About Us

(Pictured here is Maddy with a small Meyer Lemon harvest, ready to deliver to Chez Panisse, Oakland, California, 1991)

Maddy Smith started out like most young children, loving chocolate! 

Her love for chocolate was cemented when her mother introduced their "secret family recipe" for chocolate candies in the early 1990ʻs. They made this recipe every year for family and friends on the "Nice List". At this time, Maddy and her mom were harvesting their Meyer Lemons and selling them to pioneering slow food chef, Alice Waters at her iconic farm to table restaurant, Chez Panisse, located in the heart of Berkeleyʻs reputable "Gourmet Ghetto", an area of Shattuck Avenue, known for its epicurious delights. 

One of Maddyʻs most memorable last days of school, was in first grade. To celebrate, her teacher taught the class how to make chocolate! After school, she and a few classmates had lunch in the Cafe at Chez Panisse.

As time went on, friends and family warned of what would happen if she kept eating so much chocolate. The media even scared consumers with storylines of weight gain and blemish breakouts. 

Many years later, heartbreak coupled with and the untimely death of her father, she turned to her favorite comfort food, chocolate. 

She felt different eating chocolate that was made with more care than regular grocery store chocolates.

After learning the health benefits of cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate, she was also noticing an effect on her body. 

She felt inspired! She felt like her imagination was curious and explorative again! She could feel hope returning to her heart.

A wish, a hope, a dream, she found herself exploring the jungles of Hawaiʻi, befriending cacao farmers, chocolate nerds, and friends who loved eating chocolate together.

Maddy is a pioneer of the Hawaiʻi cacao industry. She launched Bean to Bar Chocolate Farm Tour and Tasting in 2017 and Downtown Hilo Chocolate Bar Crawl in Fall 2017.

She has been featured as a Cacao Judge at the Big Island Chocolate Festival since 2018 and has been a celebrated presenter for the Cacao Farm seminars since 2023. 

In 2020, Maddy was elected President of the East Hawaiʻi Cacao Association and currently sits on the Board of Directors as Secretary. Her contributions in design and  marketing efforts helped the Hilo Chocolate Festival planning committee reach targeted audiences with over 2,000 attendance in 2025. 

In 2024, Maddy had the rare opportunity to study under world renowned pastry chef and bean to bar chocolatier, Damian Allsop. 

Over the past decade, she has served chocolates and drinking chocolates for wedding celebrations, private tours, private parties and intimate chocolate tastings. 

The Luxury Craft Chocolates and Signature Drinking Chocolates are created by the Earth and Maddy is the conduit. She is deeply inspired by the ocean, the volcanos and the night sky. 

Bringing people together over chocolate is an act of love and aloha. Join us.

Book your private chocolate experience with Barefoot Chocolatini for your next dinner party.

We look forward to serving you the best chocolates we can make so you and yours can make memories.