Meet Les Oajaca

We had the good fortune of connecting with Les Oajaca and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Les, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Les- Honestly, I don’t like taking risks. I feel safe when I know what will happen next, and when I feel like I’m in control. I do well in predictability- but nothing interesting happens there. Sometimes it paralyzes me, because I’m too afraid of what might happen. It might go terrible, but it also might go terribly well- the satisfaction of knowing how things turn out is what pushes me to get over it. I’m scared, but I’ll often do it even when I am. The outcome always seems worth it. It either goes terrible, and I learn, or it goes terribly well and I celebrate. Try, or you will never know if it would’ve worked or not.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Nido is a creative expression of our love through bread. When we first started Nido, I was learning about the culinary world and the laborious process that baking is. I quickly found that making bread is a true labor of love that requires so much patience and precision. Our recipes date back generations before us. Our great grandparents owned a bakery in Guatemala, and we grew up with our grandfather making bread for us in our apartment kitchens. We still use those recipes to date, which sets us apart from other bakeries.

Nido is also a reflection of my personal journey here in the U.S.- being born in Guatemala but moving here at such a young age, I’ve always battled with not feeling Guatemalan enough, but also not American by any means, This is reflected in our bakery- it is a fusion of what was engrained in our upbringing and what we learned through observation living here in the states. You can find different types of pastries from traditional pan dulce from Guatemala using our late grandfathers recipe, to a good ole fashion pop tart or chocolate chunk walnut cookie. I am most proud of this- I am proud that our bakery is a reflection of who we are as individuals, that has been so intentionally curated with love.

Getting to where we are now has not been easy, and there is still so much work to be done- but genuinely just showing up day in and day out has been a game changer for us. There are a lot of days where it is hard to show up, but it is always worth it. We try to steward what we’ve been given as best as possible, and just do it as honorably as we can. Truly the only way out of challenges is going through them and learning from them and moving forward. Trusting that every challenge is purposeful and that there will be something good to come from it.

Some lessons we have learned is that we are gonna receive a lot of no’s, but that’s not a reflection of who we are. A lot of times, even in our discouragement we pressed forward and kept working and trying. We cherished and valued each yes, and cherished and valued each no. All of these experiences have added to our tapestry.

I want the world to know that we are just little ladies making bread, and doing it with love. What is love if not action. We are always gonna show up and try our best, whatever our best may be that day.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I genuinely love Dallas so much, it’s the place I’ve called home for 21 years- so this is so hard!

We would start the morning off by going to Wayward for coffee and to see the beautiful space, or Chasen for either matcha or hojicha. To eat we would stop by Davis street Espresso to enjoy avocado toast or eggs and bread- we’d probably linger at Davis street espresso a little to read, and draw. It seems like time flies there, and it is genuinely just such a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere. All of these shops are ran by incredible people, and make Dallas feel a little smaller.

After breakfast, we’d probably go on walk at one of the oak cliff trails or trinity skyline trail- there’s a beautiful view of the city there. After that I’d probably suggest fruit bowls or smoothies at either juice land or the juice bar. If we had some time before dinner I would suggest thrifting or vintage shopping. Nowhere in particular.

For dinner I would take them to either Lucia, or Encina- really depending on what they were craving. Both of these places are superb, and you can just tell that they are intentional with both their ingredients and menus.

After dinner I would suggest taking them to the adolphus hotel, because I just think it is so beautiful and elegant and absolutely one of Dallas’ gems. A not so hidden one, but still a gem indeed.

This would probably be my most ideal Dallas day!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents deserve the utmost recognition in this journey, they have inspired me so much with their work ethic, determination, and passion. They immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala when they were only 24 years old- didn’t know a lick of English, or the slightest idea of how things operated here in the states. My sister and I were super young, so that was an added layer to fuel their flame to make it happen. They’ve hustled their way to make it happen not only for us, but for themselves- from working 18 hour days in fast food restaurants, to eventually owning their own small business. They are our biggest supporters and cheerleaders, always championing us on from the beginning. I am beyond grateful for their support and consistent shoulder to lean on when it gets tough. They have inspired me so much, because they were able to build such a beautiful life for us here in Dallas with few resources, and not many people rooting for them or believing in them. If they were able to come here with nothing, and still give us everything- it makes me feel like the sky is the limit. I love you mami and papi. I am proud to be a Oajaca because of them.

Instagram: nidooajaca

Image Credits
Genesis Flores James Tucker Smylie