The scent of roasted cacao is unlike anything else — earthy yet floral, bitter yet full of promise. It’s a fragrance that now feels like home.
Who would have thought that moving halfway across the world would lead me to the birthplace of one of life’s greatest pleasures — chocolate?
I was born and grew up in Mumbai – India, a city alive with color and rhythm — a place where the air hums with spice and energy. But Colombia has been my home for the past 16 years, and it wasn’t until about five or six years ago that I stumbled upon a discovery that completely changed my perspective. Like many, I had always believed chocolate was a European creation — a sweet, sophisticated indulgence born somewhere across the Atlantic. That illusion melted away the day I learned the truth: cacao, the very soul of chocolate, was here — in the lush equatorial lands stretching from Mexico through Colombia, down into Ecuador and Peru. To discover that I was living in the cradle of cacao was nothing short of astonishing. It’s one thing to savor chocolate; it’s another to realize you’re living where its story began. That realization stirred something deep within me — a curiosity that soon became a calling.
My initial fascination soon turned into a determined pursuit of knowledge. I began paying close attention to the chocolate I consumed — reading labels carefully and analyzing ingredient lists. This curiosity led me to a short course on chocolate making, where I faced my first major challenge: tempering. Mastering temperatures, textures, and timing was anything but easy, and my early attempts at crafting bombones (filled chocolates) were far from perfect.
But I had a clear vision — to blend the flavors of my Indian heritage with the tropical richness of Colombia. My “test kitchen” became a space of endless experimentation, where I paired Indian spices with Colombian fruits in search of that perfect harmony to be filled in Colombian Chocolate shells. Those experiments gave birth to Kimaya Chocolates by Rochell Ann, a name with means ‘Divine’ in Sanskrit.
Though my chocolates were improving, I knew I needed a stronger technical foundation. That drive for excellence led me to enroll in the Diploma in Pastry and Desserts at the Instituto Colombiano de Panadería y Pastelería in the city of Bogotá. This program included an advanced chocolate-making module, which was truly transformative.
I learned not just about chocolate, but about the world surrounding it: pastries, creams, sauces, and the delicate balance of flavors that complement cacao. Every class helped me refine my ideas, standardize recipes, and, most importantly, understand the why behind each ingredient and proportion. With this knowledge, my craft took on new precision and purpose.
Eager to go beyond technique and truly understand flavor, I enrolled a year later in the Chocolate Tasting Course offered by the International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting, led by renowned Italian expert Monica Meschini. It was an eye-opening experience — a deep dive into the world of taste profiles.
We sampled chocolates from Colombia, Ecuador, Africa, Asia, and beyond — some divine, some dreadful, all enlightening. By the end of Levels 1 and 2, my palate had become far more refined and discerning. I look forward to taking Level 3 next year, to deepen this sensory journey even further.
Today, I’m confident in my craft and meticulous about my ingredients. I never add extra sugar beyond what’s already in the couverture (usually 70% or 75% cocoa) and make all my fruit pulps fresh — without preservatives, stabilizers, or artificial colors. Each piece, whether a truffle or bombón, is tempered by hand and crafted with love, designed to take you on a small voyage of flavor in every bite.
While I haven’t yet achieved my next dream — creating my own bean-to-bar chocolate — that milestone is on the horizon. And who knows? Perhaps one day, I’ll cultivate my own cacao for a true farm-to-bar experience.
For now, I’m savoring every step of this journey — one that continues to challenge, inspire, and reward me in unexpected ways. Chocolate has transformed from a simple pleasure into a passion, a craft, and a bridge between two cultures I deeply love: India and Colombia.
The story of Kimaya Chocolates is still being written — one handcrafted piece at a time. ¡Two Cultures – One Chocolate!
Written by-
Rochelle Ann Miranda
Kimaya Chocolates
