In just three years of competing internationally, CocoVaa has earned several dozen prestigious awards from San Francisco to London. Among these, we are especially proud of winning 29 honors from the London-based Academy of Chocolate (AoC), the world’s longest-running and most respected fine chocolate competition. Competing against the world’s best chocolatiers, CocoVaa achieved remarkable success in 2018, earning 17 awards and being named International Rising Star—a distinction that placed us among a select few U.S. chocolatiers on the AoC Roll of Honour Board. Our success continued in 2019 with 11 more awards, including three golds, bringing our total gold wins to five. By 2020, I had the honor of being invited to serve as a judge and grand juror for the AoC, a recognition of our impact in the world of fine chocolate.

 

In 2024, I was humbled to receive a James Beard National Semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, one of the highest honors in the culinary arts. This acknowledgment from such a prestigious institution reflects the artistry, innovation, and dedication that define CocoVaa.

 

My journey into the world of fine chocolate has surpassed anything I could have imagined, but the greatest reward remains sharing this dream with others. Through our award-winning creations, we aim to craft moments of joy, connection, and sensory delight that transcend the ordinary.