A Pastry Chef, or Dessert Chef, bakes various desserts in a kitchen within a restaurant or bakery. Their main duties include following recipes to create pastries, cookies and other baked goods, developing new and unique recipes to feature on the menu and keeping stock of the kitchen’s inventory.
A Pastry Chef should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Pastry Chef should be able to execute:
- Operate and manage the pastry section of a kitchen, working together with the other chefs
- Prepare a variety of baked goods
- Decorate and present pastries and baked goods in a tasteful and beautiful way
- Monitor and order ingredients, supplies and equipment
- Meet with customers to discuss custom-made desserts or baked goods for special occasions
- Ensure the bakery section of the kitchen adheres to health and safety regulations
A competitive Pastry Chef will have certain skills and qualifications, including:
- Creativity to design new and unique menu items to attract customers
- Knowledge of how baking ingredients work together and how they can be used in creative ways
- Leadership skills to manage the pastry section and staff in a kitchen, including hiring the right staff and motivating workers in a high-stress environment
- Time management skills to deliver orders on schedule and avoiding wasting food
- Physical strength and stamina to spend long hours standing and performing repetitive motions
- Flexibility, since hours for a Pastry Chef may vary and include weekends, evenings and holidays
