# Dolester Miles

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**Dolester "Dol" Miles** (born 1957) is an American [pastry chef](/source/Pastry_chef) and a three-time [James Beard Award](/source/James_Beard_Foundation_Award) finalist.[1] Miles serves as the pastry chef at [Frank Stitt](/source/Frank_Stitt)'s Highlands Bar and Grill in [Birmingham, Alabama](/source/Birmingham,_Alabama). Miles was named Outstanding Pastry Chef by the James Beard Foundation in May 2018.[2][3]

## Early life

Miles was born in [Victoria, Texas](/source/Victoria,_Texas)[4] in 1957 and grew up in [Bessemer, Alabama](/source/Bessemer,_Alabama). She learned to make traditional [Southern](/source/Cuisine_of_the_Southern_United_States) desserts like [pecan pie](/source/Pecan_pie), [lemon meringue pie](/source/Lemon_meringue_pie) and [peach cobbler](/source/Cobbler_(food)) from her mother Cora Mae.[5] Miles graduated from [Wenonah High School](/source/Wenonah_High_School) in 1975 and attended [Alabama A&M University](/source/Alabama_A%26M_University) and [Lawson State Community College](/source/Lawson_State_Community_College) where she studied computer science.[4] To help pay her way through college, she began working as a cook in [Homewood, Alabama](/source/Homewood,_Alabama).

## Career

In 1982, Frank Stitt opened Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham. He hired Miles and her older sister Diane as cooks. Miles gradually worked her way up to executive pastry chef at the restaurant. She later moved on to making desserts for all of Stitt's restaurants, including Bottega, Bottega Cafe, and Chez Fonfon.[6]

In 2016, Miles was named a James Beard Award finalist for outstanding pastry chef.[7] She also advanced to the finals in 2017 and 2018.[1][8] She was named Outstanding Pastry Chef by the James Beard Foundation in May 2018.[2][3]

In 2018, Miles was the subject of "Dol", a documentary film by [Ava Lowery](/source/Ava_Lowery).[9]

Her recipes have appeared in multiple publications, including *[Southern Living](/source/Southern_Living)* and a series of cookbooks written by Stitt. As a pastry chef, she is best known for her [strawberry shortcake](/source/Shortcake), lemon [meringue](/source/Meringue) [tart](/source/Tart) and coconut pecan cake.[9]

## References

1. Carlton, Bob (March 14, 2018). ["Alabama restaurant earns 10th straight James Beard nomination"](http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/03/alabama_restaurant_earns_10th.html). *The Birmingham News*

1. Hagedorn, David (October 22, 2018). ["How a self-taught pastry chef in Alabama became one of the best in the nation"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/how-a-self-taught-pastry-chef-in-alabama-became-one-of-the-best-in-the-nation/2018/10/19/41a1a97a-d255-11e8-b2d2-f397227b43f0_story.html). *Washington Post*

1. Severson, Kim (May 29, 2018). ["An Alabama Chef and Her Beloved Desserts Hit the Big Time"](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/dining/dolester-miles-alabama-pastry-chef.html). *New York Times*

1. Romero, Catherine (4 August 2013). ["FACES of Birmingham: Dolester Miles"](https://styleblueprint.com/birmingham/everyday/sb-faces-of-birmingham-dolester-miles/). [StyleBlueprint](/source/StyleBlueprint)

1. Hilliard, Emily (April 29, 2013). ["Give Me Some Sugar: Dolester Miles"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180321130543/https://www.southernfoodways.org/give-me-some-sugar-dolester-miles/). Southern Foodways Alliance. Archived from [the original](https://www.southernfoodways.org/give-me-some-sugar-dolester-miles/) on March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2018.

1. Cole, Jennifer. ["Five Southern Kitchen Magicians"](https://www.southernliving.com/food/southern-female-chefs#dolester-miles). *Southern Living*

1. Mondry, Sydney (April 28, 2016). ["Meet Dolester Miles, the Queen of Southern Desserts"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180321130947/http://www.instyle.com/lifestyle/food-drink/meet-outstanding-pastry-chef-finalist-dolester-miles). *InStyle*. Archived from [the original](http://www.instyle.com/lifestyle/food-drink/meet-outstanding-pastry-chef-finalist-dolester-miles) on March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2018.

1. West, Ty (March 15, 2017). ["Highlands once again earns finalist nods in James Beard Awards"](https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2017/03/15/highlands-once-again-earns-finalist-nods-in-james.html). *Birmingham Business Journal*

1. Carlton, Bob (March 1, 2018). ["Alabama pastry chef Dolester Miles featured in new documentary film"](http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/03/alabama_pastry_chef_dolester_m.html). *The Birmingham News*

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