In the heart of downtown Papillion is Sauced by Alfaro, a small scratch kitchen serving big flavors of traditional American fare as chef and owner Michelle Alfaro provides her creative culinary takes.
"I'm not culinarily trained," Michelle admits, "I just have a passion for food and people."
That passion led her to begin her path toward Sauced years ago. In 2018, while working for the City of Omaha, her son wanted to go on a mission trip to El Salvador, inspiring Michelle and her husband, Joe, to sell homemade salsa to assist in raising funds. An instant hit, they sold $700 worth on the first day.
"The next day, I felt that God was like, 'Call Hy-Vee and see what it would take to get there." After impressing grocery store staff, Michelle partnered with a Louisville diner, using its commercial kitchen at night to create salsa well into the early morning. "At that point, one of the scriptures I was reading was Proverbs 16:3, 'Commit to the Lord, and he will establish your plan.' So, I said, 'OK, goodbye comfort.'" Forgoing the comfort of her experience with government work, Michelle resigned from her job to craft salsa full-time.
By 2019, Michelle and Joe began cooking in pop-ups and farmer's markets. "People just loved the food. They were so excited about it. Then Covid happened."
Unable to get hired as a chef due to lack of training, Michelle wondered whether she had made a fatal error in pursuing what she believed was a higher calling in her career path. As often is the case with tests of faith, Michelle was given a choice between returning to familiar work with the government or working as a waitress to gain restaurant experience. After thought and prayer, she chose the latter.
Armed with what she had learned, Michelle and Joe found a location in Louisville, launching Sauced by Alfaro on Cinco de Mayo 2021. Despite her jokes about the "kitchen prison" atmosphere, online personalities and groups such as Omaha's Restaurant Hoppen and Omaha Food Lovers fell in love with the restaurant. The Louisville location soon became a destination spot, despite its lack of seating or air conditioning, and was voted Best New Restaurant in Omaha for 2023.
Though thrilled with the performance in Louisville, Michelle shares that she was happy to find a home in Papillion's downtown area with seating and an atmosphere. Continuing her success, Michelle was then voted Best Chef in Omaha for 2024.
"This is not possible on my own," Michelle says, recounting how, in November of 2022, she was diagnosed with cancer, requiring two surgeries in 2023. "I am officially cancer-free, and Sauced and the team absolutely killed it in recovery.”
Sharing this story through the Sauced by Alfaro social media, she began receiving messages from many women who were undergoing similar struggles, seeking prayer and finding encouragement from her story.
"Without God at the forefront and these people I've been blessed with, it wouldn't be working."
Such a story is part of why she believes God called her to cook in the first place and led her to Sauced's success.
"If I have a platform, it's important for me to share my story—and my story can't be told if God's not in it."
"This is not possible on my own... Without God at the forefront and these people I've been blessed with, it wouldn't be working." - Michelle Alfaro, Sauced by Alfaro owner and chef
