Indulge in both savory and sweet temptations prepared by top chefs and chocolatiers while watching award-winning Chef Donald Wressell of Guittard Chocolate Company sculpt one of the largest volcanoes ever created in fine chocolate 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday during the fifth annual Big Island Chocolate Festival at Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.
This year’s event theme is “Lavalicious-A Chocolate Salute to the 100th Birthday of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park” and culinary stations will be judged on their depiction of the popular park, plus a host of “best” culinary categories: savory, plated dessert, bon bon, bean-to-bar, Hawaiian cacao and People’s Choice.
There will also be a mole and salad bar, chocolate body painting, live music and dancing, a silent auction, wines, cocktails and handcrafted beer using cacao nibs from Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory.
Headlining the entertainment is the Tomi Isobe Blues Band featuring Danny Taylor on drums and vocals. Also serenading guests will be Magic Strings with violinist Ursula Vietze.
In addition to the Hapuna Beach and Guittard, culinary participants to date include the Mauna Kea Resort, Hualalai Resort, Hilton Waikoloa Village, The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Hilton Hawaiian Village, The Grand Wailea, Amici Ristorante Italiano, Art of the Good Life Catered Events, Huggo’s/On the Rocks, The Fish Hopper, Sweet Eatz, Gypsea Gelato, Hawaii Community College-Palamanui Culinary Arts program, Padovani Chocolates, Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, Madre Chocolate, Valrohna Chocolates, Republica del Cacao, Michel Cluizel Chocolatier and the Cocoa Outlet with its signature, 4-foot-tall chocolate fountain.
General admission tickets to the gala have sold out, however, tickets remain for Saturday’s culinary demonstrations from 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday’s festivities include cacao workshops and presentations, as well as a cacao plantation and factory tour.
Presented by the Kona Cacao Association, event proceeds benefit the ACF Kona Kohala Chefs Association/University of Hawaii endowment fund for the culinary program at Hawai’i Community College-Palamanui and programs at Kona Pacific Public Charter School in Kealakekua.
Info: www.bigislandchocolatefestival.com.