Welcome back to Hidden Rice, a Fast Five series that uncovers the lesser-known, yet essential, pieces of campus life that keep Rice running smoothly. In this second installment, we’re taking you behind the scenes of one of Rice’s most delicious operations—the Commissary Bakery.
A Bakery with a Big Impact
Tucked inside North Servery, the Commissary Bakery is a hub of scratch-made desserts and baked goods that show up in all the serveries—from breakfast pastries and lunchtime treats to decadent dinner desserts.
Centralizing for Success
What was once a decentralized system is now a well-oiled, centralized operation that improves efficiency, lowers costs, and elevates consistency. Based on semester dining surveys, desserts consistently rank among the student’s top-rated servery items, demonstrating how the customer experience can be improved through operational excellence and innovation.
Dessert menus rotate every six weeks, keeping things fresh and exciting. Some favorites include:
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For breakfast: Danish pastries and banana bread
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For lunch: cookies
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For dinner: chocolate cake, mochi, and fruit cobbler
Meet the Team
Leading this high-powered production is Grace Lapsys, a Food Network alum and professionally trained pastry chef. As Rice's Executive Pastry Chef, Grace curates a new menu each week, emphasizing global flavors and accommodating a variety of dietary needs, from gluten-free to plant-based, and relies on her talented team to bring her vision to life for Rice’s community.
Beyond the Bakery
Interested in learning more about these sweet treats? You’re in luck as Grace is currently collaborating with Rice’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies to develop culinary programming, for those looking to improve and expand their baking skills.
The Commissary Bakery is a strategic piece of Rice’s self-operated dining model, which provides the university with flexibility, high quality, and responsive customer service. Whether it’s a comforting cupcake or a vegan cobbler, every dessert supports the mission of creating an inclusive, thoughtful, and student-centered dining experience.
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