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2026 SPEAKER and PRESENTATION SCHEDULE
*SUBJECT TO CHANGE
12:00 PM

LOCATION: RECREATION ROOM, AUDITORIUM BUILDING
TBA
12:45 PM - BIRGITTE RASINE

LOCATION: RECREATION ROOM, AUDITORIUM BUILDING
GUIDED TASTING BY THE CACAO MUSE
BIRGITTE RASINE, AUTHOR
"The Jaguar and the Cacao Tree"
Join Birgitte Rasine, author of The Cacao Muse newsletter and the popular novel The Jaguar and the Cacao Tree, for a guided chocolate tasting. You'll take part in a multi-sensory expedition into a world most people only know through a few commercial brands.
You’ll learn how to revitalize your taste buds, open up your palate, and identify different flavor profiles. While we experience the chocolates from participating vendors at the Chocolate Salon, Birgitte will also cover some of the health benefits of chocolate and cacao; dive into cacao’s mesmerizing history and mythology; and discuss chocolate's complicated role in the global economy and the environment.
If you’ve grown up mostly on Lindt, Nestlé, or Ghirardelli, prepare yourself for a life-changing experience.

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1:30 PM - SPICE & SWEET: THE RISE OF INDIAN CHOCOLATE MAKERS

LOCATION: RECREATION ROOM, AUDITORIUM BUILDING
INDYA, VANY'S & GODAVARI
A moderated panel of Bay Area Indian-heritage chocolatiers explores how Indian spices, ingredients, and culinary traditions are redefining contemporary chocolate. Hear personal stories about inspiration, technique, and building businesses rooted in cultural flavor. Celebrate the growing influence of Indian creativity in fine chocolate.
2:15 PM - FLAVOR LINEAGE: ASIAN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES IN FINE CHOCOLATE

LOCATION: RECREATION ROOM, AUDITORIUM BUILDING
9TH & LARKIN, STAY SWEET SF, AND MORE
A group of local Asian American chocolatiers explore how heritage shapes their approach to flavor, texture, design, and craft. From subtle infusions to bold reinterpretations, they’ll discuss how cultural memory and personal experience influence their creative process. Join this conversation on identity, innovation, and building distinctive chocolate brands in the Bay Area.
3:00 PM - POP-UP TEA CEREMONY

LOCATION: RECREATION ROOM, AUDITORIUM BUILDING
KAI-KENNY CHEW, FABULA TEA
Tea Maker, Fabula Tea
fabulatea.com
Pop-Up Tea Salon Ceremony from Fabula Tea at the San Francisco Chocolate Salon on April 7th.
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