The Chocolate Chamber officially opens today

CEBU, Philippines - True to her advocacy of being able to elevate the locally-produced chocolates of the Philippines, the country’s chocolate ambassadress Raquel Choa ventures into the retail concept of her renowned artisan chocolate creations. 

Famous for her quality-rich chocolates from locally-sourced cacao beans, Ralfe Gourmet Inc. owner and founder Choa has formally inaugurated The Chocolate Chamber (TCC) yesterday. It officially opens its doors to the public today.

Choa, who is a cacao farmer herself, considers tablea making as her passion having been exposed to its since childhood. With her grandmother as trainer, she started making tablea when she was seven years old.

TCC, as she explained, is born out of a fast-paced concept of serving tablea (flat discs of cocoa powder) innovations that she just thought about within this year.

She was so engrossed with and excited for the unique idea that she was dedicated to fully realize it in the same year she conceptualized it.

“This is all my dream,” Choa exclaimed.

The company poured an initial investment of almost P1 million. TCC is a 72-square meter chocolate boutique that has a seating capacity of 20 persons. The interiors are designed by Choa herself.

She cited that the TCC logo itself with words “Cacao Filipino 1521” represents the company’s salute to Philippine cacao, bearing its commitment to uphold the local chocolate industry.

It takes pride of its chocolate powder that has higher percentage of cacao unlike other commercial products, thus the assurance of artisan quality. It comes in 21 sweetened and unsweetened flavors such as hibiscus, green tea and green apple.

She said that she prefers to highlight the use of weighing scale in TCC which has been the tradition before when purchasing tablea discs. The chocolate powder could be bought in sachets or in grams. For instance, ten sachets that weight about 250 grams are sold for P550.

One can also enjoy sipping the hot chocolate drink that is served in vintage ornate cups and saucers to symbolize sophistication and class. Choa revealed that they are eyeing to introduce up to 100 flavors of hot chocolate drink.

TCC also features chocolate haiku, a three-tiered platter composed of two scones with homemade marmalade, chocolate pralines and tuna and chicken sandwiches. It is worth P500 along with one hot choco drink and is served every 3:21 pm until 5:21 pm.

Other products for merchandise sold include choconib cookies, choco-vanilla cookie butter, chocolate snippets, and chocolate potpourris.

Choa further noted that TCC also aims to serve as an eye-opener for the new generation to patronize Philippine handmade chocolate.

She envisioned the new business venture to be an avenue for her family, especially her children, to showcase and share their passion of elevating tablea in their own ways.

She said that while waiting for their freshly-made pralines, customers can witness her fourth child, Jonathan, to make their chocolate confection orders from 5 PM to 7:30 PM.

The marmalade used as filling for scones, on the other hand, is also made by 19-year old son named Anthony. Her 20-year old daughter and second child, Michelle Honey, bakes the old-fashioned tablea cakes. There are five more cakes sold in TCC that are baked by Choa herself.

“It’s like passing over the torch to the next generation,” says the mother of eight.

She said that she has partnered with Oriental Tin Can and Metal Sheets Manufacturing to be the supplier of the tin cans used as containers for TCC merchandises. She added that the 60-year old manufacturing company is also the first client of TCC who bought its products in volume          .

Even before the business officially started, she also shared that Marco Polo Plaza Cebu has been impressed with the concept and allotted a portion of TCC in Café Marco.

Unlike the Ralfe Gourmet that caters to reservations only, TCC practices the first-come first-serve bases when attending to their walk-in customers.

Choa said that she aims to franchise TCC once they reach the target of opening two or three company-owned outlets in Cebu possibly in 2015. She also plans to include pasta, burger and other dishes with a touch of chocolate in the menu by next year.

TCC is the new addition to the two existing companies of Ralfe Gourmet Inc. Ralfe Gourmet and Ralfe Artisan Chocolate Boutique.

TCC, located at  Pres. Quirino Street corner Magsaysay Street in  Barangay Kasambagan, is open from 7 am to 7  pm from Monday to Saturday. /JOB (FREEMAN)