For March of Dimes special event manager Tracie Napoli, finding an accessible venue is always her main objective when it comes to choosing a location for events. “Because we’re the Ontario March of Dimes, I need to hold events in a venue that is fully accessible, and in Toronto that is not easy,” Napoli said at the organization’s "Chocolate—Food of the Gods" event on Wednesday.

Napoli selected the Design Exchange on Bay Street for the fund-raiser. “The Design Exchange is fully wheelchair-accessible, and they were very helpful and available,” she said. After nailing down a venue, the rest of the chocolate-themed event fell into place. “It’s all about chocolate,” Napoli said of the benefit. “I do really well with food, and fund-raising is very competitive. You need to give people something that they are going to enjoy.”

Twenty-one restaurants, caterers, and chocolatiers participated in the event, offering a selection of decadent treats including mini tacos with pulled pork, ancho chili, chocolate, and red-onion chutney from 10tation Event Catering; chocolaty crepes from Crêpes á GoGo; and chocolate pots de crème with icewine apricots from Olsen Foods and Bakery in St. Catharines. “We basically went through all the major Web sites and sent the invitation out to everybody—caterers and restaurants,” said Napoli, who kept the decor to a minimum.

“Really, the chocolate is the decor, and the lusciousness of it,” she said. The chocolate goodies were displayed on tables positioned around the perimeter of the room. Waves Design Group provided four clear glass cruiser tables with a flowing water feature, which were topped with floral arrangements from San Remo Florist. Anna Olson of Food Network Canada hosted the event, and the first 20 guests to arrive received signed copies of her cookbook Another Cup of Sugar.