Oliver Kita Obituary, Death Cause – The Hudson Valley region in New York lost a culinary icon and beloved member of the community on Saturday, October 28, when Oliver Kita, a renowned chocolatier, chef, caterer, and restaurateur, passed away at the age of 66 at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. With a career spanning nearly three decades, Kita was celebrated for his exceptional confections and culinary artistry, leaving a lasting impression on the Hudson Valley and beyond.

For 27 years, Oliver Kita was the driving force behind Oliver Kita Fine Confections, a culinary endeavor that started in Rhinebeck and later moved to Route 28 in Kingston. He was a perfectionist known for his passion for artistic presentation and the art of chocolate-making. Kita’s creations were not your ordinary chocolates; they were culinary masterpieces that incorporated a symphony of perfumes, herbs, flowers, and exotic fruits and spices, all meticulously crafted into his artisanal confections. His dedication to excellence was evident in every piece he created.

A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, Kita initially ventured into the restaurant business, opening Heaven Café in Woodstock in 1996. He managed the restaurant for a decade before deciding that he had fulfilled his aspirations in the culinary world. It was then that he redirected his focus toward the world of chocolate. Kita’s pursuit of chocolate mastery took him to France, where he studied at L’École Lenôtre and L’École du Grand Chocolat Valrhona. In Montreal, he continued to expand his knowledge at the Academy du Chocolat Barry-Callebaut. Along his journey, he had the honor of being mentored by the renowned French chocolatier Michel Cluizel, according to the CIA. His quest for expertise in the culinary arts did not stop there; in 2004, he also received training at the Beringer Vineyard School of Culinary Arts in Napa Valley.

Oliver Kita was not just an artisan chocolatier; he was an artist in the truest sense. He was an avid reader and a passionate gardener, and he often drew inspiration for his chocolate creations from these pursuits. His chocolates were a testament to his creativity and keen eye for detail. For example, he crafted a delicate violet chocolate that left a lingering hint of violets, and he created chocolates infused with Asian flavors inspired by a Pearl Buck novel he had read, as documented by the CIA. Kita was not just passionate about the art of chocolate; he was also a firm believer in the health benefits of this delectable treat. He wholeheartedly embraced the idea that chocolate could be a source of well-being. To encapsulate this philosophy, he coined the tagline “Mind-Body-Chocolate Every Day” for his confections.

Among his many accomplishments, Kita’s custom line of “Handmade in the Hudson Valley Estate Chocolates” stood out. These exquisite chocolates could be found in the grand estates along the Hudson River. For example, Vandermint chocolates were featured at the Vanderbilt Estate, Fala’s Peanut Butter Bon-Bon delighted visitors at the Franklin D. Roosevelt home and library in Hyde Park, and Mills Pistachio Marzipan was a favorite at the Mills Mansion. Kita’s dedication to the craft had elevated his creations to a level of recognition and appreciation that extended well beyond the Hudson Valley.

ncG1vNJzZmiepaOys63LqJmirKOisq670aKYpWaTpLpwu8uirZ6qXaC2ta2MqJmirKWWv7p5yqKloKukpLtuuthmn66co6S7bsLApaOesV2YtbCvzqWYraGVp3qktMSfZJyZpJq%2Fpr6MmqWdZaKawLWt1KuYrZ2lp3qltcSdZg%3D%3D