Her Story
About Lorna
Lorna Martinez is an executive pastry chef specializing in pastry culinary arts. After high school, she pursued culinary arts and graduated in 2003 before moving to North Miami for pastry arts training. Since then, she has built her career in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she has served in executive pastry chef roles, including at the Tropicana Hotel. In these positions, she managed small teams of around seven staff members across multiple outlets, catering, buffets, and VIP events while handling administrative tasks such as ordering, scheduling, and menu design. Martinez values professionalism and humility in the workplace, stressing the need to work one's way up from entry-level positions through hard work and going the extra mile. She advises hiring based on personality because values like punctuality and teamwork cannot be taught as easily as baking skills. In her personal life, she follows the golden rule of treating others as she wishes to be treated. As a woman in a male-dominated field, she encourages young women entering the industry to be mentally, physically, and emotionally strong, to prove themselves constantly, and to develop thick skin while lifting heavy loads and working in extreme conditions.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lorna
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Hire by personality because I can't teach values, being on time, or going the extra mile. I read body language during interviews to see if someone cares and is a team player. Those traits come from home and are harder to teach than skills like baking.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be tough and keep up mentally, physically, emotionally with the guys in a male-dominated kitchen. Prove yourself constantly as people may doubt your abilities. Develop thick skin and don't let things get to you or affect your performance. Be physically strong to lift 50 pounds and work in extreme environments, and mentally and emotionally strong to handle pressure and being looked down upon.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The industry is changing with many pre-made items available that require little skill, killing the craft because labor is expensive especially with unions in Las Vegas. Kitchens have fewer staff now, from 100-150 to 50 people. Hard to find quality people who care and want to learn. Business has changed with fewer large events.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
At work: professionalism and humility. You have to work your way up from entry level, put in the hours, be inquisitive, go the extra mile. In personal life: the golden rule, treat people the way you want to be treated, nobody's less or more than you, we're all equal.
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