Also called: pastry cook
What a pastry chef does
A pastry chef makes the sweet side of the menu, from plated desserts and ice creams to laminated doughs, cakes, and breads. You scale recipes precisely, manage a production schedule, and keep your station organized and cold chain safe. At a restaurant, you may plate desserts to order during service. At a bakery or hotel, you may produce large batches ahead of time. Accuracy, patience, and a steady hand matter more here than speed alone.
Pay snapshot: the BLS reports a national median of $30.03/hr for chefs and head cooks, and $34.84/hr in the Boston metro. See the full salary breakdown.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute dessert menus and seasonal pastry items
- Measure and mix ingredients precisely by weight for doughs, batters, creams, and custards
- Bake breads, cakes, cookies, tarts, and laminated pastries to specification
- Plate desserts to order during service with consistent presentation
- Temper chocolate, make sauces, and prepare garnishes and components in advance
- Monitor ovens, proofers, and refrigeration for correct temperature and humidity
- Order baking ingredients and track inventory of flour, dairy, chocolate, and specialty items
- Label and store pastry items safely, managing allergens like nuts, dairy, and gluten
- Train and supervise pastry cooks and assistants where applicable
- Keep the pastry station and equipment clean, sanitized, and in good repair
Requirements
- Experience in a bakery, restaurant, or hotel pastry department
- Strong understanding of baking science and formulas, including ratios and ingredient function
- Ability to read and scale recipes by weight
- Culinary or pastry school training is common but not always required
- Food handler or ServSafe certification is often required
- Comfort working early mornings or late nights, depending on the operation
Skills
- Precise measuring and scaling
- Laminating and dough work
- Plated dessert presentation
- Chocolate and sugar work
- Allergen awareness
- Planning production schedules
- Patience and attention to detail
Schedule
Pastry chefs often start early, sometimes before dawn in bakeries or hotels, or work afternoons through dinner service in restaurants, with weekend coverage common.
Pastry Chef job posting template
Copy this, replace the bracketed parts, and post it.
Pastry Chef - [Restaurant Name], [City] [Restaurant Name] in [City] is looking for a Pastry Chef to lead our dessert and baking program. You will create the sweet side of our menu and produce it with consistency and care. What you will do: - Develop and prepare desserts, breads, and baked goods - Plate desserts during [Shift] service - Manage ordering, inventory, and production schedules - Keep the pastry station clean and organized - Train and support [pastry assistants/line cooks] as needed What we are looking for: - [X] or more years of pastry or baking experience - Strong technical skills in doughs, creams, and plated desserts - Attention to detail and a steady work pace - Food handler certification (or willingness to get it) - Availability for [early mornings/evenings] and weekends What we offer: - [$XX-$XX/hr or salary range] - [Benefits, e.g. paid time off, health insurance] - Creative input on the dessert menu - Staff meals and a supportive team Send your resume and photos of your work if you have them to [email].
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