That’s exactly how the adventure of Silvia Goti and Michele De Pinho, the creative minds behind Momento Tiramisù, began.
“We were at a festival here in Sydney and saw so many desserts at the stalls, but one thing was missing: tiramisù,” they explain.
“For us, it’s an Italian icon. And that’s when we said, ‘Why don’t we make it ourselves?’”
From that spontaneous remark grew a project that, within a few weeks, became a regular presence at weekend markets: Friday nights at the Oxford Street Night Market, Saturday mornings in Kings Cross and Sundays in Mona Vale, in the Northern Beaches.
Three markets with three very different audiences. “Friday nights are younger,” they say, “There are people passing through, music, movement.
“Saturday is more mixed, with families and people doing their shopping. Sunday is very family-oriented, everyone comes together and often stays for lunch as well.”
The concept is simple but carefully considered: a single-serve cup, practical and ready to enjoy—or a 500-gram take-home size.
“We also thought about the mum doing her shopping who says, ‘Today I’ll bring dessert home already made.’ It’s a small, simple treat.”
The flavours follow a clear philosophy. “The classic and the pistachio will always be there,” they reveal.
“Then, we want to introduce something seasonal—a new flavour every month. We started with strawberry, now mango is coming in. We like working with what the season offers at that moment.”
Silvia moved to Australia in 2020 and works as a supervisor at a childcare centre, overseeing kitchen operations.
“For five years I focused on work and family,” she shares, “The idea of doing something of my own was always there, but I didn’t want it to clash with my main job. It had to be sustainable.”
Meeting Michele proved decisive. Michael is a chef with experience in several restaurants, who arrived in Australia two years ago. With him, he brought technical skills and professional vision to the project.
“On my own, I couldn’t have done it,” admits Silvia. “We combined our strengths and our passion for food.” Silvia adds that Michele’s training helped give structure to the original idea.
Production currently takes place in commercial kitchens rented by the hour. “We wanted to do things professionally from the start,” she says.
“This isn’t an improvised project. Our goal one day is to have our own production space.”
Meanwhile, the business continues to grow, and they have recently launched a catering service for private and corporate events.
“People started asking for tiramisù for parties and birthdays, so we decided to organise ourselves for that as well,” Silvia explains.
Silvia reveals that another important step is underway: “We’ve started producing a gluten-free version and a vegan one. It’s not just a trend. It’s what we see at the markets: families with different needs. We want no one to feel excluded.”
In a food scene that often chases spectacle, Silvia and Michele have chosen a different path: quality, seasonality and attention to detail.
“Our goal is to do a classic well,” Silvia says, “Tiramisù doesn’t need to be reinvented—it needs to be made with care.”
And perhaps that is precisely why it works. Because, as Silvia puts it, “Tiramisù isn’t just a dessert—it’s a small moment of pleasure.”
