Madeline Hissong is an entrepreneur and expert in the hospitality industry who has built her own business into a staple of her community. Marquis Who’s Who honored Hissong for her expertise and achievements by including her in its biographical volumes. With 25 years of experience in her industry, she has used her skills to find remarkable success.
An Academic Foundation
Hissong’s education has been a guiding force throughout her professional career, equipping her with the fundamentals necessary to thrive in her industry. She studied at Le Cordon Bleu, an internationally renowned culinary school in Paris. After two years of dedicated study, Hissong earned the school’s associate degree in culinary arts and related services in 2016.
Hissong’s Professional Career
Following her education, Hissong volunteered as an international experience (VIE) intern for six months before joining Niche Food Group as a line cook for four years. Building from this foundational experience, she became a sous chef at Juniper, where she remained for two years before working as a kitchen manager at Knead Bakehouse for another two years.
Though Hissong was going through a period of professional growth, she also faced personal struggles behind the scenes. While she recognizes many factors behind her success, it is her journey to becoming sober that she feels changed the course of her life. Hissong considers her path to sobriety, which she achieved in 2019, as her greatest accomplishment. Four years later, she was able to establish her own baking business.
Launching Her Own Business
Hissong launched Damn Fine Hand Pies from her home kitchen and sold her baked goods at farmers’ markets for the next three years. It was challenging to grow this way, but she recognizes the difference between those who make it and those who don’t: showing up. Persistence was key for her journey to sobriety, and she applied the same tenacity to grow her business. Just one year after launching her business, she was named one of Saint Louis’ Ones to Watch.
In 2024, Hissong was finally able to open Damn Fine Hand Pies as a brick-and-mortar store. Additionally, she now had a business partner and 19 employees to support her vision. The bakery continued to garner recognition, being named the best new restaurant and second-best new restaurant by separate publications and lauded as the “best bakery in years” by another. For her brown butter-glazed cake donut, Hissong’s bakery was recognized as the Best Bite in Saint Louis, and she was named one of the city’s Taste Makers and Industry Innovators.
A Commitment to Continued Growth and Giving Back
Outside of her career, Hissong is proud to contribute to various health and recovery programs, giving back to the organizations that helped her achieve sobriety. Throughout her journey, she has been inspired by the younger generation.
Moving forward, Hissong aims to continue growing her business and supporting recovery programs, and she is persistent in her mission for success. Continually inspired by those around her, she hopes to inspire her employees by teaching them to bake well and pursue their dreams.
