Competition Winners from
6th Annual Kona Chocolate Festival

Melanie Boudar of Sweet Paradise Chocolatier Ltd. got the judges’ nod for her “World Flavors Bon-bons” and Chef Amy Ota of O’s Bistro took top honors in the Savory category at the Chocolate Taste-off, a highlight of the Kona Chocolate Festival. The 6th Annual Kona Chocolate Festival and Symposium concluded on Saturday, March 24 with a chocolate extravaganza Gala celebration.

Boudar’s bon-bons claimed the prize in the Professional Sweet category among more than two dozen other entries. a former diamond buyer, she fell in love with chocolates on her monthly trips to Antwerp, Belgium. She is a graduate of Ecole Chocolat of Vancouver Canada and the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and creates her chocolates in Volcano, HI.

“Tamales with Mole” garnered the top Savory prize for Ota, longtime owner and chef at O’s Bistro in Kailua-Kona. Ota also received a special commendation for her raw chocolate macaroon, which the judges praised as being in a category all its own.

The other two top awards – People’s Choice 1st Place and Amateur 1st Pace – went to Freedom, Colee Garr and Armando Rivas for their “Raw Cacao Treats.” The three partners operate the East Side Yoga Shala in Pahoa and enjoy cooking for parties and other gatherings.

The entries are judged on appearance, flavor, degree of difficulty and creativity and originality.

The panel of judges included Chef Daniel Thiebaut of Waimea; Chef David Brown of the Waikoloa Beach Grill; 2007 James Beard Foundation Award Nominee, Chef Leslie Mackie of Macrina Bakery, Seattle; Washington State Chocolatier Autumn Martin of Theo Chocolate; and food, wine and travel writer, Madelyn Miller of Chocolateatlas.com. 

Leslie Mackie and Autumn Martin were presenters at the Chocolate Festival Symposium, a 3-day educational event. Hundreds of participants in more than 20 events showcased agricultural sustainability, home chocolate techniques and recipes, chocolate heath and beauty benefits, chocolate-wine pairings, and farm and factory tours.

The Symposium’s keynote address on featured industry professionals Gary Guittard of Guittard Chocolate Company in San Francisco and Joe Whinney of Theo Chocolates. Guittard noted that because Hawai'i lies in the northernmost region where cacao can be grown, there is an opportunity for Hawaii to create a unique flavor and quality niche for chocolate production. Whinney stressed the importance of research to find right varieties of cocoa (from among thousands) for Hawaii’s conditions.

The Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort hosted the Festival.

Edited by Patricia D. Sherman

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