Chocolate Alchemy: An Introduction - October 21

Chocolate Alchemy: A Tasting & Introduction to Light Cellar Chocolate

Free Class — Choose Your Format
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
6:30pm-7:30pm MST

FREE 

Choose your experience:

In-Person: Light Cellar Teaching Kitchen (limited seats)
Online: Live via Zoom (link provided after registration)

Please register thoughtfully

Space is limited for the in-person experience, so we ask that you only register if you reasonably plan to attend.

If your plans change, cancelling your registration helps open spots for others who would love to join.

Discover Chocolate From the Inside Out

Chocolate is one of the world’s most beloved foods—but there’s much more behind a great bar than cacao percentage.

Where was the cacao grown? What variety is it? How was it fermented, dried and roasted? What ingredients were added? And how was it transformed from a tropical fruit and fermented seed into the chocolate we know and love?

Join Malcolm Saunders and Chef Alex Hamilton for a sensory introduction to the world of cacao and craft chocolate.

Through teaching, tasting and demonstrations, we’ll trace chocolate from cacao bean to finished bar and explore how origin, ingredients and chocolate-making techniques influence flavour, texture, nutrition and the way chocolate makes you feel.

You’ll also discover the philosophy behind Light Cellar chocolate and why we think about every creation through three lenses:

Flavour • Function • Feeling

In this class, you’ll discover:

• How cacao becomes chocolate—from fruit and bean to finished bar
• Why origin, genetics, terroir and fermentation matter
• How roasting, grinding and tempering influence flavour and texture
• The difference between craft and commodity chocolat
• What cacao percentage does—and doesn’t—tell you about quality
• What separates a chocolate maker from a chocolatier
• How herbs, mushrooms, spices and other functional ingredients can become part of chocolate
• What to look for when choosing better chocolate

What you’ll experience:

In person:

• Guided tasting of different chocolates and cacao
• Chocolate-making demonstrations
• The opportunity to taste, compare and ask questions
• A sensory exploration of what makes one chocolate different from another

Online:

• Join the complete teaching live from home
• See the demonstrations and chocolate-making process
• Participate in the live Q&A
• Receive access to the recording afterward

Whether you simply love chocolate or dream of making your own, this class will give you a deeper appreciation for what chocolate can be—and a new way of tasting every bar you encounter.

Continue your learning:

If you want to go deeper, the next step is:

Chocolate Alchemy: Craft Your Own Superfood Chocolate (Level 1)

Go from tasting and understanding chocolate to learning how to craft it yourself using cacao, cacao butter, natural sweeteners and functional ingredients.

Instructor

with Chef Alex Hamilton

Alex is currently the chef and culinary wizard at the Light Cellar and has a catering business called Feast. He has been cooking professionally for 23 years. He has cooked in many of Calgary’s top restaurants and even worked in China and Los Angeles. Having experience in all aspects of cooking and baking, he loves exploring other cultures' food and applying techniques to local ingredients. His current focus is foraging and fermentation, getting to know the Calgary area’s flora and fauna. He is deepening his understanding of the local supply chain and how to best utilize it and lessen waste.  He explores how to make delicious food healthy and healthy food delicious, integrating time honored food traditions that promote better well being.   There is a deep importance for a healthier and more synergistic relationship with food and the energy systems of our body. 

Malcolm Saunders is the founder of Light Cellar and has been making, teaching and exploring the world of chocolate for more than 20 years. His approach brings together craft, nutrition and creativity—exploring cacao from its origins through to finished chocolate, with a particular passion for creating chocolate that delivers flavour, function and feeling.

After you register:

All participants will receive:

• A reminder email with full event details

• The link to join live (for online attendees)

• Access to the session recording after the class

• Any relevant notes or resources shared during the session

If you can’t attend live, you’re still welcome to register and watch the replay.