In a recent feature on Epicurious, chocolate experts Nate Hodge, Jessica Spaulding, and our very own Maribel Lieberman were invited to share their unfiltered, honest reviews of some of the most popular dark chocolate bars found on supermarket shelves. Which bar delivers the best flavor for your budget, and which ones fall short? This segment offers a rare look into how chocolate artisans think, taste, and evaluate, and none more insightfully than Maribel Lieberman, founder and CEO of MarieBelle New York Chocolates.
Sitting down on a three-judge panel, Lieberman shares her deep, sensory understanding of chocolate, from its delicate origins in the cacao bean to the artistry of crafting it into fine confections. With her signature poise and precision, Lieberman’s responses reveal not only her vast technical experience but also her lifelong devotion to transforming chocolate into a medium of beauty, flavor, and connection.
Lieberman’s knowledge extends far beyond taste; she speaks of chocolate as both an art and a science. In the video, she breaks down the complexity of cacao, from the differences in fermentation, temperature, and texture, with the effortless fluency of someone who has lived and breathed her craft for decades. “Every chocolate tells a story,” she notes, “and understanding its chemistry is how you honor its origins.”
That balance, between art and precision, is what defines MarieBelle New York Chocolates. Lieberman’s approach is rooted in respect for the cacao farmer, meticulous attention to the chocolate-making process, and a love for how something so universal can still feel intimate and personal. Her technical advice throughout the interview highlights her mastery: the importance of tempering for that perfect sheen, the sensory role of cocoa butter, and the delicate calibration that ensures each piece melts exactly as intended.
But beyond the science, what shines through is Lieberman’s storytelling. Born in Honduras and inspired by the flavors of her childhood, her journey began long before her Soho chocolate house became a New York landmark. Lieberman’s expertise is inseparable from her curiosity, a quality that has carried her experimenting with cacao beans in her kitchen to leading one of the world’s most beloved artisanal chocolate brands.
Watching her speak, one can’t help but feel the passion that fuels Lieberman’s creations, the same passion that infuses every ganache square, every truffle, every ribbon-tied box that bears the MarieBelle name. Her chocolate is more than just confection; its craft, culture, and connection combined.
For Lieberman, knowledge isn’t just technical, it’s emotional. “Chocolate brings people together,” she says, smiling. “It’s a universal language of pleasure.” And that is perhaps her greatest gift: transforming expertise into experience, and science into art, one decadent bite at a time.
So pour yourself a cup of MarieBelle New York hot chocolate, settle in, and enjoy this smart, spirited exchange. Watch the full video below and let us know your thoughts, which bar would you choose, and what flavors would linger on your palate?