2010 Events at a Glance
Advisory Board
David Spence (D.Min.),
Festilogist FestAviva™
As the Chair of the AC, David gathers people and ideas together which keep the Chocolate Festival appealing and attractive for learning and increasing knowledge, for widening experience, for broadening awareness, and for heightening senses and the soul. David is credited for the tag line of the festival “for the senses and the soul” and was on the West Coast Chocolate Festival Founding Board.
Yvonne Chui
Yvonne works for the City of Port Coquitlam as the Arts & Culture Program Coordinator and manages the new Leigh Square Community Arts Village. Her previous positions include Executive Director at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and the Craft Council of BC. She is involved in revitalization initiatives as a community member and consultant in the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown, and has served on the Canada Volunteerism Initiative - BC Network, through Volunteer Vancouver.
Cassandra Anderton
A fabulous foodie, writer, speaker and media personality, Cassandra grew up in the Okanagan Valley long before it became known as the Napa of the North (It is however rumoured that there are some vines in the Valley slightly older than her). She ventured into wine industry after studying for Level 1 and 2 of her sommelier by taking on the role of opening manager of a VQA wine store. She currently writes for various Pacific Northwest Magazines and has been a supporter of the West Coast Chocolate Festival for many years.
Marcus von Albrecht
With a passionate and entrepreneurial spirit from an early age, through decades of epicurean experience Chef Von Albrecht has crafted a career based on good taste. Through his active involvement with numerous industry bodies, he has played an energetic role in developing new products, new talents and new standards of foodservice excellence. Chef Von Albrecht has contributed significant time and energies in key roles as the President of the BC Chefs Association, Chair of the New Food Products Panel for the Canadian Council of Grocers and Chair of the Junior Chapter of the Canadian Culinary Federation.
A world traveler and culinary ambassador, Von Albrecht has journeyed extensively in Europe, South America and even to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, carrying with him a taste of Canada and returning with fresh inspiration. His extensive charitable works and teaching background provided Von Albrecht with the inspiration to create a company that made good food affordable and accessible; from this desire, Mava Foods was launched in 2007.
