Pastry chef

Pastry chefs are responsible for preparing, cooking and presenting desserts, sweet products and bakery products. They can work in a variety of food industries and will usually be a part of a larger team of chefs.

The duties of a pastry chef include, but are not limited to:

• Operating and managing the pastry section of the kitchen and liaising with the executive and sous chefs to ensure a successful working environment.
• Preparing ingredients and handling baking and other kitchen equipment.
• Creating pastries, baked goods, and confections, by following a set recipe.
• Developing new recipes for seasonal menus.
• Decorating pastries and desserts to ensure beautiful and tasteful presentation.
• Meeting with customers to discuss details and planning of custom-made desserts and pastries for special occasions, such as weddings.
• Monitoring the stock of baking ingredients.
• Ordering new supplies, ingredients, and equipment for the pastry section, when needed, and within budget.
• Ensuring their section of the kitchen adheres to safety and health regulations.
• Supervising and training staff members, when needed.

Pastry chefs work near hot ovens and stand most of the day, so good health and strength are necessary. However, most kitchens are well lighted and convenient to use. Industrial bakery workers have to do repetitive tasks; bench hands, for example, knead dough all day long.

Pastry chefs who work in small bakeries have to work at night or extremely early in the morning so that their baked goods are fresh when customers buy them. (New methods of freezing baked goods may make late hours unnecessary in the future.)

Most pastry chefs work a forty-hour week. Bakers and pastry chefs work side by side with fry cooks, roast cooks, and vegetable cooks. All of these cooks are supervised by a head cook or chef, who is in charge of the entire kitchen.

The following job titles also refer to pastry chef:

baker
pastry decorator
glacier
confectionary chef
dessert chef
décorateur
confiseur
confectioner
patissier
pastry cook

Pastry chefs typically need no formal educational credential to enter the occupation; however, employers may prefer or require that candidates have a high school diploma, and some candidates choose to attend a technical or culinary school. Pastry chefs typically learn their skills through on-the-job training, which may include participating in an apprenticeship program.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Pastry chef is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to pastry chef.

chef
head pastry chef
head chef
private chef
restaurant manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of pastry chef. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of pastry chef with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

hospitality revenue manager
tourist animator
customer experience manager
facilities manager
defence administration officer

These skills are necessary for the role of pastry chef.

• Comply with food safety and hygiene: Respect optimal food safety and hygiene during preparation, manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution and delivery of food products.
• Cook pastry products: Prepare pastry products such as tarts, pies or croissants, combining with other products if necessary.
• Store raw food materials: Keep in reserve raw materials and other food supplies, following stock control procedures.
• Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
• Ensure regular maintenance of kitchen equipment: Guarantee coordination and supervision of cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment.
• Think creatively about food and beverages: Generate innovative and creative ideas to come up with new recipes, preparations of food and beverages and new ways to present the products.
• Plan menus: Organise menus taking into account the nature and style of the establishment, client feedback, cost and the seasonality of ingredients.
• Dispose waste: Dispose waste in accordance with legislation, thereby respecting environmental and company responsibilities.
• Maintain customer service: Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
• Work in a hospitality team: Function confidently within a group in hospitality services, in which each has his own responsibility in reaching a common goal which is a good interaction with the customers, guests or collaborators and their contentment.
• Handover the food preparation area: Leave the kitchen area in conditions which follow safe and secure procedures, so that it is ready for the next shift.
• Use reheating techniques: Apply reheating techniques including steaming, boiling or bain marie.
• Use culinary finishing techniques: Apply culinary finishing techniques including garnishing, decorating, plating, glazing, presenting and portioning.
• Use food cutting tools: Trim, peel and slice products with knives, paring or food cutting tools or equipment according to guidelines.
• Maintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environment: Preserve health, hygiene, safety and security in the workplace in accordance with relevant regulations.
• Maintain kitchen equipment at correct temperature: Keep the refrigeration and storage of kitchen equipment at the correct temperature.
• Use cooking techniques: Apply cooking techniques including grilling, frying, boiling, braising, poaching, baking or roasting.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of pastry chef. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Prepare canapés: Make, decorate and present hot and cold canapés and cocktails. The complexity of the products will depend on the range of ingredients used, how they are being combined and their final decoration and presentation.
• Order supplies: Command products from relevant suppliers to get convenient and profitable products to purchase.
• Set prices of menu items: Fix the prices of main course dishes and other items on the menu. Ensure that they remain affordable within the organisation’s budget.
• Prepare bakery products: Make bakery products such as bread and pasta by preparing dough, using proper techniques, recipes and equipment to achieve ready bakery items, combining with other products if necessary.
• Assist customers: Provide support and advice to customers in making purchasing decisions by finding out their needs, selecting suitable service and products for them and politely answering questions about products and services.
• Handle surveillance equipment: Monitor surveillance equipment to observe what people are doing in a given area and ensure their safety.
• Apply procurement: Undertake ordering of services, equipment, goods or ingredients, compare costs and check the quality to ensure optimal payoff for the organisation.
• Prepare desserts: Cook, bake, decorate and present hot and cold savoury and sweet pastry products, desserts and puddings.
• Schedule shifts: Plan staff time and shifts to reflect the demands of the business.
• Ensure cleanliness of food preparation area: Guarantee the continuous cleanliness of kitchen preparation, production and storage areas according to hygiene, safety and health regulations.
• Create decorative food displays: Design decorative food displays by determining how food is presented in the most attractive way and realising food displays in order to maximise revenue.

3434 – Chefs

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References

1. Pastry chef – ESCO
2. Bakers : Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Pastry Chef and Baker Job Description – StateUniversity.com
4. Pastry Chef Job Description – Betterteam
5. Featured image: Photo by Holly Stratton on Unsplash