Meet the Experts of the Chocolate Education Classroom

The Chocolate Education Classroom is bringing together a dynamic lineup of speakers—bean-to-bar chocolate makers, sommeliers, and industry changemakers—who are passionate about sharing the stories, science, and culture behind cacao. Meet the experts who will be leading hands-on sessions, tastings, and talks designed to deepen your appreciation for chocolate from bean to bar.

Leila Carvajal Erker

Leila Carvajal Erker was born and raised in Ecuador into a multi-generational cacao family, where her great-grandmother was a cacao farmer, and her father founded one of the country’s first cocoa processing factories. Now based in the U.S., she leads CocoaSupply, bridging heritage with innovation to support sustainable and ethical cacao sourcing. With a passion rooted in childhood memories and a global perspective, Leila shares the human side of cacao—from soil to soul.

Kathy Stroh

Kathy Stroh is a registered dietitian who’s extensively researched the health benefits of chocolate. She’s a seasoned speaker who’s spoken at NIH as well as at the DC Chocolate Festival. Kathy is a Registered/Licensed Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She works in a large Primary Care Practice, in Delaware. She enjoys highlighting the varied qualities of cacao and chocolate.

Nicholas Silverman

Nico Silverman’s journey to chocolate began accidentally in 2012. While researching artisans in Guatemala as a then-employee of Etsy.com, he met the founder of Diego’s Chocolate. Since then, the two have endeavored to bring handmade ‘GuateMayan’ chocolate to hungry consumers in North America. Besides working in the technology sector, Nico led various projects in affordable housing and urban agriculture development for non profit organizations. During the pandemic he was a contractor for NY State Department of Health, assisting COVID-19 patients in isolation with various critical needs. When not working you’re likely to find him on a hiking trail, playing various stringed instruments, cooking, or reading.

Björn Becker

Björn Becker is the co-founder of MIKE&BECKY, Brussels’ first organic bean-to-bar chocolate workshop. Together with his partner Julia ‘Mike’ Mikerova, Björn launched the company in 2016 after discovering the bean-to-bar movement and realizing Belgium—despite its chocolate reputation—had missed this ethical, small-batch approach. MIKE&BECKY imports fine cacao directly from eight plantations around the world, emphasizing transparency, fair pay, child-labor-free sourcing, and sustainability. Their chocolate is crafted in a 100% green-powered facility and sweetened only with organic beet sugar, offering a truly honest take on Belgian chocolate.

Estelle Tracy

Estelle Tracy is an award-winning food writer and chocolate sommelier based in Kennett Square. Originally from France, she discovered the bean-to-bar movement in 2015 when she challenged herself to review 37 chocolate bars in honor of her 37th birthday that Halloween. Since then, she has shared her love for chocolate through hundreds of tastings worldwide. She’s the author of a food survival guide for French people in the US and the founder of 37 Chocolates, a chocolate education company. Find out more at 37chocolates.com

All seminars are first come, first served, and included with your ticket to the festival!

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