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Mumbai-based pastry chef and creative director at Sivako Patisserie in the metropolitan city, Eureka Araujo recently showcased her culinary finesse at The Pastry Queen Women's World Pastry Championship, which was part of SIGEP - The Dolce World Expo (44th edition), an international trade show of artisan gelato, pastry, bakery, and coffee. The competition took place at the Dolce Arena of the trade show in Rimini, Italy, between January 24 and 25, 2023, and chef Eureka made India proud by securing the third position at this global event. She did so under the mentorship of chef Mukesh Singh Rawat, culinary director at Zuci Chocolates, Hyderabad.
The Pastry Queen Women's World Pastry Championship was aimed at female pastry chefs from across the globe, and this year saw participants from Korea, Japan, India, Italy, and Peru. Italy earned the title of World Pastry Queen 2023, while Japan finished second.
Making India proud
Talking about this achievement, an elated Eureka told Zee Zest, "As a pastry chef, I am thrilled to have got the opportunity to participate in the World Pastry Queen Championship in Italy this year." It was her second time participating in this competition. She first competed with the who's who of the global pastry scene in 2018. "Acquiring the third position has enabled me to showcase the incredible culinary talent, which exists in India, and to inspire the next generation of pastry chefs in the country," she added.
A unique theme
‘The Genius of Leonardo da Vinci’ was the theme for this year’s competition, and in the two-day event, the contestants had to prepare an array of desserts based on the same. The line-up included a dessert in a glass with espresso gelato, a warm and a cold-plated dessert with chocolate and marrons glacés, a chocolate jewel ring-shaped mini bonbon dessert, a small chocolate tray sculpture, a cake baked using a free mould, and an artistic sugar and pastillage showpiece. During the event, chef Eureka also received a prize for making the best dessert in a glass with an espresso-flavoured gelato.
Who is chef Eureka Araujo?
Eureka hails from a small but serene town in Goa called Ribandar, and she has studied at the Institute of Hotel Management in the coastal State. After working as a junior sous chef at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, she returned to school in 2016 to learn the nuances of pastry. She studied at the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts and that admittedly has been one of the best decisions the culinary expert has ever made. At the age of 26, she won the ‘Pastry Queen of India’ title in 2017, which was hosted by the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts.
Chef Eureka has worked at several five-star properties across India, including, Goa Marriott Resort and Spa and Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). She has also been associated with the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts since 2016 as a pastry chef – first in Gurgaon and then in Mumbai.
Photo: Chef Eureka Araujo