LA Women in Chocolate Honored at the Los Angeles Chocolate Salon

 

At the Annual Los Angeles Chocolate Salon this Fall, several Women in Chocolate were honored by the INTERNATIONAL CHOCOLATE SALON for their contributions to the world of chocolate and chocolate culture. The International Chocolate Salon was founded in 2007 by TasteTV and TCB Cafe Publishing and Media, and is one of the premier international bodies celebrating and honoring artisan and premium chocolates and confections.

Pictured here: (front row, left to right) Marti Chocolatt, Food Market Gypsy, The Chocolate Project, (back row, left to right)  Raphio Chocolate, Amella Caramels, Valenza Chocolatier, author Carole Bloom, Hnina Gourmet, Bar Cacao.

THE CHOCOLATIERS AWARD recipients are selected based on either having received numerous chocolate salon awards over the years, or having made a significant impact in the world of taste and chocolate, particularly in the Los Angeles area. It also spotlights the growing number of women entrepreneurs, chocolatiers, confectioners, and pastry chefs that the Los Angeles Area and Southern California has supported.

The following are the announced recipients of the awards.

THE CHOCOLATIERS AWARD

LOS ANGELES Women in Chocolate: CHOCOLATIERS AWARD

  1.  Tonet Tibay, Marti Chocolatt
  2. Amy Jo Pedone, Valenza Chocolatier
  3. Amara Barroeta, Amara Chocolate
  4. Elena Kiamilev, Amella Caramels
  5. Michelle Crochet, Droga Chocolates
  6. Valerie Gordon, Valerie Confections
  7. Susie Norris, Food Market Gypsy
  8. Carol Bloom, Cookbook Author
  9. Ruth Kennison, Bonaparte Chocolate
  10. Vanessa Morgenstern-Kenan, Hnina Gourmet
  11. Danielle Laubach, Zenbunni Chocolatiers
  12. Joana Whittingham, Fera’wyn’s Artisan Chocolates
  13. Samantha McGinnis, Cowboy Toffee
  14. Elisia Otavi-Makmur, Raphio Chocolate
  15. Diane Kron Chocolatier
  16. Patricia Tsai, ChocoVivo
  17. Christine Sarioz, Milla Chocolates

In addition, the following have been named for Honorable Mention

  1. Jessica Ferraro, Bar Cacao
  2. Elyce Zahn, CocoTutti Chocolates
  3. Etty Benhamou, Le Mervetty

TASTE AWARDS CLOSEUP: Monique Soltani of Wine Oh TV

TASTE AWARDS Finalist & Winner Wine Oh TV Executive Producer and Host, Monique Soltani is a broadcast journalist and wine expert. Monique has reported for The Weather Channel, CBS, NBC, ABC affiliates across the country.

Monique is also a trained SAG/AFTRA actor and studied at The Groundlings, Warner Loughlin Studios, and The Atlantic Theater Company. Monique can be seen on various films, television shows and commercials.

TASTE AWARDS CLOSEUP

 

  • Monique, what have the TASTE AWARDS meant to You?: It’s a huge honor to be recognized for the hard work and dedication that goes into hosting and producing Wine Oh TV, a show that I love and have put my heart and soul into for so many years. I’m so thankful to the TASTE AWARDS for this honor and for bringing awareness to independently run shows like mine. I am beyond blessed to have such tremendous support from the wine community and from my distribution partners.
  • Where are you from originally?: Los Angeles, CA
  • Where are you based now?: San Francisco
  • What is Your Favorite Item of Clothing or Designer?: Derek Lam
  • What is your Camera of Choice?: Canon
  • What is your Computer of Choice?: Mac
  • What is your Favorite City?: Venice (Italy or LA)
  • What is your passion?: Storytelling
  • How did you come up with the name?: It’s a play on words. Wine Oh, like “OH” I didn’t know that or a Wine Oh someone who drinks too much.
  • What do you love about it?: The people I meet
  • What is the most challenging part?: Finding the time to tell all the amazing stories that are out there
  • How did you go about getting involved or even starting this endeavor from a business or professional standpoint?: I combined my passion for wine with my experience as a broadcast journalist
  • Has it reached your goals for it?: I’m always evolving and so are my goals.
  • Anything you wish you had known in this industry when you first started?: How important it is to ask for what you want.
  • Any tips for those aspiring to do better in this media space?: Expect great things and your life will begin to unfold that way.
  • How much do you use Social Media as part of the business or project?: Daily
  • What’s next for Monique and this Project?: Getting more distribution, telling more compelling stories and always pushing myself to do better work.

CANNED WINE: Napa Valley’s WineSociety by Subscription Vintages

As part of our quest to discover the newest and best in canned wines, we introduce WineSociety‘s subscription canned wine service.

Read more

Reis & Irvy’s Frozen Yogurt Robot

Reis and Irvy’s has the world’s first robotic frozen yogurt vending kiosk, 19 Degrees, and we have the video that shows it in action.

Read more

Want to escape Reality? Check out That VR Joint

As one entrepreneur in Melbourne, Australia has demonstrated, you can have an entire business based on virtual reality by itself. Alan Convery has taken the idea of a video arcade, and combined it with virtual reality games

Read more

New Book THE WINEMAKERS PRIMER for Aspiring Winemakers

Are you interested in wine-making as a business? The information in the new Winemakers Primer book is worth its weight in gold.

Read more