The Chocolate Queen Raquel Toquero-Choa shared her chocolate journey with the Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort Management Team in an intimate celebration of International Women’s Day held last March 8, 2021.
The event was a sweet gesture by Director of Operations Mohammad Danish Khan to the empowered ladies of Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort. General Manager Vina Flor Concepcion V. Wurgler-Cronin and the other members of the management graced the special event.
Cacao Educator Mr. Edu T. Pantino shared The Chocolate Chamber’s advocacy through Cacao de Filipinas Fellowship in sustaining the cacao value chain. A video presentation of The Chocolate Queen “It’s all in the BEANS” was shown prior to her talk about C.A.C.A.O. Credo. The C.A.C.A.O. Credo is for Check around you; (Be) Artisanal and creative; Carbon-copy yourself; Appraise and collaborate and Optimize and empower people. Raquel also mentioned about her guiding principles during the pandemic, Presence, Positioning, and Participation. The participants were able to witness on how Raquel made the tablea manually using the Tuburan cacao beans from FCCT Coop. Then the demonstration on Cacao de Bola followed.
Meanwhile, the “Chocolate Princess”, Hannah Mae T. Choa, demonstrated the Sikwate with the Senses using the 5S in Sikwate (Swirl, Smell, Sip, Swish, Swallow) as she shared a well-kept secret of The Chocolate Chamber through the evolution of the cacao beans.
Hannah, together with Marya, Batidores apprentice and President of FCCT Coop Youth, prepared the sikwate for tasting with the assistance of TCC’s Corporate Liaison Jonathan Choa and Chamber Keeper AJ Choa.
Sheraton’s Management team was able to taste the sikwate made from the freshly-made tablea using a mortar and pestle, which Raquel made during the demo.
Each participant gets to know cacao farming as TCC showcased the single origin cacao beans from Tuburan (Sitios Balit and Hunghungan in Brgy. Amatugan).
The resource persons entertained questions from the participants especially those who have cherished and loved chocolate through The Chocolate Chamber.
