Become a pastry chef

Having learnt the basics of the trade at a culinary school, a pastry chef often begins his career as an apprentice or intern. He then begins working in a team, before becoming a team leader or opening his own pastry boutique, becoming a sole trader. In a restaurant, a pastry chef can work in a management role such as “chef de partie”. After several years of experience, the pastry chef can hope to become an executive level chef and see their responsibilities expand both on the culinary and managerial aspects.

More than just a cake master, he can also specialize in other types of sweet foods such as chocolate/confectionery or ice cream.

A pastry chef can also work abroad. French pastry’s reputation precedes it and a pastry chef’s expertise is acclaimed the world over.

Do you want to become a professional pastry chef? Join Le Cordon Bleu Paris, the prestigious culinary institute, and learn to master pastry, bakery and cooking with the world's finest chefs. 

A pastry chef makes cakes, confectionery, freshly baked pastries, chocolates and petits fours.

As an artisan, a pastry chef makes both French pastry classics and original recipes that are his own secret recipe. An artist, in the true sense of the word, he must take great care in order to create an array of products which are as appealing to the eye as to the palate.

A pastry chef in charge of his own boutique also has to manage stock control, orders and inventories and has very good people skills to be able to give advice to his customers.

Mindful of the importance of the quality of what he has to offer to his customers, the pastry chef takes great care over the aesthetics of his desserts. Decoration is an extremely important factor in pastry making and this is why creativity and technicality must be combined in order to create something which is original and has been perfectly executed. .

A pastry chef must, of course, create something which is visually pleasing but must not forget that taste is just as important. Therefore, his dessert recipes must be followed with precision and exactitude to achieve optimum and, more importantly, identical results every day.

Equipped with an exceptional sense of taste, he must know how to marry flavors and textures to constantly innovate and create original pastries.

• Good physical fitness: A pastry Chef is on his feet all day
• Working hours: A pastry Chef’s working day begins very early in order to have freshly baked pastries available for their customers as soon as the boutique or restaurant opens.