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DANUSKA DA GAMA
The recently celebrated Ambani wedding, which was graced by society's crème de la crème, was a showcase of opulence and impeccable taste. Every culinary creation was curated with meticulous attention to detail and the best were invited to ensure all tastes were catered to.
Among the best was a Goan, Eureka Araujo, an award-winning pastry chef hailing from the serene island of Divar. Eureka brings to the table her passion, skill and innovation for the trade. Always standing by her side is her sister, Nikita, who is equally devoted to the art of confectionery. Together, they form the backbone of Sivako, which is known for its many many decadent treats.
A FLAVOURFUL HERITAGE
Eureka inherited the initial love for baking from her home-baker mom. In 2023, she won third place at the SIGEP World Pastry Queen Championship in Rimini, Italy, and instantly knew her big plans were falling in place.
The artisanal patisserie in Mumbai’s Mahim, a suburb where many Goans live, creates picture-perfect, drool-worthy French pastries, viennoiseries and chocolates. If Sivako is Araujo's canvas where she spends time crafting her ideas into reality, the city is her muse.
A SWEET TRIUMPH
Sivako’s reputation soared when it graced the dessert counter at the Ambani wedding. The glittering affair demanded perfection, and Eureka and Nikita rose to the occasion. “We were part of the pre-wedding festivities at Jamnagar which was on a much bigger scale,” Nikita says.
Their brief for the wedding in Mumbai was to cater to 300 guests where the elegance and grandeur had to be reflected in the desserts and pastries. Eureka’s mind buzzed with ideas and with research and development followed a delicate dance of taste tests, texture experiments, and late-night brainstorming sessions.
We were part of the pre-wedding festivities at Jamnagar which was on a much bigger scale.
Nikita, one of the sisters, who baked a sweet feast for the Ambani wedding guests.
“Desserts is a favourite counter and thus we had to make sure everyone had something or more to like,” says the creative director Eureka who spent a great deal of time strategising and planning.
MEDLEY OF FLAVOURS
For the afternoon grazing table, the Araujo sisters curated a medley of flavours —subtle, yet indulgent. For the high tea setup, there were 20 exquisite desserts. So, interesting flavours like champagne and raspberry, matcha and raspberry and chocolate with orange were used. “Everything had to be royal and there was a great deal of focus on how the pastries or desserts looked. The texture, flavours and finishing had to be top-notch,” Nikita says.
For the afternoon grazing table, the Araujo sisters curated a medley of flavours —subtle, yet indulgent.
The macarons were a huge hit, especially the champagne jelly and raspberry and the hibiscus and rose grabbed attention with their delicate shells yielding bursts of flavours.
Then there were also Madeleines — petite, shell-shaped cakes. Besides, the Sicilian Pistachio Cookie, Orange Confit Tea Cake, Matcha & Raspberry, Chocolate & Orange, Grapefruit & Lime, Vanilla Flower, Paris Brest Flower and Peach Fruit were other items on the menu.
PERFECT BALANCE
With almost no wastage at the end of the wedding, the Araujo sisters knew they had struck the perfect balance — elegance, innovation, and a touch of nostalgia. “Working for a wedding of this magnitude was a huge responsibility as much as it is a matter of taking pride in it. Big weddings are not new to us, but this was different. And we are thrilled that we could be part of it,” says Nikita.
And so, Sivako continues with their daily business, now with an additional feather in their cap. As they serve Mumbai and Goa in batches, the proud Goan sisters believe that passion and perseverance have allowed them to taste sweet success as they share a bounty of sweetness through their brand.