Hi everyone! I'm Diana, a Philly- based chocolatier and chocolate maker. What exactly does that mean? I actually make the chocolate from roasting the beans all the way to decorating each piece by hand (check out the "Bean to Bar Process" tab). One of the best aspects of my job is that I get to pair ingredients that accentuate the natural flavors of the chocolate itself. I love being able to dictate the nuances of my own chocolate, along with adding different colors and textures that make it exciting to eat!
What makes chocolate incredible is that there are so many processes it goes through before the final product of a perfectly tempered bar. I developed my foundation for chocolate work through my studies at Johnson & Wales University, but I truly fell in love with the bean to bar process while working in Arequipa, Peru. To understand all of the components of chocolate, I've learned about cacao cultivation in Limón, Costa Rica and Cat Tien, Vietnam, application techniques in Quito, Ecuador, and worked as a chocolatier focusing on hand- painted and airbrushed bonbons in Philly.
The world of chocolate has opened so many new doors for me and continues to amaze me. 