About Me
Annie and Cousins (3rd from Left)
I have had a love affair with food since I was a toddler. I am a huge foodie and my passion is chocolate. Throughout my college years, studying art history at Lake Forest College and history at Indiana University, I worked at Sweet’s chocolate shop. The love of chocolate and baking anything chocolate carried through to my personal life with family and friends.
My professional life has included working as an Assistant Pastry Chef at Le Meridien Hotel (now the Conrad Chicago) in Chicago and catering for my family and friends. In 2006, I graduated with honors earning a Professional Chocolatier Certificate granted by the Professional School of Chocolate Arts Ecole Chocolat in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I have been working with and writing about chocolate ever since. To date, I have written four books about chocolate: Chocolate is Healthy!: Myths, Truths and Delicious Recipes, The Chocolate Lovers’ Guide and Tasting Journal, The Chocolate Travel Guide: United States Edition 2010 and Marais Chocolate Skin Care: Luxury Chocolate Spa at Home. I am currently working on three other books about chocolate.
I have been collecting and consuming chocolate bars from all over the world and currently have a collection of over 250 chocolate bars which I have experienced. I don’t miss a day where I don’t eat some chocolate. My aim is 2 oz of dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content for health benefits as well as for taste! Currently, I am a contributor to a variety of websites on health, home and food, including Helium’s “How To Guide”. You may also follow me on Twitter, Bebo, My Space and my Facebook Fan Page (all Annmarie Kostyk) for day to day information on chocolate and food. I live in Chicago.
Sorry, Claire. I either get my photos directly from the company I’m writing about or search free clips.
Dear Ann Marie I would love some copies of the cocoa pods on your website. My grandfather grew cocoa in Nigeria in the late 1940′s to the late 1950′s I have some old photos of him and my grandmother in the plantations and at their house. Any ideas how I can purchase some prints of the close ups of the pods, thanks, claire
You certainly are teaching me a lot about chocolate!
Thank you so much!
Lisa
xo
Its great to find people that are passionate about food, and there are more than a couple reasons to be passionate about chocolate. Im glad I found your site. keep up the good work
Glad you like the blog! I have fun doing it. I have a big box full of all the chocolate bar wrappers I’ve consumed over the last 4 years – only one of each! For the Nutella, try these two things…First, just a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich. Second, a Nutella panini – warm, grilled, buttered and toasted French or Italian bread spead with Nutella. You can’t go wrong! Keep in touch!
I wished I kept track of the chocolate bars I have eaten! I know I like chocolate with Fluer de sel, maple and bacon…
Annie!
You never cease to amaze me! It pleases me to see how you have followed your heart and stayed true to your “foodie” path. I can remember working with you and you always brought us chocolate samplings from around the world! I remember apprehensively trying a chocolate bar made with chile pepper or some kind of pepper…twas amazing, and Thank You for holding my hand through that palate challenge.
Your book Chocolate is Healthy!: Myths, Truths and Delicious Recipes was really yummy and with so many undiscovered ways to bake with chocolate!
I’ll be following you and your endeavors in chocolate!
Warm Regards, Dear one! MsLo
Blogger author of “The Art Of Baking”
Thank you, so much for your wonderful comments about my photos and recipes
.I’m so glad you liked the Nutella cookies and that your trying out the recipe with your own added touches. I think adding chocolate to the dough would be a wonderful idea. I’m surprised I didn’t think about that idea before, since I’m such a chocolate fan.Have fun with making the cookies!
Also ,while I was reading on here for ” About me” page I saw you lived in Chicago,but went to professional School of Chocolate Arts Ecole Chocolat in Vancouver, British Columbia.When I saw Vancouver.B.C, I was surprised because that’s somewhat close to where I live. I dont live on the mainland, but live in a town on Vancouver island. Just didn’t expect to see that, but that’s really awesome to read about. B.C such a beautiful place and offers such a great food education in schooling.
Well I should stop rambling. Have fun in your chocolate and I’ll keep visiting your site
Thanks for stopping by for a blog visit and for the comments 
Hi AnnMarie,
Sounds like you are indeed the quintessential chocolate lover, and a REAL chocolatier to boot! Wow. One might say you’ve been totally immersed in the stuff!
Now I know where to come first for detailed chocolate info and resources. And, I must say I look forward to your big book of food quotations. I always love finding great foodie quotes! Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Your comment is what led me here. I look forward to visiting again.
Warmly,
Jane