2008 Cocoa Lounge
Participating Chefs : Sculpture Garden : Cocoa Couture : Cocoa Sutra : Cocoa Cabana : Cocoa Lounge : Entertainment : Photography : Event Sponsors : Special Thanks : Volunteers
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Bochner Chocolates • Eric Bochner Bochner Chocolates makes affordable and all natural luxury chocolate confections with a uniquely indulgent and innovative twist on familiar favorites from Europe and the US—artfully designed and packaged with style. Bochner Chocolates is a wholly-owned daughter of Bochner Confections, a premium confection private label and contract manufacturing group – which develops, manufactures and sells assorted box chocolates, bars, coated articles and small assorted pieces. Eric Bochner, founder, is a graduate of The French Pastry School. www.bochnerchocolates.com • 319.354.7900 |
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Cru Cacao • Dereme Church & Blazej Mikulicz Founded by Dereme Church and Blazej Mikulicz, Cru Cacao creates
decadent raw organic vegan chocolates and offers opulent live food
catering. Cru Cacao never uses ingredients that have been heated over
one hundred and eighteen degrees Fahrenheit. Eating raw and living
foods is about reconnecting with the earth. Using high power blenders,
juicers, and dehydrators, we are able to produce a variety of rich
flavors and textures. Our cuisine is about discovering the inherent
complexity of each ingredient and using them to heighten your
pleasure. We prepare and eat only raw and living foods because we are passionate about the planet we live on, we love to eat flavorful fruits and vegetables in their natural state, and we love the way it makes us feel. Sharing the gift of health through gourmet food inspires us to expand our culinary repertoire. Luxurious and elegant, our products are made with sustainably grown and fair trade ingredients. Animal ingredients are never used in our products, therefore our foods contain no cholesterol or unhealthy fats. Using clear blue agave nectar as a sweetener, our cuisine may be enjoyed by diabetics. Cru Cacao welcomes you to the future of the culinary arts. Indulge without guilt as you nourish your body and expand your palate. www.crucacao.com • 877.RAW.CHOC |
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Great American Cheese Collection • Giles Schnierle
Former chef and long-time consultant to the food industry, Giles Schnierle now specializes in introducing and promoting specialty and artisan cheeses. Giles’ ability to recognize future trends helps all interested parties succeed in the food industry. His knowledge, creativity, and energy will continue to blossom as he forges ahead with wine, beer, spirits and cheese pairings in his soon-to-be published book on The Great American Cheese Collection. www.greatamericancheese.com • 773.779.5055 |
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Office Concepts • Kirk Dakarian Kirk Dakarian is a Senior Account Executive with Office Concepts in Lake Forest, IL. He has over 27 years of experience in the corporate interior furnishings industry both as a dealer salesperson and as a manufacturer’s representative. Kirk oversees a team of Office Concepts’ specialists, which includes design services, installation specialists, inventory management and sales operations. He has managed projects of all types and scale, from individual office needs to large corporate installations that include several hundred workstations, private offices and meeting spaces. Kirk has served several high profile Fortune 500 customers on a national and international basis. Kirk is married, has three daughters and resides in Lake Zurich, IL. www.officeconcepts.com • 312.942.1100 |
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Rare Tea Cellar Inc. • Rodrick Markus Specializing in the finest and rarest teas and tea accessories from around the globe. Importing over 250 single estate teas from $50.00-$20,000 per pound. Sold at the top hotels and restaurants throughout the world. Focused on organic, biodynamic and fairtrade teas. www.rareteacellar.com • 773.561.3000 |
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The French Pastry School
The French Pastry School at the City Colleges of Chicago is a culinary institute dedicated solely to the art of pastry. The school was co-founded in 1995 by internationally acclaimed Master Chefs Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sebastien Canonne, M.O.F., who teach the school's six-month L'Art de al Patisserie program along with a roster of award-winning Chef Instructors. Offering the finest pastry training in the United States, the school produces the best-prepared chefs entering the profession. The foundation of instruction is the European artist-apprentice teaching model, which employs constant exposure to master chefs, hands-on training and the use of the finest tools and ingredients. www.frenchpastryschool.com • 312.726.2419 |
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