How to Train a Pastry Chef: Pastry Chef Training Program (Free Manual Template)

Pastry chefs bring so much joy to our lives. They cater to our sweet desires, pouring their heart and soul into creating our frozen desserts, morning muffins, celebration cakes, comfort food, and special pick-me-up snacks. But, like any culinary specialty, becoming a pastry chef requires training.

Baking is as much a science as it is an art, and bakers, even more than regular cooks and chefs, need to be aware of the effects of different ingredients. Mastering the baking and pastry arts requires precision in mixing, plating, and especially decorating.

Even an experienced pastry chef needs to hone their skills every now and then. Pastry chefs are always devising new techniques (remember when the cronut took over the world?), so it never hurts to be up-to-date on the latest baking and decorating tricks.

In this guide, we’ll explain how to become a pastry chef. We’ll also discuss the key skills required and how to apply for jobs, as well as provide links to some of the best pastry chef training programs in the US.

What’s in This Guide?

• Best Pastry Chef Training Courses

• Pastry Chef Skills

• Types of Pastry Chef Training

• Applying for Pastry Chef Jobs

• How to Hire New Pastry Chefs

• Final Thoughts & FAQs

Best Pastry Chef Training Programs

To become the best pastry chef you can be and move up in the food business, you should get as much training as you can. This could involve enrolling in pastry school, finding a job, or looking for culinary arts classes online. In this section, we’ll highlight the best pastry chef training programs - both virtual and in-person - to help you get the best possible training.

Formal Pastry Chef Training Programs

Formal education at culinary school is the best and most obvious way to receive pastry chef training. There are plenty of top institutions across the US, but you may have to relocate to fully take advantage of their expert training programs. Here are some of the best:

• Culinary Institute of America: This organization is hugely respected and a qualification from here will get you far in the food industry. The Culinary Institute of America has one of the top pastry chef training programs in the US, with campuses in New York State and Texas.

• Johnson & Wales University: Based in Providence, Rhode Island, but with additional campuses in Denver, Charlotte, and Miami, Johnson & Wales University offers bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in culinary arts for aspiring pastry chefs. Their courses also include formal internship programs so students can get on-the-job experience.

• New England Culinary Arts Training: This organization offers a 14-week training course that teaches students valuable culinary skills, technical skills, and life skills. You’ll leave with useful connections and a career readiness that will help you land a pastry chef job.

Online Pastry Chef Training

Many pastry chefs also choose to receive their training online. While it’s harder to learn practical skills and have your questions answered, these virtual classes can be a great way to supplement on-the-job training and are generally very affordable. Here are some of the best:

• Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts: If you’re seeking a degree, you can get one online from this organization. You’ll get thorough training from the comfort of your own home, and the school will even find you an externship so you can get hands-on experience at the same time!

• Dominique Ansel: For just $10 a month (if billed annually), you can access insightful classes from an expert chef. Ansel’s three-and-a-half-hour French Pastry Fundamentals class is particularly great for aspiring pastry chefs,  as you can learn new techniques or brush up on old skills. 

• The Butter Book: This website has a wide range of resources available if you’re looking to improve your baking skills, including a series of videos taught by the founders of the French Pastry School in Chicago.

Job Skills Developed in Pastry Chef Training

From cake decorating techniques to recipe development, here are some basic and advanced skills any professional pastry chef should possess:

Basic Pastry Chef Skills

Aspiring pastry chefs should master a few basic baking skills and principles, including:

• Preparing Desserts: Measuring, mixing, folding, and creaming are all vital baking processes. Successful pastry chefs must understand the difference between them and know how to use these techniques to prepare sweet treats and tasty desserts. Cake decorating is also included in this skill, so a good knowledge of fondant and piping is required.

• Dough Skills: A pastry cook should know how to prepare different kinds of dough. This involves working with yeast and lamination to produce things like puff pastry, cakes, muffins, pies, and bread.

• Customer Service: Bakers should also understand the fundamentals of customer service, especially if they work at a bakery, since they’ll often interact directly with customers. This requires soft skills such as communication, attention to detail, and salesmanship, as well as mastery of point-of-sale (POS) systems and other restaurant technology. 

• Food Safety: A broad knowledge of food safety is essential for aspiring pastry chefs. Handling, preparing, and packing food all day requires good hygiene and proper safety measures, so training in food safety is a must.

All professional pastry chefs should possess these basic hard and soft skills. To advance your work, you’ll need additional training in more advanced abilities.

Advanced Pastry Chef Skills

If you want to become a certified master pastry chef, you need to invest in more thorough training and learn advanced pastry skills. Here are some ways in which you can further your career and become an expert in your field:

• Advanced Baking Skills: Sophisticated pastry techniques like chocolate tempering and building multi-tiered wedding cakes can set a master pastry chef apart from their peers.

• Accommodating Dietary Requirements: The best pastry chefs must learn to cater to their audience. Advanced training with alternative flours, sugars, and dairy products will help you accommodate customers with dietary sensitivities and food allergies.

• People Management: Pastry chefs who train in management and business skills are far more likely to advance in their careers and get promoted. Studying up on the business side is essential if you’re interested in moving up into management or eventually opening your own restaurant or bakery.

• Inventory Management: Maintaining inventory is a key part of running a restaurant. To get ahead in your career and demonstrate your dedication to your superiors, try taking advanced training courses in inventory management.

Advanced pastry chef skills training can help you improve your pastry-baking game and ensure you keep up with new developments in the pastry world. Taking the time to pursue more training also shows your supervisors that you’re interested in improving and learning new skills, giving you more than enough promotion potential.

Types of Pastry Chef Training

Pastry chefs can get their training via several methods. They can learn on the job, pay for formal education courses, or take classes online. Going to culinary school and shadowing experienced employees are very different processes, so it’s important that you pick the training method - or combination of them - that works for you.

On-The-Job Pastry Chef Training 

There is nothing like learning by doing, and that’s what you get with on-the-job training. This sort of training is essential for learning the dessert recipes, signature baking techniques, and operating procedures for every workplace, from where the ingredients and kitchen tools are stored to how to operate various equipment and the POS system. 

For on-the-job training, you’ll likely be given a training manual that explains the essentials and shadow a more senior pastry chef. The advantage of this method is that you’ll be employed and earn money as you learn, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you need.

The disadvantage is that, depending on how busy your workplace is, training may be sandwiched in between other tasks. You also may be limited by the specifics of your workplace and how much time your trainer has for you – so you may miss out on picking up certain skills.

Formal Pastry Chef Training Programs

Formal pastry chef education programs are the best way to receive top training from industry experts. They range from day-long classes on mastering specific skills to multi-year culinary school degrees.

After completing a formal training program, you’ll receive a diploma or certification that you can include on your resume to show that you’ve mastered a series of particular skills. Another advantage is that many culinary schools and training programs also provide job listings and opportunities for networking to help graduates get jobs. 

The disadvantage of formal training programs is that they can be expensive and time-consuming, and you may have to move cities to be close to campus. 

Online Pastry Chef Training 

Online training programs can offer you access to some of the world’s top pastry chefs. They’re also less expensive and allow you more flexibility than in-person culinary education programs. In most cases, you’ll be able to take classes in your own home on your own time. 

As with in-person training, the range of classes varies. You can find brief seminars on specific skills and techniques to full degree-granting programs that also provide job boards and networking opportunities after graduation. Many pastry chefs take online courses to supplement in-person training.

The disadvantage of online training is that you’re working on your own, with no one to correct your technique or answer your questions on the fly. You are also responsible for getting all your own ingredients and equipment.

How to Apply for a Pastry Chef Job After Training

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pastry chef job opportunities are expected to grow by 5% in the next 10 years. That’s excellent news for anyone emerging from a pastry chef training program, as there will likely be a fair few jobs up for grabs - if you know where to look.

The first step to applying for jobs is to build your pastry chef resume. Make sure to list your qualifications and relevant skills so potential employers know what you’re capable of. 

Then, use your personal network—including family and friends or former bosses and coworkers at places you’ve previously worked—to find vacant pastry chef positions. Contacts are also a great way to get promotions to roles such as head pastry chef and executive chef.

Many culinary schools have job boards and other networking opportunities for graduates. In addition, most cities have job sites just for professionals in the food world, and many restaurants and bakeries are looking for people to stage or work for free for a few weeks, which will give you additional experience in a professional kitchen.

How to Hire New Pastry Chefs

If you’re a restaurant manager or owner seeking new pastry chefs, there are ways you can improve your hiring process and internal training to recruit the best possible candidates. Here are some tips for hiring the best pastry chefs:

1. Use Your Network: Use your industry contacts to find top candidates. For instance, ask a friend who works at a culinary arts school to advertise your position to their graduates. Alternatively, you could seek out underappreciated employees at other establishments and offer them a better position if they come and work for you.

2. Create an Employee Handbook: Writing an employee handbook is one of the best ways to ensure your new recruits learn and adapt quickly. Include things like restaurant processes and employee expectations to help your new pastry chefs be the best they can be.

3. Provide On-The-Job Training: Every restaurant is different, so you can’t expect your new hires to know everything immediately. New hires need to learn your establishment's dessert menus, restaurant technology, and back-of-house processes before they can thrive. Providing on-the-job training keeps new staff engaged and skilled.

Final Thoughts

Pastry careers are highly rewarding, but you need to put in the training to get there. As a pastry chef, you’re essential to every restaurant and bakery kitchen. This work requires knowledge, precision, and specialized skills, and there’s always more to learn, which is why it’s important to keep building your skill set as you continue to advance—and excel—in the industry.

One of the best ways to continue your ongoing training is to familiarize yourself with evolving restaurant technologies. Pastry chefs may be required to use things like point-of-sale and kitchen display systems, so get ahead of the trends while you can and start using this tech. You can try Toast today to see how your establishment could benefit from upgraded restaurant solutions.

FAQs

What skills do you need to become a pastry chef?

Whether you’re a pastry chef, baker, or professional cake decorator, you need a range of hard and soft skills. Two of the most important are a thorough knowledge of baking, including different flours and cooking techniques, and a steady hand for frosting and decorating. You’ll also need good communication, time management, and customer service skills.

Are pastry chefs in high demand?

Pastry chefs are specialized cooks who are in increasingly high demand. The number of pastry chefs is forecasted to grow by 5% over the next decade, above-average growth when compared to similar positions in the industry. If you’re thinking of becoming a pastry chef, now is the perfect time.

Is the pastry chef industry competitive?

Since there is high competition among pastry chefs, you need to make sure you stand out when applying for jobs. Extra training through formal education programs or online classes can help you fend off the competition when looking for open positions, and it’s a great way to show your future employers that you’re dedicated to the food industry.

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