Chocolate Fantasy 2024

Chocolate Fantasy

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About Chocolate Fantasy

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Support Chocolate Fantasy

KPMG Presents
Deco and Decadence:
The Roaring Twenties
The 32nd Annual Chocolate Fantasy

The 32nd Annual Chocolate Fantasy will be held at Sandia Resort & Casino (see parking info) on Saturday February 3, 2024 from 6 p.m. to Midnight.

Chocolate Fantasy has become an unforgettable Albuquerque experience - don't miss out on this magical and delicious evening!

Tickets are $250 each and benefit the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation. This amazing event sells out every year - get your tickets today!

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About the Event

The night's schedule will include a welcome champagne, entertainment, a silent auction (live viewing with online bidding), a plated sit-down dinner (view menu), live auction, 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 guests' visual enjoyment, along with bonbons for culinary enjoyment! Black tie or cocktail attire is recommended.

Support Chocolate Fantasy

Sponsorships

Chocolate Fantasy sponsorships are available now at $15,000, $10,000, $7,500, $5,000, and $2,500 levels. Use the buttons below to see details regarding benefits of each sponsorship level, or to complete a sponsorship online.

Contact ernaaz@naturalhistoryfoundation.org with any questions.

See Sponsorship Levels (PDF)

Become a Sponsor

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.

Donate Now

Chocolate Fantasy Online Auction

If you would like to donate an item for the 2024 auction please contact aeaton@naturalhistoryfoundation.org. Thank you!

The Chocolate Fantasy online auction is now live! Bid on amazing items such as an Angel Fire escape ($600 value), a one-of-a-kind Lilly Barrack pendant ($1,099 value), a case of 2009 "Purple Angel" cellared wine ($1,020 value), and much, much more!.

You do not need to purchase a ticket to Chocolate Fantasy or be present to win.

Preview Auction Items

Raffle Tickets

Get your raffle tickets for a chance to win a Roberto Coin 18K Gold Bangle or a Tudor Black Bay 41, valued at $5,500 each. Two winners will be chosen, with the first winner getting their choice of the two prizes shown.

Winners will be drawn on Saturday, February 3, 2024. You do not need to purchase Chocolate Fantasy tickets to purchase raffle tickets, and you do not need to be present to win.

Raffle tickets are $100 each and 1,000 raffle tickets are being made available. To secure your raffle ticket call (505) 841-2805, or email mireland@naturalhistoryfoundation.org.

All proceeds benefit the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation. Winner is responsible for reporting and payment of all applicable federal and state taxes and raffle ticket is not tax-deductible.

Judges

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.

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.

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.

Chocolatiers

SCULPTURE AND BONBONS:

Amaran Senior Living – Liliana Quiroz and Echo Wilkins: Let the Good Times Roll

Casey Trent: Well Ain't That the Bee's Knees!

Fram’s Desserts – Michael Fram: Dripping In Black and Gold

Heavenly Chocolate – Dolores Aragon and Ali Maes: Shall We Dance?

Kris Mills and Adrienne Toubbeh: What's the Password (Who's Your Dada)

Sandia Resort & Casino – Stephanie Valerio, Carlos Diaz Campos, Luna Feliciano: Reflection in Chocolate; Inspired by Georgia O'Keefe

SCULPTURE ONLY:

Ashley Briand and Victoria Briand: Giggle Water

Cake Ingenuity – Amber Torres, Jose Torres, and Jose Torres III: The Social Butterfly

Jimson – Pedro Toledo

Laura Bakes – Laura Gonzales: Atlas Shrugged

Navajo Technical University – Sheila Begay: The Charleston Hop Trot

Snow Heights Productions – Austin Phillip: A Gentleman Mickey

BONBONS

Darren Maes and Sierra Hanson

DebbieRae’s Cakes and Treats – Yvonne Maes, Debra Maestas, and Marisa Maes

Jamie Semarge and Emma Wolverton

Ms Bea’s Sweet Treats – Malina Sangre and Kaylynn Gallegos

Raquela Trujillo

Sandia Resort & Casino – Stephanie Valerio

Shamrock Foods – Dan Gilpatrick and Rodney Estrada

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Great Gatsby - Presenting Sponsor

Partnering with Chocolate Fantasy for 27 years.

Speakeasy Sponsors

All That Jazz Sponsors

The Charleston Sponsors

Susan Scott

Flapper Sponsors

Carolyn & Tony Chan

The Cool Kids & Tysselings

RSI Wealth Management & Consulting

Toubbeh/Wiggins

In-Kind Sponsors

The Albuquerque Journal

Alexa Verardo

Chef Rubber

Edible Magazine

Foodlinks USA

I Heart Radio

KRQE

Sandia BMW

Shamrock Foods

Southern Glazier Wine & Spirits

Frank Frost Photography

Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry

Photos from Chocolate Fantasy 2023: Fables & Folklore

Chocolate sculpture depicting a chupacabra eating a goat.

1st Place Winner

Cake Ingenuity
"Chupis"
by Joe & Amber Torres

First place winner Joe Torres pictured with his chocolate sculpture Chupis, a chupacabra eating a goat.

1st Place Winner Joe Torres

1st Place Winner Joe Torres with his sculpture "Chupis".

Joe Torres pictured with the Chocolate Fantasy judges and a blue 1st place ribbon.

1st Place Winner Joe Torres and Judges.

A chocolate sculpture depicting a tortoise, carrying on its back multiple green saguaro cacti and a storyteller figure wrapped in a southwestern blanket.

2nd Place Winner

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic University
"Sweet Traditions"
by Laura Barker and the SIPI Culinary Program

2nd Place Winner

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic University
"Sweet Traditions"
by Laura Barker and the SIPI Culinary Program

Laura Barker and the SIPI Culinary Program pictured with the Chocolate Fantasy judges and a red 2nd place ribbon.

2nd Place Winner Laura Barker and the SIPI Culinary Program with Judges.

Chocolate sculpture depicting a seated wolf with black fur and red eyes, snarling. The wolf has a paw on a picnic basket.

3rd Place Winner

"Big Bad Wolf"
by Sheila Begay and Melvina Jones

A chocolate sculpture depicting a sea turtle swimming in a blue sea with sea form waves. The turtle has a large, leafy tree growing atop its shell.

People's Choice Winner

Route 66 Casino
"Hah-Nu-Nah"
by Jaquelyn CDeBaca & Cameron Owens

A close-up view of a chocolate sculpture - the head and eye of a sea turtle, surrounded by seafoam waves.

People's Choice Winner

Route 66 Casino
"Hah-Nu-Nah"
by Jaquelyn CDeBaca & Cameron Owens

Pictured: Foundation Executive Director Abigail Eaton, 31st Annual Chocolate Fantasy Chair Pamela A. Rice, guest of Pamela.

The Chocolate Fantasy dance floor.

An entertainer - dressed in a decorative black robe with red embellishments and a red headscarf, with white face paint. They swirl a set of ribbons - yellow, black, and red - through the air.

Entertainment at Chocolate Fantasy.

An entertainer with white face paint and a red headscarf with a jewel-encrusted headband blows bubbles with liquid from a curvy red vase. In the background are chocolate sculptures under glass.

Entertainment at Chocolate Fantasy.

A woman dressed in a frilly red and black dress with black & white sleeves juggles three white & gold juggling clubs. The backdrop is a moodily-lit study with a white sofa, bookshelf, curtains, and wood-panelled window.

Entertainment at Chocolate Fantasy.

New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation