In 2015, I discovered craft chocolate through the 37 Chocolates challenge. Over the course of 5 months, I reviewed 37 chocolate bars in honor of my 37th birthday that Halloween. I remember being enthralled by this world: the flavors! The makers! The people! When I posted my last review, I knew I’d stay involved in chocolate.
Today, I’m proud to share that I’m a full-time chocolate educator and experience provider (you can also call me a chocolate sommelier). Over the past decade, I’ve hosted hundreds of chocolate tastings & pairings and given dozens of talks about chocolate. Running a chocolate education business has made my world bigger. It introduced me to the world of wine, opened the doors of private clubs, and allowed me to travel all around the country.
My path makes people curious. How did I learn about chocolate? How do I find clients? How do I structure an engaging talk? And how much do I charge for private events?
In this article, you’ll discover the steps you can take to become a chocolate educator or chocolate sommelier, so you can start generating an income, too. The journey isn’t quick or easy, but if you love chocolate and people, it will be gratifying.
Definitions
In this article, I’ll be using the terms “chocolate educator” and “chocolate sommelier” interchangeably. There’s currently no serious certification for “chocolate sommelier”, so check out this article to see how I define the term.
TL;DR: A chocolate sommelier is a hospitality professional who creates chocolate tasting experiences designed for connection.
This professional needs three skills:
- Subject matter expertise
- Relatability
- Turning chocolate knowledge into a business
If you’re passionate about chocolate, as I suspect you are, learning the subject matter will be the fun part. But turning your passion into a business requires two entirely different, yet essential skillsets. The third skill is the most essential to make it all happen because, as of 2026, self-employment is the most likely path to generate income as a chocolate educator. Let’s start with the subject matter expertise.
1 – Learning About Chocolate
IICT Levels 1 and 2
The Institute of Cacao & Chocolate Institute (IICT) offers classes where you’ll learn about cacao and chocolate. A lot of my colleagues have a Level 2 certificate, and you can follow in their footsteps here.
I personally never took IICT classes because they weren’t available online when I started my chocolate journey. By the time the courses were offered online, my business was already off the ground. However, the colleagues and friends who have gone through their program highlight the alumni community as one of the best parts of the offering.
Good to know: while IICT certificates don’t offer a straight path to employment, they’re a prerequisite to becoming a chocolate judge. This isn’t a necessary step to becoming a chocolate educator and I chose a different path.
Ecole Chocolat’s “Mastering the Flavors of Chocolate” Online Class
This class, led by award-winning chocolatier Richard Tango-Lowy, will help you understand the origins of chocolate flavor.
A physicist by training, Rich is a phenomenal instructor who understands both the art and science of chocolate. I’ve run into him at chocolate festivals and conferences for years and, after a decade in chocolate, I still learn new things from him. During a phone call last year, he once mentioned how Ecuadorian cocoa butter is much firmer than other origins on the same latitude. Who knew?
The online class is offered once a year, and the next session is scheduled June 19-July 17, 2026. You can get a discount if you use this link.
** This isn’t an affiliate link, and I receive no compensation if you decide to sign up**
Chocolate: From Commodity Crop to Ephemeral Luxury, an 8-week online course offered through Stanford Continuing Education
Taught by Dr. Carla Martin (Harvard University, ICCR) and José López Ganem (Boston University, ICCR), this class offers a deep dive into the history, culture, and marketing of chocolate. You’ll learn about chocolate’s Mesoamerican roots, its introduction to Spain, the unsavory history of the cacao and sugar trade, product certifications, representation in marketing, and so much more. Of course, you’ll also be tasting a LOT of chocolate.
I took the class in 2024, and it impacted the way I approach tastings, especially with international audiences. If you’re looking for a rigorous, academic course on chocolate, this course will be a game-changer. The 2026 schedule hasn’t been announced yet, but you can sign up for the 37 Chocolates newsletter to be notified of its next release.
** This isn’t an affiliate link, and I receive no compensation if you decide to sign up**
Chocolate Festivals & Industry Gatherings
From the moment I committed to living the chocolate life, I started attending one chocolate festival and one industry association gathering per year.
From 2016 onwards, I thus went to the DC Chocolate Festival, first as a guest, then as a speaker, before testing other festivals, such as the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle, the Dallas Chocolate Festival, and Salon du Chocolat in Paris. As the number of large chocolate events has grown over the years, I’ve remained focused on regional events in the mid-Atlantic area, which include:
- The Salon du Chocolat New York (March)
- The DC Chocolate Festival (April)
- The new Northeast Chocolate & Coffee Festival (August)
- The PA Chocolate & Coffee Festival (October)
- The DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival (November)
For a list of 2026 festivals in the US, check out this Instagram post by @Chocochaser.
For years, I also attended the Fine Chocolate Industry Association’s yearly gatherings until my personal schedule started conflicting with the time of the yearly conference. More recently, I started going to the Philly Candy Show hosted by the Retail Confectioners’ Association of Philadelphia.
Attending these events allowed me to discover new craft chocolate companies, catch up with colleagues, make new friends, and, of course, learn about chocolate.
Not in the US? Steph of Beanstalkr does a great job listing upcoming chocolate events worldwide on her Instagram account.
Additional Ways to Learn About Chocolate
Copywriting
In 2017, or two years into my chocolate journey, Catherine and Nathalie of Kosak in Paris, France, tasked me to write 200 product descriptions and 30 chocolate maker profiles (in both English and French) for their distribution catalog. To this day, I refer to this amazing learning opportunity as an unofficial “chocolate thesis”, as writing allowed me to process and absorb a huge amount of information on bean-to-bar chocolate.
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing can give you a great excuse to spend 2 hours with a chocolate-maker and learn about their work in exchange for a published article. Win-win.
Read the list of my published articles here.
Online Tastings
Virtual chocolate tastings are a fantastic way to learn about chocolate, while also connecting with like-minded people. And although nothing beats an in-person gathering, the online format is more inclusive to people with young children or living in remote areas. In other words, I’m a fan!
I regularly offer ticketed online chocolate tastings throughout the year, which are known to feature guest makers. Sign up for the 37 Chocolates newsletter to be notified of the next event.
Note that these tastings are for all levels of chocolate tasting experience.
Chocolate Subscription Boxes
When the 37 Chocolates challenge ended, I immediately subscribed to a monthly chocolate subscription box with Bar & Cocoa (formerly Chocorush). Each month for 2 years, I tasted 4 bars made by 4 makers from all over the world. The subscription played a big part in my chocolate education, and I highly recommend subscribing to a similar service if you’re new to bean-to-bar chocolate.
Popular subscription boxes include Bar & Cocoa, Cococlectic, Cocoa Runners in the UK (shipping worldwide), and The Chocolate Explorers, to name a few.
2 – RELATABILITY
An overlooked skill that you need to grow as you gain knowledge. Read my thoughts and advice on the topic here.
3 – MONETIZING YOUR CHOCOLATE KNOWLEDGE
At the beginning of my chocolate journey, hanging out with like-minded people at festivals and online felt like a relief. Finally, I’d found my people! But once I stepped outside that bubble, reality would sink in, and I had to accept that most people here in Chester County weren’t interested in paying to compare the difference between a 70% dark chocolate from Ghana and another from Peru. As a result, I had to change the format of my events to fill them.
Wine & Chocolate Pairings
Learning to pair wine & chocolate has been the single most important skill that helped me turn 37 Chocolates into a business. If you want to generate an income from chocolate tastings, you’ll probably need to learn it too.
Get started by downloading my FREE Beginner’s Guide to Pairing Wine & Chocolate. Don’t know a thing about wine? Well, I didn’t either. However, I’ve learned from partnering with wine industry professionals, and you can too.
The Recorded Video Course: Pitch, Design, and Lead a Chocolate Tasting
Since I’ve been documenting my journey for over a decade online, I’ve received a lot of questions on how to structure tastings. When I realized that many people struggled with editing their presentations, I created Pitch, Design, and Lead a Chocolate Tasting, a video course explaining my own process to create engaging presentations and calculate ticket costs. You can access the lesson here (cost: $67). Although several years old, the principles behind the videos are timeless.
Note that your purchase includes access to a Facebook group where you’ll connect with other chocolate educators around the world.
The Online Bootcamp: The Chocolate Educator Workshop
Some people watch the videos and go on to create their own successful programs. Others crave a more structured environment and accountability. For this second group, I created The Chocolate Educator Workshop, a small, supportive 4-week online program (limited to 6 people) designed to help chocolate lovers turn their passion into real bookings. I lead the sessions live on Zoom, and recordings are available for one month.
Here’s the program:
WEEK 1: Define Your Signature Offering & Market Position
WEEK 2: Client Research & Outreach Strategy
WEEK 3: Step-by-Step Breakdown of a 37 Chocolates Tasting (In-Person + Online) + Pricing Discussion
WEEK 4: Customer Experience & Growth Strategy
August session dates:
- Tuesdays, August 4, 11, 18, and September 1, at 1 pm ET. You can sign up for the Tuesday sessions here. ** 5 spots left **
- Thursdays, August 6, 13, 20, and September 3, at 4 pm ET. You can sign up for the Thursday sessions here. ** 3 spots left **
So far, we’ve had 30 participants across 9 countries, and what I hear again and again is how supportive the group feels. People share quotes, ideas, and small wins each week. It’s not just about learning from me — it’s about learning alongside others who are building something similar.
Below are testimonials from former students:
Ronee (my first star student!):
David:
The Next Steps
Whether you’re a chocolate aficionado or an established chocolatier, you can tap into numerous resources to help you grow as a chocolate educator and experience provider. As your journey progresses, remember that practice is essential in building your skills and building your confidence as a chocolate educator. And if you need a little more coaching and guidance, send me an email to inquire about private consulting.