  Rick and Sasha Reichart are the perfect-ingredient couple when it comes to the art of producing spectacular wedding cakes: Rick is the creative artist who excels on the production side, and Sasha is the frontline business partner whose efficiency enables Rick to spend eight to ten hours perfecting each cake with his signature originality and flair.  The Reicharts established Cakelava on their beautiful Hawaiian island home base - Oahu – which is where so many local and destination weddings take place. The name ‘Cakelava’ echoes the environment and Rick explains, “It’s an organic name that expresses my love of art without restrictions.” Rick’s creativity is complemented by years of experience with some of the finest culinary experts. He in turn has become a highly-respected expert in the art of cake design with a reputation that extends nationally. His famous “Bamboo” cake has been featured in People Magazine with its tropical flowers and authentic bamboo exterior that is completely edible and delicious. The cake began its famous journey as Rick and Sasha’s very own wedding cake. Rick says, “It had the giant Tiki and bamboo on it – which made it quite unique.” Like a genuinely-talented artist, Rick’s objective when making a couple’s wedding cake is to avoid standardization and come up with something completely original that reflects the unique qualities of the bride and groom. Rick says, “I draw inspiration from many different sources. Ideally, it’s really helpful for me to meet the couple because I read people well and pick up the special vibes that steer me towards creating something that reflects who they are. I’m also really inspired by color.” The quality that precedes Cakelava’s confections is not only the artistry of the outside, but the wonderful taste of the inside – about which Rick is very particular. “Cakes have to taste as good as they look,” Rick emphasizes. “Tropical as well as chocolate flavors are very popular. From a visual sense, our cakes have an edgy, modern look to them.” Strange requests sometimes challenge Rick’s ideas, but hats off to him, he acquiesces. He recounts the time when he was asked to make a cake with five large street pigeons (not the pretty dove pigeons) combined with red coral! Both Rick and Sasha have their favorite tastes. Rick says, “I love our Coconut Pineapple Chunk Cake,” and Sasha chimes in, “We both love our Guavatini Cupcakes. I don’t have as much of a sweet tooth as Rick has; my favorite flavor is our Banana Blueberry Mascarpone.” The Reicharts’ best advice to couples is this: Don’t rush the design process or clutter the cake with too many themes or colors. It’s best to work out the details of the wedding before tackling the cake, and the color of the cake should complement the color of the linens. The rest is best left to Rick’s brilliant imagination. www.cakelava.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 808 263 2868 Written by Diana Lyle |