Best Max Gandy Podcasts (2025)

OmNom Chocolate has become semi-famous over the last year, thanks to a Zac Efron show (https://www.netflix.com/title/80230601) on Netflix. But even before that overnight explosion, OmNom had been quite famous within the craft chocolate (https://damecacao.com/what-is-craft-chocolate-bean-to-bar/) industry in its own right. From their rainbow-hued wo…

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Interview: Julia Choi-Rodriguez & Roger Rodriguez, Cofounders of Vesta Chocolate 46:44

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4+ y ago46:44

46:44

Julia & Roger Rodriguez opened the doors to their shop in February 2020, less than a month after their wedding ceremony. Nearly a year in the making, and their official grand opening was waylaid by covid. And then waylaid again. And eventually it was cancelled altogether, plans were scrapped, and big changes had to be made to keep Vesta alive— they…

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INTERVIEW: Gillian Goddard, Activist Chocolate Maker at Sun Eaters Organics 47:31

4+ y ago47:31

47:31

Gillian Goddard puts her money where her intention is, carefully choosing how her business spends its resources in order to have the greatest positive impact. She’s a self-proclaimed “disruptor” in the chocolate industry, and I’ve seen no evidence to dispute that; her systems bring to life the concept of entrepreneurship as activism. Over the last …

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INTERVIEW: Erin Andrews, Founder of indi Chocolate 52:39

4+ y ago52:39

52:39

Even over the phone, Erin Andrews is someone you just feel drawn to continue chatting and laughing along with. Having founded her first chocolate company in Belize in 2008, over the last thirteen years Erin has used this extroverted superpower to build up a subsequent chocolate company in her home of Seattle. That company is indi Chocolate, named a…

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INTERVIEW: Will Marx, Founder of WM Chocolate 1:03:53

5y ago1:03:53

1:03:53

Very few chocolate makers are truly going down a new and unusual path these days, and honestly, at first glance, neither is Will Marx. He’s making (mostly) plain dark chocolates from ethically sourced single origin cacao. But simplicity can be a good thing— it takes away the complicated window dressing and opens up the world of artisan food to a la…

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INTERVIEW: Megan Giller, Author of Bean To Bar & Chocolate Noise 41:48

5y ago41:48

41:48

In the chocolate world, there are very few in-betweens. Most of us either buy or sell chocolate, whether we make it ourselves or curate it for customers. Megan Giller’s case is a bit different; she’s more of a go-between than an in-between, connecting readers to remarkable treats from around the world. Since even before her book— Bean To Bar Chocol…

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INTERVIEW: Pashmina Lalchandani, CEO of Bar & Cocoa 33:56

5y ago33:56

33:56

Pashmina kinda started Bar & Cocoa “by accident,” with co-founder and former co-owner Chris Lacey, back when they were offering craft chocolate subscription boxes under the name “ChocoRush.” Fast forward half a decade and a few big moves, and Pashmina is now running one of the world’s largest online craft chocolate retailers, offering nearly 80 mak…

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INTERVIEW: Tomo Zukoshi, Co-Founder of Fijiana Cacao 35:52

5y ago35:52

35:52

Fiji is the land of beach getaways, incredibly strong traditions, and a whole lot of agriculture. In fact, I'd say that despite doubling in size each year due to tourism, most Fijians don't interact at all with tourists, and continue on their lives in the largely rural nation. This is how Tomo came to learn about cacao in the first place, well over…

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INTERVIEW: Marcos Patchett, Author of The Secret Life of Chocolate 42:28

5y ago42:28

42:28

It’s a huge undertaking to write a book, but it’s a monumental project to write the book on your chosen subject. Yet that’s exactly what you’ll find in The Secret Life of Chocolate, a definitive book on cacao written by medical herbalist Marcos Patchett. The book’s many chapters read like individual deep dives into the many facets of cacao, as expl…

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INTERVIEW: Soklet Chocolate Co-Founders, Harish & Karthi 49:36

5+ y ago49:36

49:36

Not only is India one of the world’s largest economies, but the country has a huge range of micro-climates, even within each of its 36 states & territories. Of these, four are the most hospitable for growing cacao, and Tamil Nadu is one of them. This is where you’ll find the farms of Regal Plantations and the tiny chocolate factory of Soklet Chocol…

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INTERVIEW: Julia Zotter, Creative Director at Zotter Chocolate 39:45

5+ y ago39:45

39:45

Since 1995, Zotter Chocolate (https://www.zotterusa.com/) has been creating confections in southeastern Austria. In 2006, the family-owned and -run company began dabbling in bean to bar chocolates (https://damecacao.com/what-is-craft-chocolate-bean-to-bar/), and since then, they’ve become one of the largest craft chocolate makers in the world. Juli…

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Ep. 27: Fiji 40:33

5+ y ago40:33

40:33

While the vast majority of travelers will associate Fiji only with resorts, pristine beaches, and tribal dances, some visitors will manage to glimpse another side of the islands. For over 100 years, Fijians have been growing cacao, sometimes sporadically, to be sold into the international market. But in recent years, the Pacific Island nation has s…

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Ep. 26: Is Coronavirus Killing Craft Chocolate? 36:06

5+ y ago36:06

36:06

While Covid-19 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus) has ravaged populations around the world, it’s also nearly halted the global economy. Almost every industry around the world is heavily affected, most often in the negative, and craft chocolate is no exception. Not only are chocolate sales (https://damecacao.com/where-buy-craft-chocolate-on…

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INTERVIEW: Ning-Geng Ong, Founder of Chocolate Concierge 36:44

5+ y ago36:44

36:44

For over a decade, Ning has been working in the chocolate industry on peninsular Malaysia. Under his brands Culture Cacao (https://www.facebook.com/culturecacao/) and Chocolate Concierge, he’s now growing, fermenting, and processing his own cacao beans into chocolate. Much of this work has been done alongside re-forestation projects done in the ind…

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Ep. 25: Singapore 28:48

5+ y ago28:48

28:48

Singapore is much better known for its financial institutions than its fine food selection, and this is for good reason. The options for chocolate lovers in Singapore have increased dramatically over the last several years, but relatively few consumers have become interested. Locals are still more interested in fine cakes and foreign cookies than t…

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Chocolate On The Road: The Rise of Milk Alternatives 36:57

6y ago36:57

36:57

Coconut milk chocolate has become a pretty standard part of any craft chocolate (https://damecacao.com/what-is-craft-chocolate-bean-to-bar/) maker’s lineup of offerings. Yet the list of plant-based milks seems to grow every day. From nuts & legumes to fruits & grains, there’s an option for every dietary requirement, none of which ever touch a cow. …

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Ep. 23: India 34:34

6y ago34:34

34:34

Indian food is famous, but Indian desserts, and certainly Indian chocolates, haven’t yet found their way onto the world’s radar. But they’re out there. India has grown cacao for centuries, in fact, and now has around a half dozen established chocolate brands, with another several dozen in the works. Yet you probably couldn’t name any— so why is tha…

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Ep. 22: Malaysia 41:32

6y ago41:32

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Malaysian origin chocolates are about as common as Cambodian (https://damecacao.com/chocolate-on-the-road-cambodia/) or Hawaiian (https://damecacao.com/chocolate-on-the-road-hawaii/) chocolates. That is, they exist— but you can’t really find them unless you go to the source. But it wasn’t always this way. Malaysia used to be one of the world’s top …

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INTERVIEW: Dr. Kristy Leissle, Cocoa Researcher & Scholar 1:13:34

6y ago1:13:34

1:13:34

With 15 years of cocoa research in West Africa under her belt, Dr. Kristy Leissle is well-poised to speak on the topic of its future. African farmers grow over two-thirds of the world’s cocoa supply, making the African continent the deciding factor in chocolate’s future. With all the hype and questions around the potential extinction of chocolate, …

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INTERVIEW: Jan Schubert, Conservation Leader at Original Beans Chocolate 54:33

6y ago54:33

54:33

Jan Schubert works in the cocoa industry in Latin America, largely in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. Focusing on conservation in cocoa-growing areas, his efforts & the efforts of his team have led to the planting of over 2.4 million trees in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas. ‘One bar, one tree’ is the motto of Original Beans Chocolate. So wh…

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INTERVIEW: Samuel Maruta, Co-Founder of Marou Chocolate 43:05

6y ago43:05

43:05

Samuel Maruta is the co-founder of Marou Chocolate, a craft chocolate company based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Since its founding in 2011, Marou has worked directly with Vietnamese cocoa farmers to source the seven cacao origins they work with. Two shops and nearly nine years later, the company is still going strong, and serving as an inspiratio…

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INTERVIEW: Sunita De Tourreil, Founder of The Chocolate Garage 43:17

6y ago43:17

43:17

Sunita De Tourreil has spend the last decade-and-a-half advocating on behalf of chocolate makers. In her craft chocolate retail venture, The Chocolate Garage, she experimented with various ways of funding new chocolate projects, in addition to conducting hundreds of tastings a year. Over the Garage’s 8-year run, Sunita watched small-batch chocolate…

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INTERVIEW: Matt Caputo, CEO Caputo's Market & Deli 32:02

6y ago32:02

32:02

Matt Caputo is a well-known name in the world of chocolate, having started the specialty chocolate portion of his family’s shop back in 2002. Since then, their offerings have continued to expand, and oftentimes they’re the ones turning down new chocolates. Between nearly two decades of craft chocolate sales, and an impressive repertoire of related …

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Ep. 21: Is Chocolate Going Extinct? 43:10

6y ago43:10

43:10

A series of articles published a half decade ago, at the end of 2014, sparked a series of half-jokes and serious questions about the world’s cacao supply— namely, will it taper off and disappear by 2050? It seems unlikely that cocoa could go extinct in thirty years. But I wanted to explore the idea which sparked this cocoa frenzy, and caused more c…

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Ep. 20: Myanmar 31:59

6y ago31:59

31:59

Myanmar is much more closely associated with ancient temples and civil war than burgeoning agriculture and tourism, yet both of the latter are on the rise in the country. And for those not yet aware, Myanmar also grows an increasing amount of cacao, all of which is processed into value-added chocolate, totaling near one ton a month. Each ingredient…

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Ep. 19: Thailand 36:06

6y ago36:06

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Thailand is the country of potential. Immigrants from nearby Myanmar, Laos (https://damecacao.com/vientiane-chocolate-maker-in-laos/), and Cambodia (https://damecacao.com/chocolate-on-the-road-cambodia/) come to the country by the millions, to work and to live. Yet in so many ways, the Thai chocolate and cacao scene isn’t living up to its potential…

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Ep. 18: Craft Sugar-Free Chocolate 20:17

6y ago20:17

20:17

When I was a kid, discovering my Mom’s chocolate stash in the pantry was always exciting— until I realized it was made up of only sugar-free chocolate. For as long as I can remember, sugar free chocolate was the “other” category in the chocolate aisle; it never tasted particularly chocolatey, but it wasn’t good for you, either. But recently, that p…

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INTERVIEW: David Castellan, Co-founder of SoMA Chocolate 30:33

6y ago30:33

30:33

SoMA Chocolate Maker is one of the oldest small-batch chocolate makers in the world. In 2003, David Castellan co-founded the company with his partner, Cynthia (https://damecacao.com/interview-cynthia-leung-soma-chocolate/), and they’ve been making great chocolate ever since. But as any chocolate maker can tell you, starting a chocolate factory from…

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Ep. 17: Cambodia 26:44

6y ago26:44

26:44

Ancient temples or genocide. Those are the two most common things people seem to associate with the Kingdom of Cambodia. Located in Southeast Asia, and bordered by Vietnam (https://damecacao.com/chocolate-on-the-road-vietnam/), Laos, and Thailand, Cambodia is so much more than its past. Visitors are now discovering the country’s burgeoning fine foo…

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Ep. 16: Vietnam 31:16

6y ago31:16

31:16

Many people still think of Vietnam in terms of its contentious civil war, back in the 60’s and 70’s. But while the war has certainly left its mark, for chocolate lovers Vietnam has become one of the best-known cacao origins in Asia. Many small batch craft chocolate makers (https://damecacao.com/where-buy-craft-chocolate-online/) keep a Vietnamese b…

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Ep. 15: Why We Buy Craft Chocolate 34:07

6y ago34:07

34:07

Sometimes it feels like craft chocolate is just an expensive hobby. Very few of the people I meet know anything about chocolate and cacao (https://damecacao.com/cacao-vs-cocoa/); educating the world’s populace seems futile. But what about those of us who already buy craft chocolate on the regular? What convinced us to buy our first bar or cup of fi…

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BONUS: Xiao Chi's Very Fine Food 4:37

6y ago4:37

4:37

In this week's bonus episode, we'll have a bit of fun with this snippet of my discussion of convenience stores in Taiwan, featuring Arleen Huang and Joyce Lee, along with her uncle, Siong-Goan. Do you know xiao chi? Connect With Arleen & the Lees On Facebook: @MissCacaoandMr.Chocolate (https://www.facebook.com/MissCacaoandMr.Chocolate/) & @jccw2016…

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Ep. 14: Taiwan 31:22

6+ y ago31:22

31:22

Taiwan has developed immensely over the several decades since Japanese occupation ended, often referenced as one of the Four Asian Tigers (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/four-asian-tigers.asp). The country is now better known for bubble tea & soup dumplings than for a raging fine food culture, but it's there, bubbling under the surface (if yo…

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BONUS: Becoming a Smooth Chocolator 8:32

6+ y ago8:32

8:32

In this week's bonus episode, we'll hear a bit more about the origins of the Smooth Chocolator, AKA Yoon Kim. For the last four years, she's been running her award-winning craft chocolate brand while holding down a full-time job. And boy has it been expensive. Connect With Yoon On Instagram: @smoothchocolator (https://www.instagram.com/smoothchocol…

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Ep. 13: Hidden Costs Of Crafting Chocolate 43:22

6+ y ago43:22

43:22

Most people who grew up eating chocolate will remember it as a cheap candy, something you bought from the store for less than a dollar. So to most people, the idea of a $10 chocolate bar⁠— or a $5 or $15 chocolate bar⁠— is ludicrous. What could possibly cost so much? But the real question you should be asking is why was it so cheap in the first pla…

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INTERVIEW: Cynthia Leung, Co-founder of SoMA Chocolate 31:44

6+ y ago31:44

31:44

Cynthia Leung is a calming presence. She almost disarms you with her soft voice, but then she drops all these wisdom bombs about running a company and getting through tough times with your sanity intact. After almost two decades working in the craft chocolate sphere, she’s more than qualified to dole that out, too. Cynthia’s company of SoMA Chocola…

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INTERVIEW: Mackenzie Rivers, Founder of Map Chocolate 41:46

6+ y ago41:46

41:46

Mackenzie Rivers is the founder, owner, and sole chocolate maker behind Map Chocolate, based in Oregon, USA. For the last half decade she’s been “pushing that $50 forward” to build her dream company and pursure her many projects. Bursting with a million creative ideas but just two hands, her recent ventures include chocolate making workshops, a new…

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INTERVIEW: Emily Paek, Founder of Public Chocolatory 23:20

6+ y ago23:20

23:20

Emily Paek was one of the first craft chocolate makers in Korea (https://damecacao.com/eat-chocolate-seoul/), and quite frankly, it’s been a long road to journey down. Over the last few years I’ve had the honor of watching Emily’s chocolate brand, Public Chocolatory, grow into its space and educate the Korean public as to the merits of craft chocol…

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Interview: Greg D'Alesandre, Cacao Sourcerer At Dandelion Chocolate 43:55

6+ y ago43:55

43:55

Greg D’Alesandre is almost beyond description. Since 2012 he’s been a part of the Dandelion Chocolate team, building up a sustainable and reputable company which links cacao producers and consumers through chocolate. His self-designated title of cacao sourcerer (whether there’s true magic involved, we’ll never know) is a nod to his extensive work w…

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INTERVIEW: Emily Stone, Co-founder Of Uncommon Cacao 40:31

6+ y ago40:31

40:31

Emily Stone has become an important figure in the global cacao industry. In 2010 she co-founded Maya Mountain Cacao in southern Belize, while just a few years later, demand brought her to Guatemala, where her team founded Cacao Verapaz. Over the years, Uncommon Cacao has expanded to include cacao from 14 origins around the world (as of publication)…

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BONUS: Chocolate Over Coffee 5:02

6+ y ago5:02

5:02

In this week's bonus episode, we have a few announcements, plus some clips from my interview with Jason Chung. Jason's one of only two specialty chocolate retailers in Korea, working to bring international bean to bar chocolate to the Korean public. He's run into some metaphorical walls he was already expecting to find, while some he was bracing fo…

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Ep. 12: South Korea 37:45

6+ y ago37:45

37:45

South Korea's rapid globalization is countered by a fierce sense of cultural identity, and fine chocolate is one of the many places this standoff is playing out. Before the recent explosion of Korean culture onto the international scene, South Korea (https://damecacao.com/south-korea-itinerary/) was often lumped in with neighboring China (https://d…

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BONUS: The Father Of Korean Craft Chocolate 4:27

6+ y ago4:27

4:27

In this week's bonus episode, we meet Eddie Kim, the "master teacher" (a name given to him and gracefully discouraged) of the Korean craft chocolate movement. Every chocolate maker in Korea can trace their education back to him in one way or another. For the last 10 years, Eddie's been working in the cacao industry in Malaysia, traveling back to hi…

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Ep. 11: The Philippines Part 2 35:43

6+ y ago35:43

35:43

This is the continuation of the story of Philippine cacao & chocolate culture, or rather, a lack thereof. In part two we hear some of the real-life stories of Filipino cacao farmers and chocolate makers, and the obstacles they face on a daily basis. We'll explore why local culture can both help and hurt an industry's development. In this episode, w…

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INTERVIEW: Vincent Mourou, Co-founder Of Marou Chocolate 24:39

6+ y ago24:39

24:39

Vincent Mourou is widely recognized as one of the first craft chocolate makers in Asia. He's one of the co-founders of Marou Chocolate (https://marouchocolate.com/), a value-added chocolate factory established in 2011 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The company now works with farmers in six provinces in the south of the country, plus the rare single …

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BONUS: Passion Fruit's Big Surprise 4:49

6+ y ago4:49

4:49

In this week's bonus episode, Ernesto Pantua, Jr. (Tito Jun), manager of Kablon Farms in South Cotabato, Philippines tells the story of how his family happened into passion fruit farming, which quickly morphed into a partnership with their neighbors, Dole Foods. Connect With Kablon Farms Online: kablonfarms.com (http://kablonfarms.com/) Connect Wit…

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Ep. 10: The Philippines Part 1 33:35

6+ y ago33:35

33:35

The Philippines is a huge market for cacao consumption, both historically and in present-day. But outside of the country, you don’t hear much about their market— a fact which is set to change really soon, and in a big way. Because across the islands, seeds have been planted, and they’re just about ready to bear fruit. In this episode, we talk to fo…

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BONUS: Hunting For Gold In The Philippines 5:18

6+ y ago5:18

5:18

In this week's bonus episode, Louie Cena of Auro Chocolate in the Philippines talks about the company's rapid development, and the changes they've seen in quality of local cacao over the last few years. Louie is the manager of Auro's Davao City operations, the region of the Philippines known as "Cacao City." Connect With Auro Chocolate On Instagram…

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Ep. 9: Home Chocolate Making 39:01

6+ y ago39:01

39:01

Most modern craft chocolate makers (https://damecacao.com/bar-reviews/) start off making chocolate on a small scale, in their homes. Once they decide to professionalize their making, often they move out of their homes and into a rented or purchased kitchen space. There's an order to these things. But the fact that such small-scale chocolate making …