Advancing the educational, scientific, and cultural programs of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science by raising funds and generating community support.
Chocolate Fantasy
KPMG Presents
Lights, Camera, Action:
A Red Carpet Chocolate Fantasy
The 33rd Annual Chocolate Fantasy
The 33rd Annual Chocolate Fantasy, presented by KPMG:
Saturday, March 8, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. - Midnight
at Sandia Resort & Casino.
The evening will include a welcome champagne, entertainment, a silent auction (live viewing with online bidding), a plated sit-down dinner, dancing, and of course, we can’t forget, CHOCOLATE! New Mexico's leading chocolatiers will be preparing chocolate sculptures based on the gala’s theme for our guest's visual enjoyment, along with bonbons for culinary enjoyment!
Black tie or cocktail attire is recommended.
Tickets are $250 per person, plus a processing fee, and a portion of your ticket may be tax deductible.
This gala fundraiser benefits the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation, and supports our mission of advancing the educational, scientific, and cultural programs of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.
Chocolate Fantasy sells out every year, and tickets are limited - get yours today!
Support Chocolate Fantasy
Sponsorships
Chocolate Fantasy sponsorships are available at $10,000, $7,500, $5,000, and $2,500 levels. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Chocolate Fantasy in 2025, please use the buttons below, or contact ernaaz@naturalhistoryfoundation.org.
Donations
Donations are always welcome to help support our efforts. Please consider a contribution to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation. To donate now, use the button below.
Chocolate Fantasy Online Auction
If you would like to donate an item for the 2025 auction please contact aeaton@naturalhistoryfoundation.org. Thank you!
Raffle Tickets
2025 Raffle information TBA.
Chocolatiers
Sculpture & Bonbons
Breadhead Bakery - Stephanie Valerio & Brian Lipps
Fram's Desserts - Michael Fram
Heavenly Chocolates - Dolores Aragon & Ali Maes
Tatsuki Hewson & Tracy Aragon
Sculpture: Tesseuract of Dreams
Navajo Technical University - Sheila Begay & Melvina Jones
Navajo Technical University - Walter Cloud & Lorna Giesbrecht
Cameron Owens & Monica Saavedra
Sandia Resort & Casino - Alfonso B. White & Jaden Ortiz
Sculpture: It's Showtime!
Bonbons: Encore!
Fawn Saicawalo
Santa Fe Community College - Jack Hargraves & Sandra Nitschke
Rhett Smith & Juvy Comer
Snow Heights Productions - Austin Phillip
Special Touch Catering - Robyn Yazzie
Sculpture: Musicals of the Century
Bonbons: Coconut Charm
Sculpture Only
Ashley Briand, Tori Briand, & Stephanie Briand
Sculpture: Hollywood's Leading Lady
Cake Ingenuity - Joe & Amber Torres
Kristine Mills & Adrienne Toubbeh
James Yoo, Eamon Quigley, & Cody Limaby
Bonbons
DebbieRae's Cakes & Treats - Yvonne Maes and Debra Maestas
Darren Maes & Sierra Hanson
Bonbons: Lights Camera Chocolate
Jamie Semarge & Emma Wolverton
Bonbons: Sting of Pearls
Raquela Trujillo
Bonbons: Disco in Hollywood
Joseph G. Valles
Judges
Luis Amado
A native of Guadalajara Mexico, Chef Amado began his career at the age of 16 selling churros in the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico. He moved to Michigan and graduated from GRCC in 1992, then traveled to Europe and Belgium to develop his knowledge of classical European Pastry and chocolate.
Currently he runs the Culinary Management Program at Lake Michigan College MI, developing curriculum, teaching classes, and coaching students for national and international competitions. He owns Luis Amado Chocolate Academy in Stevensville, Michigan and his chocolate work has been featured in numerous magazines.
Chef Amado is very passionate about competitions, with more than 22 gold medals and 6 best of show awards from highly recognized competitions. In the summer months. he travels to Europe, The Middle East, and Latin America to teach workshops and seminars to professional chefs and serious chocolate enthusiasts.
Kim Rothrock
Kim Rothrock is the East Account Manager for the Blommer Chocolate Company, who is the largest bean to bar chocolate manufacturer in North America, and the maker of Founder’s Reserve fine chocolate couvertures.
Kim has been a buyer for Balducci’s and Dean & LeLuca specialty food retailers in New York City, built a pastry & chocolate ingredient division for Chefswarehouse, a leading national specialty foodservice importer-distributor, spent four years as a consultant to a chocolate-focused marketing & innovation company, and been a key account manager with ADM Cocoa International, and Cargill Cocoa North America.
She has also been a Pastry Chef, holds a BA in Fine Arts, and is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC. She has completed professional confectionery courses at European chocolate manufacturers in France and Spain.
Paul Edward
Since he can remember as a small boy, Chef Paul Edward was involved with Chocolate and Pastry. He worked in family-run pastry shops then moved into the hotel industry, including San Francisco’s Westin St. Francis, Four Seasons Clift Hotel, and Sheraton Palace; Atlanta’s Ritz Carlton Buckhead; and Beverly Hills’ La Bel Age Hotel and Peninsula Beverly Hills.
Paul trained at various institutions in Europe and Asia and he has been invited guest faculty at many culinary facilities here in the United States.
Currently, Paul runs R&D at Chef Rubber, a manufacturer and distributor of specialty items for World Pastry Champions, Artisan Chefs and Confectioners, and consults on many new innovative products for companies throughout the world.