Join cacao farmer Juliana Aquino from Brazil and Ruth Kennison of The Chocolate Project for a special origin tasting from farm to flavor!

Join renowned cacao farmer Juliana Aquino of Vale Potumuju in Bahia, Brazil, and Ruth Kennison of The Chocolate Project and the Santa Monica Chocolate Society for a rare evening exploring the journey from cacao tree to chocolate bar.

Juliana and Ruth first met more than a decade ago and quickly became friends, collaborators, and passionate advocates for fine cacao. Together they have taught classes, developed educational programs, and spoken at festivals around the world. Now they’re bringing their love for cacao and chocolate to Echo Park.

This immersive tasting will explore one of the most fascinating—and least understood—aspects of chocolate: how practices at the tropical source shape the flavors we ultimately experience in the finished bar.

Through eight carefully selected chocolate samples made at origin—including several produced entirely tree-to-bar—you’ll discover how cacao genetics, terroir, fermentation, drying, and other post-harvest decisions influence aroma, texture, and flavor. Taste the results of choices made on the farm and gain a deeper understanding of why exceptional chocolate begins long before the chocolate maker receives the beans.

Along the way, Juliana will share the story of her family’s historic cacao farm in Bahia and her remarkable journey from Bossa Nova singer to cacao farmer. Guests will also hear firsthand accounts of the devastating “witches’ broom” crisis—a true-life agricultural bioterrorism event that transformed Brazil’s cacao industry and remains largely unknown outside the country.

Whether you’re a chocolate lover, food enthusiast, or curious learner, this is a rare opportunity to taste chocolate through the eyes of the people who grow and nurture cacao. Plenty of time for questions and discussions.

The Chocolate Dispensary

1605 Grafton Street (on the corner of Echo Park Avenue)

Thursday July 16, 2026, 7pm

We recommend leaving time for street parking.