Founded almost 50 years ago, The Patisserie Inc. is one of Hawaii’s largest and oldest bakeries. We are very proud of our product, of course, but also of our history. Started by a German and a Frenchman, and continued today by an Italian family, we bring European style breads, cakes and pastries to Hawaii’s most distinguished restaurants, hotels and grocery stores. Today, The Patisserie is owned by Colleen and Robert (Bob) Paparelli. Originally, the company was started by Rolf Winker from Dresden, and Michel Martin from Nice. Rolf got his start at the Kahala Hilton, as it was called in 1964 when the hotel opened, and worked in the bakery under Executive Chef Max Wilhelm and Bakery Chef Hans Wierbel. Michel moved to Hawaii in the 1920s and started as a waiter. During World War II he started a tiny restaurant in Wahiawa called Michel’s, which thrived in its original space until 1959, when he moved it to the Colony Surf, where it continues to serve and continues to delight guests today. In 1968, Michel partnered with Rolf and the two started The Patisserie, a wholesale bakery with one retail café in Kahala. With ten employees and a space of 3,000 square feet, the partnership prospered and the company grew a reputation for quality baked pastries, cakes, stollen and lavosh, which were a novelty in Hawaii at that time.
The family and the company’s history reflect the Paparellis’ values of hard work, shared sacrifice and shared success. As individuals and as a team with our valued employees, we have worked through good times and bad, sometimes hunkering down, sometimes celebrating. We apply our best efforts, motives, and ethics in our everyday work and take pleasure in the favorable feedback and compliments we receive from our many good customers.
As the company evolves and develops new product lines, The Patisserie is in good hands. Son Marc Paparelli married a smart, local accountant, Kesia Paparelli, a couple of years ago and is on his way to proudly continuing the family business one day.