Dolester Miles

Miles was born in Victoria, Texas^[4] in 1957 and grew up in Bessemer, Alabama. She learned to make traditional Southern desserts like pecan pie, lemon meringue pie and peach cobbler from her mother Cora Mae.^[5] Miles graduated from Wenonah High School in 1975 and attended Alabama A&M University and 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.

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.^[9]

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