How to
Be Cultured Menu Food

Amedei (Italy)

Price: $9
Votes: 2

Compartés (U.S.)

Price: $10
Votes: 2

Fruition Chocolate Works (U.S.)

Price: $12
Votes: 2

Hu (U.S.)

Price: $7
Votes: 2

La Maison du Chocolat (France)

“You get two different types of chocolate layered — milk and caramelized white — finished with crunchy pecan.” — Heloise Fischbach, 33 Courtesy of the brand

Price: $22
Votes: 2

Soma (Canada)

“They have the most clever flavors, like ginger milk pudding and cacao fruit pulp.” — Bronwen Wyatt, 42 Courtesy of the brand

Price: $15
Votes: 2

Raaka (U.S.)

Price: $7
Votes: 3

Tcho (U.S.)

“The beans are harvested at peak ripeness.” — Tyler Malek, 38 Courtesy of the brand

Price: $6
Votes: 3

Cadbury (U.K.)

“A perfect ratio of raisins and nuts.” — Claire Ptak, 49 Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

Price: $4
Votes: 5

Dandelion Chocolate (U.S.)

“Rich, creamy and made with some of the best cacao beans.” — Sana Javeri Kadri, 32 Courtesy of the brand

Price: $15
Votes: 7

Tony’s Chocolonely (Netherlands)

“Pure, bitter and a little sweet.” — Telly Justice, 39 Courtesy of the brand

Price: $6
Votes: 9

Valrhona (France)

“Smooth, with balanced acidity.” — Shilpa Uskokovic, 37 Courtesy of the brand

Price: $10
Votes: 10

The panelists: the pastry chef and bakery owner Dominique Ansel; the pastry chef Ligia Barros; the pastry chef and bakery owner Youssef Boudarine; the chef and restaurateur Erik Bruner-Yang; the pastry chef Jami Callao; the chef and baker Nicola Collie; the cookbook author Aleksandra Crapanzano; the pastry chef Jaime Craten; the chef Heloise Fischbach; the chef and cafe owner Monica Glass; the chef and chocolatier Valerie Gordon; the cookbook author Aran Goyoaga; the chef and restaurateur Ioana Hercberg; the spice company founder Sana Javeri Kadri; the chef and restaurateur Telly Justice; the pastry chef and bakery owner Elizabeth Koury; the chef and restaurateur E.J. Lagasse; the chef and bakery owner Eunji Lee; the pastry chef and restaurateur Justine MacNeil; the ice cream shop co-owner and cookbook author Tyler Malek; the entrepreneur and chocolate maker Todd Masonis; the entrepreneur and chocolate maker Kate McAleer; the bakery owner Kimberly Mcintosh; the pastry chef and bakery co-owner Lucía Merino Casablanca; the pastry chef Camari Mick; the pastry chef and cookbook author Natasha Pickowicz; the baker and cookbook author Claire Ptak; the chef and cookbook author Woldy Reyes; the chef Matthew Ryle; the cookbook author and cooking teacher Sonoko Sakai; the pastry chef Sarah Sanneh; the pastry chef Caroline Schiff; the restaurateur Fjölla Sheholli; the pastry chef Rachel Sherriffe; the pastry chef Estevan Silva; the chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton; the pastry chef Orlando Soto; the pastry chef and bakery owner Lauren Tran; the bakery co-owner Shilpa Uskokovic; the baker and cookbook author Melissa Weller; the pastry chef and bakery owner Christina Wood; the baker Bronwen Wyatt; and the ice cream shop owner Sasha Zabar.

These interviews have been edited and condensed.

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