D Magazine called her the “Queen of Croissants.”
That’s a fitting title for Maricsa Trejo, an accomplished baker who founded La Casita Bakeshop in Richardson in 2019 and has seen it become one of the most popular brunch spots in Dallas-Fort Worth. Trejo has been behind it all, earning accolades over the years for her talent ranging from being featured on Food Network’s “Halloween Baking Championship” in 2022 to seeing La Casita Bakeshop named a finalist for the James Beard Award in 2023.
Where did it all start for Trejo? Dallas College.
“Originally, I wanted to become a nurse, but I changed my mind during the application process,” Trejo said. “I realized I loved food. I grew up watching Barefoot Contessa, I don’t know why, but I was watching her show at 9 years old, and I admired how she brought people together through food.”
Trejo developed the foundation to become a modern-day Barefoot Contessa through Dallas College’s culinary program at the El Centro Campus. As one of six girls in her family, Trejo was looking for an affordable, respected culinary program and found it at Dallas College.
The Dallas College program has produced renowned chefs over the years as many work at the most well-known restaurants in Dallas, the region and beyond.
“As a student, I loved El Centro,” Trejo said. “There are so many different types of people at community college — people coming back to school, those changing careers or, like me, just starting college. It creates a unique atmosphere. You make all these different connections, which I believe helped shape me. There’s a certain grittiness among community college students compared to those with a traditional university experience.”
Leap of Faith
Starting your own business can be scary. There is never a guaranteed path to success. But Trejo, with the encouragement of her husband and fellow Dallas College culinary alum Alex Henderson, took the leap of faith after working at a local brewpub.
The couple purchased a dough sheeter off Craigslist and, well, the first croissant was made.
“The biggest challenge was overcoming fear,” Trejo said. “It’s tough and it’s challenging but don’t give up. Everyone fails at some point. I wanted to give up in the first year because I was overwhelmed and in a bad headspace, but I pushed through and found that it started getting easier after a couple of years.
“It’s important to be patient and persistent. Some people expect immediate success, but it often takes time. For me, it took about three years of hard work. Little by little, things started to fall into place.”
Now, La Casita Bakeshop has moved into a bigger space and produces hundreds of croissants, cruffins, cakes and breads for customers.
Among the favorites are the almond croissant and churro cruffin, according to Trejo. We can vouch for both, especially the churro cruffin. You’ll want to order an extra one for the road.
“Our menu changes monthly, but the almond croissants and churro cruffins remain constant,” she said.
Embracing Her Roots
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Trejo is proud of her Latina roots as a first-generation American. In fact, on the restaurant’s website, Trejo goes in depth on the story behind La Casita’s name and how it pays respect to her mother and Latina roots.
Trejo also credited her dad for instilling the necessary work ethic in helping her overcome the obstacles of owning a restaurant.
“A lot of the times where I wanted to give up, I kept thinking about my dad and when we were younger, we’d only see him on Sundays because he’d work six days a week as a plumber,” she said. “But I always try to emulate my parents in everything. Like, my dad did not grow up wanting to be a plumber. My mom did not grow up being like, ‘I’m going to be somebody’s mom for the rest of my life.’ I take that to heart. Even though they didn’t grow up and do exactly what they wanted to do, I get to do that. So, I’m just going to push as hard as I can to be the best at what I do.”
Community College Proud
Given her background and experience as a former student at Dallas College, Trejo tends to lean toward hiring people with similar community college backgrounds. As she said, there is a certain type of grit that comes with being a community college student compared to other well-known universities.
“I don’t know what it is, but community college students tend to stay longer when we hire them. There’s something special about them,” she said. “Community college students are a unique breed. They become like family and understand teamwork. I’ve hired people from other backgrounds who wanted to stand out, but there’s something special about the community college experience.”
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