Pam Weekes
"Trust your instincts and follow your heart."
Pam Weekes is the co-owner of New York City’s Levain Bakery, a competitive athlete,
and a dessert devotee. Her passion for good food—sweets in particular—began on the
North Shore of Long Island where she grew up in a family of dessert-lovers. As a
girl, Pam had something sweet after every meal and even occasionally had cake or
pie for breakfast. Wholesome, homemade bread and treats were always available at her house
baked by either her mother who kept several cookie jars stocked, her maternal
grandmother who would drop by with special sugar cookies or her paternal grandmother
who brought Pam her own box of little Italian cookies whenever she visited.
From childhood through Sweet Briar College, Pam appreciated a great dessert and loved
to bake them. But it wasn’t until she was training for an Ironman with good friend,
Connie McDonald, in 1994 that she really thought about a career that involved baking.
Hungry all the time as they prepped for the triathlon, the two spent hours talking
about food. While still working for legendary designer Norma Kamali, Pam began baking
amazing artisanal breads with her friend Connie that they sold to restaurants. She
had always hoped to be her own boss and as their business grew
quickly, that dream became a reality within a year. In 1995 Pam left her job in
fashion to open Levain Bakery. Today Pam still loves to bake and to sample
the sweets she creates. She maintains quality control for Levain by eating at least
one cookie a day.
Interview with Pam Weekes
What separates a good cookie from a great cookie?
Really great ingredients, baking from the heart and soul, and of course a degree
of freshness.
What’s your favorite item from Levain Bakery?
I love everything—we wouldn’t make anything we don’t love. But if I had to pick
one item it would be our chocolate chip walnut cookie. I love the flavors—the chocolate,
the baked walnuts, butter—and the textures – the hard crunch of the walnuts, the
soft crunch of the cookie and the almost doughiness of the inside. Truthfully, I
prefer the cookies not hot out of the oven because I think that you can appreciate
the textures and flavors so much more in a cool cookie than a warm or hot cookie.
Plus I don’t eat it as quickly so I enjoy it more. Of course there is nothing like
cookie dough!
What’s the best thing about owning a bakery?
Always having fresh baked goodies to eat. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. Never
having to buy bread. Having a much better place to bake than a tiny New York kitchen.
What advice would you offer women who want to start their own businesses?
Trust your instincts and follow your heart, even if it doesn’t always seem logical.
Be patient and don’t give up, persistence pays off if you truly believe in what
you’re doing. And, of course, be prepared to work harder than you ever thought possible.
We always say the bakery is the Ironman of our lives.
As a competitive athlete, what role does dessert have in your diet?
Perhaps a better question would be what role does being an athlete play in eating
dessert? I have always been a huge fan of dessert, ever since I can remember. I
love desserts. Although I am a very selective dessert eater, they must be delicious
or why bother? I love anything baked – cakes, cookies, pies and of course also ice
cream; although ice cream’s not baked, it goes well with almost any thing baked.
In general I will only eat things that are made with real ingredients – no preservatives
or packaged products.