Job Description of a Pastry Chef

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Everyone knows pastry chefs create some of the most dazzling and delicious deserts in the world. You’ve likely been amazed by their technical skills and artistry when watching reality TV shows like Top Chef Just Deserts. They are the ultimate culinary artists creating treats that are just as pleasing to the eye as they are to the pallet, but you may be wondering what the job description of a pastry chef really is. We’ve got the answers you need to help you decide if becoming a pastry chef fits into your career goals.

Education and Training

Unlike bakers, pastry chefs typically attend culinary school and receive an Associate’s Degree in culinary arts with an emphasis in pastry and baking, or they may attend a special pastry and baking school or program and earn an Associate’s Degree in Pastry and Baking. While it is possible to forgo culinary school and still become a pastry chef, you may be doing a disservice to your career by taking this route. It’s often faster to become a pastry chef by attending culinary art school, and you often earn a higher salary over the course of your career when you have a degree.

Job Duties

Pastry chefs work long hours, almost exclusively on their feet. Most pastry chefs log more than 55 hours a week and many start work early in the morning (3 or 4 am is not unusual). This is not to discourage you, but any job description of a pastry chef has to lie out the realities of the job, so you can make an informed decision.

In most kitchens, the pastry chefs will spend the bulk of their time prepping for service. When it’s time for a lunch or dinner service, you don’t want to spend your time making everything to order. Most deserts are created ahead of time and only the final elements are added during the service. There are deserts, like soufflés that must make to order. Prep time ensure that everything is ready for a smooth running service when the time comes.

During the service, the pastry chefs will plate and finish off most deserts. They will also cook to order any deserts that cannot be made ahead of time. This requires technical precision to ensure the deserts look beautiful and consistent from one plating to the next.

Salary and Career Outlook

Pastry chefs typically earn higher salaries than bakers, and most pastry chefs are employed full time, whereas about 1 in 3 bakers is a part time employee. Pastry chefs, especially those that work in the Casino industry, average considerably higher salaries than bakers. On average, pastry chefs earn over $40,000 per year, and executive pastry chefs in casinos can earn over $100,000 per year. Contrast this with bakers who top out around $35,000 and you can quickly see why spending a little time in culinary school can pay big dividends in your career.

The job description of a pastry chef is easy to understand—they make the beautiful and taste deserts that we all love. Becoming a pastry chef is unlike becoming any other type of chef; culinary school is almost always the best choice. The next step in your journey to pastry perfection is contacting your local culinary arts school and learning more about their pastry and baking program.