Tarts de Feybesse — Oakland, CA
Meet Monique & Paul Feybesse—acclaimed chefs who trained in some of the world’s best restaurants before starting their family and their business, Tarts de Feybesse, in the Bay Area. Right-sized, right-timed capital from Working Solutions helped them grow into a renowned Oakland bakery blending modern technique, French classics, and Filipino flavors.
Tarts de Feybesse began with a single French apple tart. In 2016, on a visit to California from his home in France, chef Paul Feybesse baked an apple tart—complete with a rose made from delicate, spiraling apple slices on top—for his wife Monique’s family. As a fellow chef and entrepreneur, Monique loved the exquisite tart and immediately saw its potential. She posted about it online with the hashtag #tartsdefeybesse and a steady stream of orders soon followed through direct messages and word of mouth, eventually catching the attention of the San Francisco Chronicle. But the viral Instagram business went quiet as the couple welcomed their first child and returned to their careers in restaurant kitchens.
Then, when the pandemic hit in March 2020, Monique and Paul found themselves out of traditional restaurant work and began baking again, offering neighbors sourdough bread out of their home in Vallejo, CA. What they thought would be a handful of loaves a week quickly grew into a full pastry menu that sold out day after day, and the next era of Tarts de Feybesse began. The steady business soon outgrew their home kitchen, so the couple invested carefully, first upgrading to larger, home-certified equipment, then moving into a shared commissary kitchen to scale production. As demand continued to climb, they set their sights on a brick-and-mortar shop in Oakland, with a clear vision: a welcoming, unpretentious bakery offering three distinct product lines—pastries, viennoiserie, and bread—all under one roof.
To make the leap from commissary to storefront, Tarts de Feybesse needed to purchase specialized equipment and fixtures that couldn't be sourced secondhand. Monique researched local lenders who understood the Bay Area food landscape, looking for affordable capital sized to what the business could realistically manage. She first connected with Main Street Launch, a CDFI that typically offers larger small business loans, and was referred from there to Working Solutions, whose microloans were a better match—enough to cover their needs without overextending the business. The bakery first secured a loan to purchase key equipment, most notably a custom display case that is now the centerpiece of the storefront, then later borrowed additional capital to cover build-out and start-up expenses. They paid off both loans within a year, a reflection of strong sales and disciplined financial management.
For Monique, Working Solutions’ value went beyond capital. Through her Working Solutions Business Consultant, she received referrals to small business resources and legal guidance, as well as ongoing check-ins that made her feel supported rather than alone in navigating growth. Hearing examples from other entrepreneurs helped normalize the challenges she and Paul faced and reinforced their commitment to steady, organic growth.
Today, Tarts de Feybesse is not just a neighborhood favorite; it’s a national standout. The bakery has been twice nominated for a James Beard Award in the Outstanding Bakery category, placing Monique and Paul alongside industry greats. Achieving that recognition without outside investors—and with targeted support from Working Solutions—underscores the power of their thoughtful borrowing and determined, hands-on entrepreneurship.
Looking ahead, Monique and Paul are exploring ways to expand production and potentially add a second location, but they remain committed to the same principles that got them here: grow carefully, protect profitability, and keep investing back into the business and community they love.
Learn more about Tarts de Feybesse on their website: https://www.tartsdefeybesse.com/
Video created in partnership with Bond Studio. Photos by Ryan Tuttle.
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