Discover What’s Brewing at the Sip & Share Seminar Stage in Maryland
Join us at the DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival ~ Maryland Edition, taking place November 7 & 8 at the Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse in Germantown, Maryland. The Sip & Share Seminar Stage invites guests to go beyond the flavors and discover the craft, culture, and stories behind chocolate, coffee, and specialty foods. Hear directly from makers and industry experts through engaging seminars, demonstrations, and interactive Festival Trivia. All sessions are included with your festival admission, so stop by throughout the weekend to learn something new, ask questions, and join the fun.
2026 Seminar Schedule
Saturday
10:30AM - Ancestral Cacao: Rediscovering One of the World’s Oldest Chocolate Lineages in the Ecuador Amazon
by Daniel Hymel (Powhatan Chocolates)
12:00PM - So, you want to start your own Coffee Business? The Good, The Bad, and Ugly... An Owner's Journey
by Paul Olsen (Weird Brothers Coffee)
1:30PM - Cafe Medrano Brand & Savory Desserts
by Raul Medrano & Chef Oswaldo Pereira (Cafe Medrano)
3:00PM - Craft Chocolate 101: Why All Chocolate Isn’t Created Equal
by Krissee D'Aguiar (River-Sea Chocolate)
4:00PM - Chocolate and Coffee Trivia
Sunday
11:00AM - What You Didn’t Know About Chocolate: The Cool Hidden Facts & Stories Behind Your Favorite Food
by Estelle Tracy (37 Chocolates)
12:00PM - Don't Yum My Yuck!
by Estelle Tracy (37 Chocolates)
1:00PM - The Secret Behind Costa Rica’s Exceptional Coffee
by Will & Cinthia Anderson with special guest Minor Alfaro (Coffee Balam)
2:00PM - Chocolate Gatherings: Your Guide to Hosting Tasting Parties
by Estelle Tracy (37 Chocolates)
3:00PM - Chocolate and Coffee Trivia
Learn More About Each Session
Ancestral Cacao: Rediscovering One of the World’s Oldest Chocolate Lineages in the Ecuador Amazon
Saturday at 10:30am
Discover some of the world’s rarest ancestral cacao from the Amazonian headwaters of Ecuador. Daniel Hymel of Powhatan Chocolates will share the story of these ancient trees, the Indigenous Shuar families protecting them, and conservation efforts helping them thrive. Guests will also taste chocolate crafted from these remarkable beans.
So, you want to start your own Coffee Business? The Good, The Bad, and Ugly... An Owner's Journey
Saturday at 12:00pm
Discover what it really takes to own and operate a successful coffee shop. Hear from Paul Olsen, founder of Weird Brothers Coffee, as he shares the hard work, challenges, rewards, and realities behind turning a coffee shop dream into a thriving business. Gain practical insight into what aspiring coffee shop owners should consider before taking the leap.
Cafe Medrano Brand & Savory Desserts
Saturday at 1:30pm
Raul Medrano will share his family’s history and the story behind Cafe Medrano, a coffee brand rooted in the highlands of Copán, Honduras, and roasted locally in Baltimore, Maryland, and Manassas, Virginia. He will explore what makes specialty coffee unique, including its production, distribution, and connection to coffee tourism, as well as how ground coffee can be incorporated into desserts. Venezuelan chef Oswaldo Pereira will then share recipes, demonstrate preparation techniques, and offer samples of three desserts featuring Cafe Medrano coffee, including coffee-flavored quesillo (flan), coffee-flavored tres leches, and a special Venezuelan dessert.
Craft Chocolate 101: Why All Chocolate Isn’t Created Equal
Saturday at 3:00pm
Not all chocolate is made the same. Discover what separates artisan bean-to-bar chocolate from mass-market candy, and why ingredients, sourcing, and craftsmanship make such a dramatic difference in flavor. Krissee D’Aguiar of River-Sea Chocolates will take you behind the scenes of the bean-to-bar process while sharing how her award-winning chocolate is made from ethically sourced cacao around the world.
What You Didn’t Know About Chocolate: The Cool Hidden Facts & Stories Behind Your Favorite Food
Sunday at 11:00am
Join chocolate sommelier Estelle Tracy for an exploration of the history, geography, science, culture, and industry of chocolate. Peppered with engaging stories, the presentation will give you a deeper appreciation of chocolate and a collection of fun facts to impress your friends.
Don't Yum My Yuck!
Sunday at 12:00pm
In this presentation, you'll join Estelle Tracy, a chocolate sommelier, as she delves into the fascinating world of taste. You'll gain insights into the reasons why your "yum" can be someone else's "yuck." After a brief overview of the basic tastes, you’ll discover how smells, sights, and sounds impact our perception of taste. You’ll also explore the relationship between storytelling and taste, as well as between smells and memory.
The Secret Behind Costa Rica’s Exceptional Coffee
Sunday at 1:00pm
Discover what sets Costa Rican coffee apart as Coffee Balam explores the country’s unique standards and practices for coffee growing, processing, and quality. The presentation will also showcase the Vandola, a handmade ceramic brewer native to Costa Rica, demonstrating how this beautiful brewing tradition brings together coffee, culture, and craft. Attendees will also have the opportunity to sample delicious Costa Rican coffee and taste the quality firsthand.
Chocolate Gatherings: Your Guide to Hosting Tasting Parties
Sunday at 2:00pm
Hosting a chocolate tasting is a fun and unique way to gather friends and family this holiday season. In this workshop, Estelle Tracy of 37 Chocolates will share simple steps and tips for selecting bars, setting up, and guiding memorable tastings that bring people closer together. Planning a grown-up gathering? You’ll learn wine & chocolate basics too. Participants will leave ready to create their own sweet celebrations at home.
Meet the Sip & Share Seminar Speakers
Daniel Hymel Paul Olsen Raul Medrano Chef Oswaldo Pereira Krissee D'Aguiar Estelle Tracy Will & Cinthia Anderson
Daniel Hymel is the founder of Powhatan Chocolates & Coffee, a Virginia bean-to-bar company specializing in rare, heirloom, and ancestral cacao. Drawing on his background in technology and applied chemistry, he works with wild Amazonian cacao from Ecuador, supports growers through direct partnerships and profit-sharing, and creates chocolate recognized by the International Chocolate Awards.
Paul Olsen is a retired U.S. Army Intelligence Non-Commissioned Officer and co-founder of Weird Brothers Coffee, a community-focused, family-run small-batch roaster he started with his brother Kenny a decade ago. Inspired by his travels and commitment to helping others enjoy life, Paul continues their shared dream and honors Kenny’s legacy through every batch of freshly roasted coffee.
Raul Medrano founded the family coffee brand Cafe Medrano LLC in 2018. An entrepreneur, economic development professional, small-business instructor, and advocate, he and his wife, Zenia, regularly travel to Copán, Honduras, to oversee their family’s coffee production and connect with local artisans.
Oswaldo Pereira is a Venezuelan-born chef based in Washington, D.C., specializing in desserts inspired by the flavors of his homeland. A graduate of the Culinary Arts Program at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, he has presented tasting events at La Cosecha at Union Market and the Washington Convention Center.
Krissee D’Aguiar is the co-founder and chief chocolate maker at River-Sea Chocolates. A graduate of the École Chocolat Professional Chocolate Making Program and an advisor to the U.S. Department of State’s Sustainable Cacao Supply Chain Task Force, she is also a sustainability advocate, paddleboard yoga teacher, and mother of four.
Estelle Tracy is an award-winning food writer, chocolate sommelier, and founder of the chocolate education company 37 Chocolates. Originally from France and now based in Kennett Square, she discovered the bean-to-bar movement in 2015 after reviewing 37 chocolate bars for her 37th birthday. She has since led hundreds of tastings worldwide and authored a food survival guide for French people living in the United States.
Will and Cinthia Anderson are the co-owners of Coffee Balam, a company sharing Costa Rican specialty coffee while supporting cultural preservation within the Indigenous Chorotega community of the Nicoya Peninsula. After meeting in a coffee shop in Costa Rica, they built their business around culture, connection, and tradition, dedicating a portion of its profits to this mission. Coffee Balam is also the exclusive U.S. provider of the Vandola, a handmade ceramic coffee brewer created by their friend and business partner, Minor Alfaro.
All Sip & Share Seminar sessions are included with your festival ticket and seating is first come, first served, so be sure to arrive early to grab a spot. Check out the interactive floor plan to start planning your experience — and don’t forget to get your discounted tickets today to experience this year’s lineup of chocolate and coffee programming!
