What Do I Need To Do To Become A Baker?

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The Artistic Career

What is more rewarding after a fine feast then the magnificent pastry masterpieces created by the Bakery chef. Bakery chefs consider their dishes works of art and take great pride in their creative abilities. If you wish to express your creative abilities, this may just be the career for you. Becoming a baker first and foremost requires a creative mind and plenty of stamina. Bakers spend long hours on their feet with their day usually starting as early as 4:00 am and have all the prepared breads and desserts for the day’s service done ahead of time.

Knowledgeable Background

Although formal degrees are not required for becoming a baker, it is essential to have some form of formal training such as culinary instruction and apprenticeship. Many bakery chefs started their careers in places such as supermarkets and commercial bakeries. A bakery chef must have a strong understanding of how to combine the ingredients needed for their baked products and how the oven heat affects the ingredients.

They must also be knowledgeable in sanitation and hygiene. Their kitchen space must be kept clean and meet the safety standards of inspectors. In addition, they should also be skilled in icing and decorating. Becoming a baker requires the ability to prepare all pastry items such as torts, soufflés, cakes, cupcakes and custards. A baker must also make sure all the ingredients are fresh and ready to be used.

Advancements in a Baking Career

Becoming a baker is relatively simple at entry level. If you have the aptitude, your training will involve putting your ability to work as an assistant baker under the direction of the bakery chef. Before actually becoming a bakery chef, however, you will probably apprentice for several years and be required to take some culinary art courses.

Bakery chefs must know how to create recipes from scratch, which means a high skilled level in creativity and long-term training in the pastry field is essential. The bakery chef and the executive chef work closely together planning pastry menus that complement the main course. Administrative duties are also usually assigned to the bakery chef. The job duties entail knowledge in monitoring the pastry department’s equipment, taking inventory of the ingredients and the capability for managing a staff.

Apprenticeships offer the opportunity for students to be trained in the arts of pastries and desserts. An Apprenticeship is a two to three year program and includes gaining instruction in a paid job that is supervised by certified chefs. To gain an apprenticeship, you must also complete twelve formal courses in culinary subjects such as food safety, kitchen management health and sanitation and nutrition.

The Rewards of Perseverance

Becoming a baker means you must be willing to make many sacrifices such as having to work holidays and weekends, as well as the odd hours of early mornings and possibly working late at night. It is quite common for a baker to work as many as twelve hours a day. To become a successful baker, it is absolutely essential to possess a high level of creativity and an eye for design and artistic presentation, as well as a great deal of knowledge in the formal culinary arts. It takes several years of hard work and dedication to become a top baker. Bakers are not truly motivated to produce so many culinary wonders for the money. Their wages are considered on the low pay scale, but bakers are generally offered many benefits meant to balance the annual salary. Bakers do their magic for the challenge of the next masterpiece they can create. It is their passion that drives them to be top bakers.