The Northwest Chocolate Festival 2026

A chocolate educator, writer, and tour guide for almost 15 years, Victoria Kichuk, as founder of her company, Cocoa Beantown, brings a truly unique blend of engaging storytelling abilities with an accessible approach to food education that ushers audiences toward a new appreciation of chocolate while learning about its greater historical, geographical, scientific, and cultural context. Her exceptional ability to foster a sense of connection --both amongst event guests and to the greater chocolate world, creates uniquely memorable chocolate learning experiences. Career highlights include participating in origin trips to Colombia in 2019, and Peru and Hawaii in 2025, and collaborating on chocolate educational events with the Institute for Cacao & Chocolate Research (formerly the FCCI), as well as speaking appearances at the New England Chocolate Festival, the DC Chocolate Festival, and multiple appearances on Boston Public Radio. Victoria has also delivered talks on a variety of chocolate-related topics at Harvard University, MIT, Brown University, Bryant University, Simmons University, Northeastern University, and for members of the World Health Organization and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's polio team. She has also received a military challenge coin from the T.A.P.S. organization for exemplary service in presenting a chocolate program.