Trained at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Aya Belkahia reshaped Casablanca’s pastry scene by founding La Madeleine de Proust with the support of the Moukawalati program. In 2025 she received the prestigious Pastry Opening of the Year Award from La Liste.
Aya Belkahia was born in Casablanca. She initially enrolled in law studies in France, but soon abandoned them to follow her passion for gastronomy and pastry.
Determined to pursue her culinary calling, she entered the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Paris, where she mastered the precision of haute pâtisserie. She later honed her skills at leading Parisian institutions such as Le Fouquet’s, Hôtel de Crillon, and Potel et Chabot, gaining hands-on experience in their pastry kitchens.
Her return to Morocco was triggered by the Guéant decree, which imposed restrictions on foreign students in France. Back in Casablanca, Aya faced challenges in the local hospitality market and eventually decided to create her own project.
With the support of Moukawalati, she launched La Madeleine de Proust, a pastry shop blending finesse, lightness, and nostalgic flavors of childhood.
Her entrepreneurial vision soon gained international recognition: in 2025 she won the Pastry Opening of the Year Award from La Liste, a prestigious accolade that highlights the world’s most outstanding new pastry shops, among 36 chefs from 18 countries.
