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Pastry Chef: Education and Job Training Requirements for Becoming a Pastry Chef

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Published Aug 28, 2009

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Do you remember baking cookies, cakes and other confections with your parents for dessert? Would you love to express yourself artistically and creatively in a bakery or restaurant while making people happy? Then look into a career as a Pastry Chef where you can create delicious baked goods for clients!

Pastry Chef Career Summary

Pastry Chefs have many specific duties beyond creating baked goods. First, they must oversee the bakery workers or pastry staff to make sure everyone is performing their required duties. Next, they must order supplies and keep the kitchen well cleaned and organized to ensure that the baking operations continue running smoothly. Then, with their extensive knowledge of baking, Pastry Chefs produce all kinds of unique baked goods, from pies and tarts to croissants, to please their clientele. Pastry Chefs decorate each food item in different ways with icings and other garnishes to make the food look and taste better. All of this work allows Pastry Chefs to create a tasty and creative finished product for consumers and clients to enjoy.

Education Required to Become a Pastry Chef

Advanced education is becoming more and more of a requirement for Pastry Chefs because of a large demand for quality. Vocational schools offer certificate courses that teach basic procedures about food handling and sanitation. Community colleges and other colleges may offer a 2-year or 4-year degree training program that teaches students about basic baking techniques. Most employers want to see Pastry Chefs with a Bachelor of Science in Baking and Pastry Arts or an Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry Arts. Culinary schools throughout the country offer these unique degree programs, providing some of the best education available to a Pastry Chef.

Job Training and Certifications Required to Become a Pastry Chef

Job training is a big part of becoming a Pastry Chef, because hands-on experiences are vital in the industry. Chefs will typically receive training from mentors in the restaurants where they work, learning both baking techniques and everyday restaurant operations. Certifications are not required of Pastry Chefs, but they do add a certain degree of prestige and accomplishments to chefs looking for more prominent positions in the field. The American Culinary Federation certifies pastry professionals at multiple levels based on their experience and formal education.

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