presentations. 
Meet chocolate makers, chocolatiers and chocolate tasters and 
take part in learning, tasting and enjoying craft chocolate!

Past years have shown us that they are very popular with our guests, so we are excited to announce that we have increased the number of presentations for the 2026 show. This year's presentations will take place in Salon D and Classroom O-40, locations noted below.

All presentations are on a first come, first serve basis and have a maximum capacity of 40 guests.  Almost all most are free to attend, with the exception of 2 as noted below.  They do fill up quickly so if you're super excited to attend certain topics please keep that in mind.

Travel the World Through Chocolate 
Presentations in Salon D (located in the Main Hall)

10:30 - 11:15 - Discover Peru and Qantu Chocolate!
Join Maxime Simard and Elfi Maldonada of Qantu Chocolate as they share Peru's rich cacao heritage, its culture and traditions, Qantu's relationship with the producers, and how their travels to cacao-growing regions inspire the chocolate they create at Qantu. Enjoy sampling some of Qantu's Peruvian origin bars!

11:45 - 12:30 - Explore Costa Rica with Desbarres Chocolate
Ariane and Erik Hansen, co-founders of Desbarres Chocolate, were introduced to Hilda and Oscar, cacao farmers in Costa Rica through a mutual friend. This led to an introduction to their farm in Heredia Province, Costa Rica, which in turn led Desbarres to creating their first Costa Rican bar! Join Ariane to learn about Hilda and Oscar's farming practices, Costa Rican cacao, the new partnership formed between these farmers and these chocolate makers, and of course, sample some Costa Rican chocolate!

1:00 - 1:45 - The Partnership of Guatemalan Cacao & Sirene Chocolate
Sirene Chocolate has sourced Guatemalan cacao since 2012, winning Sirene's first major award in 2013. This award also marked the first-ever international recognition for Guatemalan cacao. Today, Sirene crafts a unique line of bars infused with herbs and spices grown in the exact same soil and region as the beans. Today Sirene founder Taylor will share the story of this decade-long partnership. Attendees will enjoy samples of crowd favourites, including Ch'abil (cardamom-infused milk chocolate) and Mayan Spice (featuring native chili peppers grown in the Lachua region).

2:15 - 3:00 - A Journey to The Philippines with Kasama Chocolate
Vince Garcia, one of the co-founders of Kasama Chocolate in Vancouver discusses Philippine cacao, the country's culture, starting and managing a farm in the Philippines and how it all ties into Kasama's chocolate. Throughout the presentation, guests will enjoy samples of Kasama chocolate.

Tasters and Makers, Movers and Shakers!
Presentations in Classroom O-40 (follow the signs from the Show's entrance)             

 10:45 - 11:15  A Taste of Place with Angela Roest

Meet Angela Roest, founder and head chocolatier at Centre and Main in Warkworth, Ont.

Centre and Main embraces neither tradition or trends. Instead, Angela frequents farmers markets. By looking to local fields and forests, she creates a taste of place that reflects our unique Canadian culinary landscape. Inspired by collaborations with dozens of farmers, foragers, and food producers, she crafts award-winning chocolate that challenge trend and tradition with innovative combinations. 

  1:15 - 2:00 Craft Chocolate: Taste Like a Pro with Christy Conte

Join Christy Conte for a guided tasting of Canadian craft chocolate.

Christy Conte is a Level 3 Certified Chocolate Taster with the International Institute of Chocolate & Cacao Tasting (IICCT), a trained professional chocolatier, and an International Chocolate Awards judge. She is the owner of The Chocolate Suite in Prince Edward County, where she leads immersive craft-chocolate tastings, workshops, and pairing experiences. 
Christy is passionate about helping people taste chocolate the way professionals do—cultivating appreciation for fine cacao with the same intention and discernment the County has embraced in wine. Through curated tastings, educational workshops, and collaborative pairings, she is building a vibrant and growing chocolate culture in Prince Edward County.

In this lively, approachable session, you'll taste white, milk, and dark chocolates while learning how cacao origin, and bean-to-bar maker technique shape flavour. Along the way, you'll learn how to spot true craft chocolate, read labels with confidence, and bust a few common chocolate myths. Perfect for curious food lovers and chocolate enthusiasts alike, this workshop will change how you taste chocolate—long after the last sample.

This session requires a separate ticket along with a show admission ticket. Cost is $5 and can be purchased here.

 

2:30 - 3:15 A Seasonal Tasting with Mary Luz Mejia

Colombian-born, Canadian-raised Mary Luz Mejia is Canada's first International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting Level III Certified Chocolate Taster. She is also a twice-nominated freelance food and travel journalist by the North American Travel Journalists Association and a Gemini Award–nominated former food television producer. Mary Luz is a trained journalist whose work has been published in outlets including Saveur, Toronto Star, DreamScapes Magazine, Royal Caribbean International, Gateways Magazine, and The Globe and Mail. Based in Toronto, she offers sensory chocolate tastings (private, public and corporate) and writes extensively about cacao and chocolate, with a particular passion for fruity, nuanced dark chocolate. Her travels serve as both inspiration and research, each destination adding invaluable flavours to her ever-evolving sensory archive. Follow her chocolate adventures @mlmejia123. 

Mary Luz will talk chocolate and lead you through a tasting of chocolate perfect for the colder season ahead!

This session requires a separate ticket along with a show admission ticket. Cost is $5 and can be purchased here.