Pastry Chef Career: Job Description, Education & Career Prospects

If you wish to enter into the field of culinary arts and have a strong passion for making breads, cookies, chocolates, cake, ice cream and pies, becoming a pastry chef or a patissier can just be the right career option for you. Though the dessert comes at the end of a meal, it can make or break the taste of the entire course of meal. And the best part is that the demand for pastry chefs is quite strong in the culinary industry. There are several culinary schools where you can enroll into a culinary arts course and get trained in the art of baking and pastry making. Read on to know about the job responsibilities, education and training required and career prospects in this occupation.

Job Description
Since the job of a pastry chef uses a lot of innovative skills, you will never get bored. Whether it is a hotel chain, a resort or a high end restaurant, patissiers are in high demand in the food preparation industry. A pastry chef has the responsibility of supervising all the operations inside the pastry kitchen. You will be handling work include preparation and production of a wide range of pastry and bakery items. Whether it is about making confections, wedding cakes, a range of breads and other specialty items, the pastry chef need to possess creative skills to prepare all of these items.

A pastry chef or a patissier's job description does not involve only preparation of desserts and bakery items, but it may also include looking after administrative tasks including menu planning cost control and ordering supplies. You job responsibilities will prove to be quite challenging, as you will also need to do some research for creating and testing new dessert recipes. Preparation of all the dessert items needs to be done in advance before seating begins for dinner. The challenge is to prepare recipes that are exciting and attract customers. Artwork in pastry making plays a vital role.

The pastry department in a large hotel or high end restaurant may have one or more pastry chefs, aside from assistants and bakers. The pastry chef performs the duties of heading the department supervising other assistants and bakers, planning the menu and making sure the preparation is done in time to be served at the end of a meal. The chef has to take into consideration all the aesthetics involved in the process including the taste, size, shape, color, calories, presentation etc.

Educational Qualification & Training Required
Candidates who aspire to make a career in pastry arts can enroll into a relevant culinary arts course that trains them into the art of baking and pastry making. Today, there are numerous culinary art schools and courses offering courses in baking, pastry making, culinary arts etc. To become a pastry chef or a pastissier, you can get enrolled into one of the following courses.

Baking and Pastry Certificate
Associate's Degree in Applied Science Culinary Arts
Bachelor Degree in Culinary Arts

Certifications courses in baking and pastry making can prepare for entry level jobs. If you are looking for well rounded education, you should go for an associate degree or a bachelor degree. A bachelor's degree in culinary arts will highly increase your chances of landing jobs and make a successful culinary career. Before you get enrolled in a culinary arts program, remember to go through the detailed coursework and check the accreditation of the culinary schools you attend.

Job Skills
Candidates should possess some essential skills and personal characteristics to become a successful pastry chef. Excellent organization skills and detail orientation are crucial to become successful. Other important qualities include creativity, patience, understanding of scientific principles, correct measurement capability, extensive food preparation techniques, people skills, management and business skills among others.
 

Career Prospects
There is no dearth of employment opportunities for candidates with formal training and relevant working experience. You may need to face stiff competition at the start of your career. However, as you grow in experience and skills, you will have excellent career opportunities. According to the Unites States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment growth rate for pastry chef jobs is expected to grow as fast as the average of all other occupations. As the culinary industry continues to expand, job opportunities will also arise.

Annual Salary
The salary of a pastry chef varies depending on the years of experience you carry and the job position you take. The average annual salary of a patissier or a pastry chef is $35,000. As you grow in experience and acquire more skill sets, the salary can go up to $65,000 annually or more.