The cheesecake it's wreaking delicious havoc on our routine. Even more so since confinement, when thousands of people discovered their inner “kitchenettes”: breads of sourdough, banana bread or the famous quarantine cookies were some of the recipes that went viral on the net for weeks.
However, there were a few entrepreneurs who went above and beyond when converting a simple entertainment in a potential business option with the milk cake that does not stop causing a furor in Madrid.
This was the case for Sergio Arjona , a young consultant provided with a small electric furnace where he forged the best cheesecake in Madrid , according to many. Creamy and with a mixture of three cheeses , the cakes of Moon & Wanda they are being sold today in a space shared with an architecture and interior design studio as a collaboration in the neighborhood Chamberi.
A miracle for lovers cheesecake whose only requirement is to try it the same day of collection to enjoy all its nuances.
CREAMY ON THE INSIDE, TOASTED ON THE OUTSIDE
Sergio Arjona's uncle gave him a pressure cooker months before confinement. By then Sergio was a consultant and, like many, he found in the kitchen a new way of escape from teleworking and routine between four walls. The result was an accidental cheesecake from many other recipes by renowned chefs shared during the quarantine on the Internet.
“My roommate and I took to making a cheesecake, but It came out so good that I kept perfecting the recipe.” Sergio tells Condé Nast Traveler.
"I took references from various channels on YouTube and Instagram, but the original idea arose from the recipes of Dani Garcia, Nandu Jubany and Manolo Franco . It was such a hit with my friends and family that I continue to make more cakes. Even if I only had a small electric oven from Lidl at home.”
A house (and cake) of design.
What started as a hobby turned into a business idea after a trip to Marbella in the summer of 2020: "we wanted to go to a nightclub but we weren't wearing long pants, so the taxi driver brought us back to the hotel to change and at one point I gave him a piece of the cake as a gift" Serge continues.
"Hours later the taxi driver, I don't know how, he called me on the phone and asked me for the price of the cake and if I could prepare one for his son's birthday the next day”.
That meeting with a taxi driver was the kick-off Luna & Wanda's cheesecake , the name of the two little dogs in Sergio's family. After creating an Instagram profile and landing page in 5 minutes to support bookings, the orders began to arrive and Sergio's suspicions were confirmed: his was likely to become "the" cheesecake, especially in a market where today more than ever the love for the product and dedication as a differential value.
A cheesecake as an example of entrepreneurship.
“We think it is the perfect cake because combines the point of creaminess and toasting, also the sugar and the mixture of the three cheeses –cream, blue and goat– ”, says Sergio: “the creaminess is the point for which the cake stands out and for that reason we recommend consuming it on the same day when the customer receives it. They are made at night, cold blasted to assemble them and immediately afterwards they are ready to be picked”.
THE BENEFITS OF COLLABORATIONS
By the end of summer 2020, Sergio he considered requesting a leave of absence in his work as a consultant to devote himself fully to his cakes : "He worked until seven in the evening and then he would make the cakes all night, but considering that he only had a mini oven, the process chain was much slower."
After selling his cakes through a small shop on Calle Viriato 40, Sergio decided dedicate 100% of his time to his business and looked for a new point of sale according to the volume of orders.
The answer came in the form of joint venture with Right Design Agency, an architecture studio and premium furniture distributor located in the square of San Juan de la Cruz.
Today, Sergio sells his cheesecakes in the workshop on the ground floor, among furniture from brands such as Cappellini or Gaggenau, waiting for the opening of a new store in the area of ponzano in December : “it is curious, because people begin to associate gastronomy and design and that is what makes the difference”.
Sergio Arjona.
Currently, Luna & Wanda's cheesecake is distributed in four formats: The Mini, an individual cake (9 euros); The Small, of six portions (20 euros); The Original, in a format of twelve portions (35 euros); and a fourth Special Edition cake of six portions (25 euros) that bets on a new flavor every month.
"Now we have La Morena, which is a mix of cheesecake and chocolate , but we are changing. In December we opted for the cheesecake with nougat and recently I tried to make a mixture of dulce de leche but I was not convinced. The cake was good but it didn't taste like cheese.
Cake should always taste like cheese, in fact It has been designed both for those who love cheese but also for those who do not like it”.
While the reservation channel is collapsing, the opening of a new location marks the beginning of future projects: "we are also looking forward to collaborate with an edible spoon company made of biscuit”. Maybe in a few months we'll talk about “a cheesecake so rich that you can even eat a spoon”.
At the moment, being "the" cheesecake is already a triumph.