Let’s face it…there is just something so delightful about a job with a title like “pastry chef”. A pastry chef is someone who makes beautiful, delicious and often exquisite desserts for bakeries and special occasions. This is a career that makes products everyone appreciates and there aren’t many like that around!
Pastry chef schools teach the fine art of creating these delectable sweets. Despite the temptation to wax poetic, a pastry chef is a professional who takes a series of classes that teach how to create cakes, desserts and tortes and also business management and kitchen supervision.
What You Will Learn
You can attend a culinary arts school and obtain an Associates or Bachelor’s Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. Pastry chef schooling will cover:
Baking fancy desserts and sweet treats
The art of making various doughs, fillings, frostings and glazes
Nutrition including creating low fat versions of popular desserts
Kitchen management
Use of kitchen equipment
Health standards and food safety
Ordering supplies
Business management
The types of desserts you will learn to make include tarts, cream puffs, croissants, quick breads, meringue, mousse, petits fours, marzipan, wedding cakes and many more.
A Sweet Career!
Completing a pastry chef training program prepares you to work as a specialty chef in a restaurant. You can also find employment in a bakery, with a cruise line, or as a chocolatier. Some pastry chefs work as caterers or are part of a team that handles large special events at convention centers. Self-employed pastry chefs sell desserts to bakery shops, restaurants, wedding groups, or operate their own special dessert businesses.
The salaries for those completing pastry chef colleges can vary by quite a bit. Typically a pastry chef will begin a career in a low level position as a trainee and accumulate experience that can lead to a head chef or baker position. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Salaries for chefs can range from $28,000 for entry level positions to approximately $47,000 for the highest 10% of wage earners. As of May 2008, the median wage was $32,560 for chefs working in full-service restaurants.
One of the main demand areas for those with pastry chef training is the wedding industry. Pastry chefs that can create beautiful and elaborate wedding cakes are almost always in demand. A pastry chef is part baker and part artist, and the ability to use creative talents is one of the characteristics many find so appealing.
Skills You Need
To earn a pastry chef degree you will need to complete coursework and hands-on training creating actual desserts. As a chef you must be able to stand on your feet for many hours at a time and have finger and hand dexterity. You will be required to regularly lift heavy filled pots and pans. In addition, bakers and pastry chefs must frequently start work very early so that products are ready by breakfast time.
Naturally, a pastry chef must also be able to pay attention to details and have patience. Creating the elaborate decorated desserts is like an art form and takes much control and practice.
