Let’s face it, getting a better job as a pastry chef is hard to imagine. When you’re working in a restaurant it is easy to look at the 15 hour day, dim working conditions and say ‘I wish I could do what I love and still actually have a life”

The good news is that there are plenty of jobs out there that allow you to do just that. From shorter hours and higher pay to benefits and travel. It really depends on what your definition of a better job is. 

Restaurant work

Who is it for? This is for people looking to ramp up their skill level fast where long hours and hard work, low wages and missing out on weekends and holidays isn’t as much of a concern.

This is by in large the toughest part of the industry to work in. Stress is high and hours are long. The upside though is the ability to work with some of the best chefs in the best restaurants in the world. This is the thing that will shine on your CV and lead to the lower hour and better paid opportunities. No pain no gain with this one unfortunately.

Cruise, yacht and holiday work

Who is it for? This is for those who want to travel and earn semi good money.

This option is great if you don’t require much stability and need lots of change as well as not being overly concerned about building your career to work in the top levels of the industry.

Just as the opportunities for recognition balance with the stress and inflexibility of a restaurant, working abroad on ships and holiday destinations tends to be more fun and decently paid but at the cost of your CV.

Don’t get me wrong, working abroad and on ships can be just as long hours as restaurants. The trick is to find a good destination or ship where you can balance working with world travel and decent pay (normally tax free)

Again it comes back to what is ‘better’ for you. If you want to win a Michelin star then this isn’t the path, but if you want to go away and have a great time, make friends and get paid for it, then this is the one for you.

Banks and investment firms

Who is it for? This is for those who want nice, office like hours with good pay and benefits. Sound too good to be true? Well as with the others, the sacrifice is a fairly slow career progression and missing the prestige of restaurant names on your CV (depending on where you end up). It also doesn’t provide as much as a rush as restaurants, but for some people that is a blessing.

Great for those who have already gotten to where they want in their career and are now looking to have the time do what they love at a slower, more focused pace.

I have been working at an investment bank for 5 years now and I can tell you first hand that I don’t think I would consider ever moving.

I have been able to take the skills I’ve learned in restaurants and develop them so much further having the time and budget to practice and work on dishes. It also allows me the time to have a life after work with hobbies and family time.

Teaching

Who is it for? This one is for people who want the good hours and enjoy teaching (obviously) have had a good career already and have knowledge to pass on whilst not being too bothered by average pay.

How do I do it?

You can take a City and Guilds in Teacher Training course at college in three steps. First, there is the introductory course, which takes 12 weeks at three hours a week

It usually costs about £80.

To complete the second step, you must have at least 40 hours’ teaching practice

The level three course is for full-time teachers. If you have level one, often colleges will accept you based on your experience and then pay for the remainder of the training.

The alternative is to do a full-time PGCA at college, which takes one year, including work experience.

To find out more about how to get the job you want see here

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