On this page we will look at what a pastry chef is and what they do, as well as how to become a pastry chef. There are multiple paths to your pastry chef career, and we will look at some of these below.

What is a Pastry Chef?

A pastry chef is a professional chef who works specifically with pastry, breads or confectionery. The requirements on a Pastry Chef will include the production of these products primarily, but may also involve developing new products with a bakery base. The term pastry chef can involve working in many different types of business, encompassing everything from a restaurant chef producing desserts for customers all the way to a baker producing bread and pastries on a commercial scale. Some pastry chefs can be even more specialist, such as cake decorators or sugar crafters, so depending on your interest there are many available options for anyone wishing to start a career as a pastry chef.

What qualifications do I need to become a Pastry Chef?

The qualifications that can lead you to becoming a pastry chef can vary depending on your desired approach. Pastry chef qualifications can be either vocational or in the form of degrees. If you are planning to train to be a pastry chef, you will need to consider which direction is the best route for you to get your pastry chef qualifications, but do remember that you do not need a degree to be a pastry chef. Both degrees and vocational courses can offer extensive theoretical training and practical experience, but course content can differ significantly so it is always worth checking what the qualification will cover.

The important thing when searching for your training is to make sure that the training will give you the skills you need to be a successful pastry chef. You need to ensure you have developed a high level of practical skill of course, but it is also really important to have other skills. Perhaps your most important skill will be your attitude. A career as a pastry chef can be highly rewarding but also highly physical and stressful, so a drive and positive attitude will be vital in helping you continue to push onwards and succeed.

When looking at training it is a good idea to consider if you want to specialise your skill set or look for something more general, that may teach you all of the skills needed to be a pastry chef. Specialities like chocolate work, cake decoration or sugar work will require specialist training, and may not be offered as part of a more conventional pastry chef course.

What is it like to be a Pastry Chef?

Working as a pastry chef can be highly rewarding, as it can involve large scope for creativity, as well as the opportunity to produce delicious products for happy customers every day. Within the wider kitchen set up, pastry chefs will likely be the chefs with the biggest possibilities to develop new products and try new things out, and you can have a real chance to be creative every day.