Rhonda Kave, an entrepreneur and chocolatier owns and operates Roni-Sue's Chocolates in the historic Essex Street Market on NYC's Lower East Side. Rhonda [a.k.a. Roni-Sue] has made chocolates for over twenty-five years as a passionate hobbyist, informed by years of cooking and baking courses at the New School & Peter Kump/ICE. An intensive workshop with master chocolatier/teacher Jean-Pierre Wybauw just before opening Roni-Sue's in October 2007 provided her with some valuable tools, as well as polish and confidence in her process. A big believer in continued learning and professional development, Rhonda has also spent time in Belize with the farmers who grow the cacao beans for her chocolate.

Kave draws inspiration from exploring both exotic and local markets to find new and special ingredients for her unique handmade treats. She builds a 'flavor profile' for each of her candies—layering different elements to create a complex and nuanced expression of that essential flavor.

Prior to opening Roni-Sue's Rhonda was a professional women's advocate for over ten years—currently she continues her lifelong connection to the National Association of Mothers' Centers [NAMC] www.motherscenter.org serving on its MOTHERS advisory council. Rhonda earned her BA in Sociology from NYU as a returning learner in May 2007 where her research paper focused on farmers' markets and sustainable agriculture in NYC.