Pamela Kinney
Pamela Kinney is a passionate and innovative pastry chef currently serving as Lead Line Cook at Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre. With a career spanning over a decade in the culinary industry, Pamela has honed her skills in high-volume, fast-paced kitchens, including prestigious stints at The Ritz-Carlton and Omni Hotels & Resorts. Her expertise encompasses cake decorating, dessert preparation, and full kitchen management, ensuring every dish she creates reflects precision, creativity, and excellence.
A graduate of Aims Academy of Culinary Arts, Pamela’s journey into the culinary world is a testament to her resilience and determination. After overcoming early life challenges and transitioning from healthcare into the culinary field, she built a career defined by innovation and leadership. She has managed large-scale catering events for Coca-Cola, organized culinary operations for high-profile concerts, and worked with professional sports teams, all while earning recognition such as Hilton’s Golden Knife Award in 2024.
Beyond her professional achievements, Pamela is the founder of Pamela’s Pastries, a custom dessert business she plans to expand through a food truck concept. She is deeply committed to mentorship and inclusive education, with aspirations to create a monthly cooking program for disabled children inspired by her experiences teaching her autistic son. Known for her energy, creativity, and dedication, Pamela brings both passion and precision to her craft, delighting clients and inspiring her team with every dish she creates.
• Golden Knife Award (Hilton, 2024)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being deeply goal-oriented, resilient, and learning to work with my ADHD rather than against it. My ability to multitask, adapt quickly, and stay creative under pressure has been a key strength, allowing me to thrive in high-volume, fast-paced culinary environments.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is not to let where you start determine where you finish. With hard work, persistence, and passion, you have the power to shape your own trajectory and achieve remarkable growth.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the culinary industry is to work hard, stay persistent, and not give up too soon. This field offers incredible creative freedom and opportunities for growth, but success comes to those who are willing to push through long hours, setbacks, and moments of self-doubt.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is gaining recognition for the behind-the-scenes work that goes into demanding kitchens. At the same time, the greatest opportunities lie in creativity, entrepreneurship, global exposure, and building ventures that blend food with education, culture, and community impact.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are high standards, teamwork, encouragement, accountability, and recognizing people for their contributions. I believe morale matters just as much as skill, and I strive to uplift those who work behind the scenes yet are essential to our collective success.