Jackie Pinckney

Excellence Made From Scratch

November 2024 IssueTyWare1124

by Lesley Kyle
Photography by Lindsay Pettinicchi Photography, LLC

Jacqueline (Jackie) Pinckney is a Lowcountry native who finds great joy in her job, loves her co-workers and Frankie Bones Restaurant.

However, Jackie has seen her share of hardship and tragedy over the years. Raised in Walterboro, Jackie hails from a large, closely connected family. She’s the second oldest on her dad’s side and the oldest on her mom’s side. One sister lives in Bluffton, another sister resides in Ridgeland—more on her later—and Jackie’s mom and a brother still live in Walterboro. Jackie was partially raised by her grandparents until her mother returned from New York to the Lowcountry. That close family bond has stayed with Jackie all her life and continues through her extended family.

Industrious from the get-go, Jackie has always been a hard worker. She worked two jobs and commuted 90 minutes one way on a daily basis with little time for rest. Throughout her work life, Jackie has held various jobs at Burger King, Kroger, Poseidon Restaurant on Hilton Head Island, and a few housekeeping positions, too. After working as a dishwasher at Poseidon, Jackie transferred to Frankie Bones, another Hilton Head restaurant operated by SERG Group. While working at Frankie Bones, she was cross-trained in several areas of the restaurant. Jackie watched her colleagues and picked up their tips and techniques as they prepped in the kitchen for the next service.

Receiving rave reviews, Jackie was soon in charge of preparing all the desserts on her own for Frankie Bones. If you’ve not had Ms. Jackie’s (the name her co-workers lovingly call her) famous mile-high carrot cake, cheesecake, or big chocolate cake, you have not had a slice of heaven. With the exception of her days off, Jackie bakes daily, sometimes for 10 hours a day.

“I’m always looking for something different to try,” said Jackie, who has now baked for Frankie Bones for nine years. She sometimes works with Frankie Bones’ Executive Chef Alex Stefl on new recipe ideas, but also develops new recipes on her own. “Ms. Jackie has been a cornerstone of our kitchen for many years. Her attention to detail and knowledge of our recipes has been paramount in our ability to be consistent day in and day out. There’s no one else I’d rather have by my side every holiday, special events or daily operations,” Chef Alex said.

The restaurant’s dessert offerings change seasonally but Key Lime Pie, Crème Brûlée, and Carrot Cake are part of Jackie’s staple recipes. Though you can always find her classic New York style cheesecake on the menu, she adds flavorful additions from time to time such as anything from blueberry to rum to kiwi, which are among the most popular. Of course, during November, her pumpkin cheesecake is all the rage!

With 11 years of loyal service to SERG Group under her belt, Jackie feels at home in her job. “I get a lot of respect,” she said. “Mr. Phil is very supportive. They thank me for what I do, and I feel appreciated.” And Mr. Phil (Phil LeClare, Managing Partner of Frankie Bones) thinks the same way about Jackie. “Ms. Jackie has been a constant presence throughout the years. Always hard working and dedicated to her craft, she is a big reason our food is consistent and delicious! She shows her passion for Frankie Bones every day.”

Her years of baking experience have taught her a thing or two about the craft. “Take your time, do what the recipe says, and it will come out well,” Jackie advised. “And if it doesn’t come out the way you expect it to, do it again.”


While Jackie’s daytime gig is baking, she relies on her sister in Ridgeland, who bakes for all of their family occasions. Jackie is a mom to five children, 18 grandchildren, and six great-grands. “All of my boys know how to cook,” Jackie said, “and sometimes, they cook better than I do!” Her family is her greatest source of creative inspiration and spending time with them tops her priority list. But Jackie also manages to carve out “me time” by freshwater fishing with her grandson Davion, 17, every other weekend.

A big 80th birthday celebration is planned for Jackie’s mom next year. But she plans to leave the dessert and birthday cake baking to her sister. Fortunate are those grand-children and great-grandchildren to have so much talent in one family filled with generations at family gatherings!