Chocolate Educator Max Gandy aka Dame Cacao

Max Gandy, perhaps better known in the craft chocolate world as Dame Cacao, was one of the first chocolate educators I started following on Instagram many years ago now when I was first getting into the scene. With her Dame Cacao website and various podcasts over the years, she’s been a calm and knowledgeable voice within craft chocolate for nearly a decade now. She’s also incredibly well traveled, and has spent time at many cacao origins. 

Having Max on the podcast is long overdue, so I reached out to her recently to rectify that wrong. In our conversation, we discussed her journey within craft chocolate, the way going to origin can change our perspectives on chocolate, and what has to happen for the general public to come around to craft chocolate. We also spent some time discussing cacao liquors and other alcoholic beverages made by farmers in different regions.

You can learn more about Max and her work on her website Dame Cacao, and on Instagram & Facebook. 

You can learn more about sponsors at their websites:
Beer Scholar
Fifth Street Brewpub

The music for Bean to Barstool is by indie folk musician Anna ps. You can find out more about Anna’s music in the show notes or at her website annapsmusic.com, where you can also get in touch to book her to play at your brewery or other establishment.

Max Gandy has been in the chocolate industry for over a decade, working in chocolate shops & on cacao farms, interviewing chocolate professionals, and even running tours at a chocolate museum. On her website damecacao.com, she's been sharing about cacao & chocolate since 2015, focused on chocolate travel guides, basic chocolate education, and chocolate recipes. Check out the archives of her podcast Chocolate On The Road for more chocolate stories from around the globe.