Grand Patisserie at 14451 W. Center Road looks like most strip mall storefronts.
I wandered in just over a year ago when pregnancy cravings drew me out of the neighboring Vasa Fitness. I thought I’d find a cookie to quiet the nausea-inducing hunger, but I found Rafika Oudelha Allam standing behind a glass case with a bright smile and a warm hello.
She had come straight from her own early morning workout, putting in the effort to stay strong enough to serve her family and her clients for the long haul.
I was instantly overcome by the variety I found at Grand Patisserie, located at 14451 W. Center Road, with each delicacy intricately decorated. Flawless fruit was painstakingly placed among rich creams and flaky pastries. Each confection so perfectly presented that I initially assumed they were display-only.
Rafika eyed my swollen belly and hit me with a flurry of questions.
Do you have any allergies?
Are you in a chocolate mood, or are you craving something fruity?
Are you looking for something dense or airy? And for the baby?
In response to my overwhelmed silence, she handed me a whipped hazelnut tarte, which vanished instantly into the chasm of an eight-month gestated hunger. While hazelnut usually creates a density in a dessert, this was light and airy, allowing me to indulge without any sense of heaviness. After more perusing, I left with a lemon tarte, millefeuille, and a jalapeno pesto bread, which satisfied my savory side.
She may have been at her day-job, but Rafika has a uniquely maternal energy that overtakes the space, showering customers in authentic concern and care. In fact, it was her own pregnancy craving for millefeuille that incited her to start making her own. She casually mentioned that when she found herself with her own ravenous gestational hunger for it 24 years ago, the nearest she could find the delicacies required a trip to D.C.
“Baking has always been something close to my heart,” Rafika said. “I’ve loved being in the kitchen from a young age, and over time it became clear that this wasn’t just a hobby. It was my passion and my purpose. The idea of opening a shop came naturally as I began sharing my desserts with others and seeing the joy they brought.”
Rafika and her husband, Zied, first launched their pastries at pop-up events at Roast Coffee in Aksarben. They graduated to working out of a commissary kitchen, serving their small bites to local businesses and at special events. They eventually took over the lease for the former occupant of the 144th and Center shop, fighting the urge to wave their white flag when the COVID pandemic hit shortly after setting to work. They credit their loyal patrons and the boost they received from local food groups, specifically the Omaha Food Lovers group on Facebook, for their determination to continue serving.
Since the birth of my son, I’ve returned repeatedly for the Dubai chocolate eclairs, pistachio cakes, blueberry passionfruit tartes, and for elegant pavlovas, which I bring to every special occasion I’m invited to. A bright Mediterranean quiche is the most wholesome breakfast you can get on-the-go, and is made with as much attention to detail as any of the elaborate little cakes on display.
It’s truly love that has brought me back, not only the sweet smell of the beautifully decorated patisserie, but the feeling of welcome upon entering.
And it was love that brought Rafika to Omaha 24 years ago.
“I came for him, my lovely husband.” Rafika said of Zied. “Our journey has really been built on shared values, hard work, and a love for creating something meaningful together. We met through our community and quickly connected over family, food, and ambition. Over time that connection grew into both a partnership in life and in business through Grand Patisserie.”
The venture was so successful that it prompted a second location. The pair recently opened Grand Patisserie at Aksarben, 2283 S. 67th St., making their French-inspired delights an additional draw to the neighborhood’s many amenities, or the perfect punctuation mark to a farmer’s market trip.
You can often find the pair working hard both at the bakery and in their lives together, slipping easily into words of affection and appreciation for one another, for their four children, and for the successful business they have created. Their gratitude doesn’t fall solely on one another, or even on the regular clientele that have made them an Omaha must-try. Their social media is a digital love-letter to their staff, each of whom is celebrated on birthdays, Mother’s Day, and any life event the Allams can use to loudly and proudly thank their team.
While Rafika has Algerian roots and Zied a Tunisian background, their shop is decidedly Parisian.
“Every six months I travel to France,” she said. “I sign up [to work and to study] in a different French patisserie, and I always come back with something new to bring to Omaha. That’s why I never have a menu in my patisserie. I never know what I’m going to learn or make next.”
The game of snack-roulette results in creations that are not only the product of clinical expertise, but of a true connoisseur. The only things Rafika seems to love more than perfect petit fours are her family and the look on a customer’s face when they try their first bite.
“My skills have come from a mix of training, experience, and a lot of dedication.” Rafika explained. “I learned through professional guidance, as well as years of hands-on practice, constantly refining techniques and pushing myself to improve with every creation.”
You can follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @OmahaGrandPatisserie