A chocolate lovers’ paradise can be found next month at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, where sweet and savory creations of pure imagination will tempt and be tasted at the Kona Cacao Association’s first-ever Big Island Chocolate Festival.
A chocolate lovers’ paradise can be found next month at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, where sweet and savory creations of pure imagination will tempt and be tasted at the Kona Cacao Association’s first-ever Big Island Chocolate Festival.
Attendees need not to feel guilty about consuming the delectable treats since some of the festival’s proceeds will go toward helping build a new community amphitheater at Kona Pacific Public Charter School and the “Equip the Kitchens” Campaign for the long-awaited Hawaii Community College – Palamanui, opening 2014, said Farsheed Bonakdar, Cocoa Outlet owner and Kona Cacao Association president.
“This is a great opportunity to enjoy gourmet desserts and food created by top-notch professional chefs for a good cause,” he said. “We hope to give our selected charities $5,000 each. The remaining funds will be used as seed money for next year’s festival and fulfilling our missions.”
The Kona Cacao Association formed earlier this year, primarily with a mission to make the Big Island Chocolate Festival an islandwide signature culinary and cacao education event that raises money for local charities and organizations. Bonakdar said the festival is different from the Kona Chocolate Festival.
Bonakdar said Hawaii is the only state that grows cacao, and the industry is growing, with “too many (farmers and interested inquirers) to count.” He estimated there were at least 25 local farmers, who have anywhere from a handful to more than 1,000 trees.
With health reports claiming dark chocolate is good for you, as well as the public’s growing interest in high-quality, high cocoa-fat and single-estate chocolates, the popularity of Hawaiian-grown cacao is rising, Bonakdar said. There are three really good varieties of Hawaii-grown cacao, which already have reputations for producing very high quality chocolate and are becoming sought-after in a wine-like manner, he added.
One thing that makes the chocolate here unique is it’s made entirely from scratch, from growing the cacao trees and their pods, through small-scale processing of cacao nibs on makeshift equipment, to create an all-Hawaiian chocolate bar. The association wants to encourage more cacao growers and an investment in cacao-processing infrastructure to further build the industry. It envisions setting up a co-op with a commercial kitchen and processing equipment, as well as a place to drop off and buy cacao beans, Bonakdar said.
The Big Island Chocolate Festival kicks off at 5:30 p.m. June 7 with the Chocolate and Wine Pairing, presented by Jacques Torres, fondly called “Mr. Chocolate.” The event, at private home at the resort, is for 40 people, and tickets cost $100 each. Raised in France, Torres fulfilled his dream in 2000 with the opening of his first chocolate factory, Jacques Torres Chocolate, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was a pioneer — the first artisan chocolatier to start from cacao beans to make his own chocolate. He now owns several chocolate factories and stores in New York; he also had a show on the Food Network.
“What Jacques is to chocolate is what The Beatles were to Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Bonakdar said.
The main event is the Chocolate Festival Evening Gala, happening from 6 to 10 p.m. It offers numerous chocolate decadence and savory bites; the choice of two glasses of wine, beer or sparkling wine; a chef competition with Torres as a judge; a silent auction; dancing with Salsa Latinos; and music by Cyril Pahinui.
Four Seasons Executive Chef James Babian and pastry chef Linda Rodriguez helped hand-pick the 25 pastry chefs, confectioners and chocolatiers featured at the gala, which is limited to 400 people. Attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite for The People’s Choice Award. Tickets cost $75 in advance and $85 at the door.
For those who would rather immerse themselves in chocolate fine dining June 8, they can do so by enjoying a prix fixe dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. at the resort’s Pahu ia Restaurant. The dinner, created by Babian, consists of warm, cocoa-crusted Puna goat cheese over Kekela Farms beets with Kainaliu baby arugula and balsamic chocolate vinaigrette; a coffee-chocolate dusted 40-day dry aged Kulana New York strip steak with alii mushrooms, Waimea asparagus, milk chocolate foam and a chocolate port wine reduction; and a Kokoleka malted stack with chocolate Ka‘u orange sorbet. It costs $49 and reservations can be made by calling Four Seasons at 325-8333.
The festival’s symposium, held from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. June 8, provides participants the opportunity to learn more about the world of chocolate. Presentations, costing $40 to $75, will discuss the Big Island’s cacao farming and production; the history of cacao and Aztec beverages; and chocolate cocktails.
There’s also a tour of Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory Farm in Keauhou at 9 a.m. June 8. The cost is $12 per person and children ages 12 or under are free. To attend, call 322-2626 or email info@ohcf.us.
For more information, visit bigislandchocolatefestival.com.