PastrySchools.netHow to Make a Living As a Pastry Chef or Baker
The world of pastry involves a high amount of dedication, stamina, and precision, yet it is also the one area of cooking where science and creativity go toe-to-toe in much of what you create. A career in pastry can lead to many different positions, all of which can be rewarding for those who love desserts and baking.
This article is designed to provide you with all the information you need to understand the typical work, career potential, and compensation of a chef with education from a pastry school.
Nature of the Work – Salaries – Jobs Outside the Restaurant – Article Resources
Nature of the Work
Standing most of the day near hot ovens and stoves, the work of a pastry chef entails long work hours, intense (and often repetitive) physical labor and demanding schedules of 40 or more hours a week. Additionally, bakers who work in small bakeries have to work at night or extremely early in the morning so that their baked goods are fresh when customers buy them.
Traditionally, entry-level positions in the pastry world are assistantships or apprenticeships in a restaurant or bakery with team of other chefs and bakers who are all managed by an executive chef. However, today’s pastry artists and bakers are working in a variety of settings, from sales and teaching to hospitality management. But regardless of setting, advancement within the pastry world after a couple of years of experience to supervisorial roles is rather commonplace, with few (if any) pastry chefs remaining in an entry-level capacity their entire career.
Salaries
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates food preparation and service jobs in general will experience very favorable job growth at 11 percent over the next eight to ten years. What’s more, pastry chefs seem to be in particularly high demand, with their specialized skills allowing them to take in upwards of $60,000 per year. By comparison, bakers reported a median income of $23,290 in 2008, with the highest 10 percent receiving $37,250 and the lowest 10 percent receiving $16,420.
Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of bakers in May 2008:
- Bakeries - $23,860
- Grocery Stores - $23,700
- Other Merchandise Stores - $23,610
- Full-Service Restaurants - $22,300
- Limited-Service Eateries - $20,500
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Jobs Outside the Restaurant
An education in pastry and baking can prepare its students for a variety of career options beyond those found inside of a restaurant, bakery, or catering office. Here's a look at some positions where graduates of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America are working outside of fine dining establishments:
- Conducting research and development for food products. Note that a prior solid background in chemistry or biology is also typically required for these positions.
- Cooking and/or managing for contract companies such as Sodexo Inc. providing food services to large institutions, such as corporate dining facilities, hospitals, and correctional facilities.
- Managing recipe and/or menu development for restaurant groups or “chains” with multiple locations.
- Managing within meal-replacement industries, such as grocery store chains providing “grab and go” convenience meal options.
- Selling culinary equipment for manufacturers, purveyors, or suppliers in the industry.
- Teaching others pastry arts and baking either at an institution or privately.
- Writing or publishing material on food for books and/or media.