Chocolate Talk & Tasting

Chocolate Talk & Tasting | For Love, Family & Chocolate 

Join us June 13 for an inspiring evening with renowned chocolate makers who share a deep passion for quality ingredients and community. Meet chocolatiers featured in the digital series, Chocolate: From Beans to Bliss, as they share stories about their journey to chocolate and their connections to family, health, and resilience. Hear what it is like to build and operate a family-owned business focused on environmental responsibility and building community bonds.

Best of all, enjoy a chocolate tasting from each featured speaker’s shop as part of the evening experience!

Each guest will receive a chocolate tasting from Uncle Eddie's Vegan Cookies and Guelaguetza with admission. Select first-floor exhibitions will be on view before and after the conversation. Space is limited. 

SCHEDULE

6 pm| Doors open
6:30 pm | Discussion begins
7:30 pm| Discussion end, reception
8 pm | Program concludes 

Special Guests Include:
 

Jeff and Robbie Jacobs, Founders of International Desserts (Uncle Eddie’s Vegan Cookies) 
Robbie and Jeff Jacobs of International Desserts form the dynamic creative team behind Uncle Eddie’s Vegan Cookies. Their journey began in New York, where a shared passion for desserts was instilled in them by their mother. This familial love for sweets evolved into the foundation of a business that is now family-owned and operated.

Paulina Lopez-Velazquez, Co-owner of Guelaguetza & I Love Micheladas, Co-Creator of Súper Mamás Podcast
Paulina Lopez-Velazquez is a dynamic entrepreneur, creator, podcaster, and cultural ambassador who has had a significant impact on the culinary and entrepreneurial landscape of Los Angeles. As a key figure behind Guelaguetza, her family's renowned restaurant, Paulina and her siblings have played a pivotal role in propelling Oaxacan cuisine and culture to the forefront of the gastronomic scene. Her dedication to promoting Oaxacan cuisine and culture and commitment to empowering women and fostering community exemplifies her role as a transformative force within her industry.

Bricia Lopez, Chef, entrepreneur, and acclaimed author and partner at Guelaguetza Restaurant
Bricia is the recipient of The James Beard American Classics award and lauded by the late L.A. Times food critic Jonathan Gold as “The best Oaxacan restaurant in the United States.” Bricia has authored two cookbooks. “OAXACA Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico” became an instant Amazon bestseller and earned a 2020 James Beard nomination. Her second cookbook, “Asada,” published in 2023, was included in the New York Times' list of best cookbooks of the year. In collaboration with her siblings, Bricia has launched two nationally distributed brands, including the bottled cocktail mix, I Love Micheladas™️, and Guelaguetza™️ mole starters. A sought-after featured guest, Bricia has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and judged Bravo’s Top Chef, while also being featured in high-profile outlets such as Forbes, NPR, Food & Wine, BBC, and The New Yorker. 

Justin Ramos, Program Manager, Community Engagement, Moderator 
Justin Ramos earned his undergraduate degree in history and art history from UCLA and a master’s degree in museum anthropology from Columbia University where he focused on the role of craft in the museum setting. Justin is a lover of all things chocolate and actively writes the online features for the Museum’s ChocoLAte: From Beans to Bliss series.