A pastry chef or pâtissier (; the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

female version of the word is pâtissière ), is a station

chef A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...

in a professional kitchen, skilled in the making of pastries,

dessert Dessert is a course (food), course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Greece and West Africa, and ...

bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...

s and other baked goods. They are employed in large hotels, bistros,

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

s, bakeries, and some cafés.

Duties and functions

The pastry chef is a member of the classic '' brigade de cuisine'' in a professional kitchen and is the station chef of the pastry department. Day-to-day operations can also require the pastry chef to research

recipe A recipe is a set of instructions that describes how to prepare or make something, especially a dish of prepared food. A sub-recipe or subrecipe is a recipe for an ingredient that will be called for in the instructions for the main recipe. His ...

concepts and develop and test new recipes. Usually, the pastry chef does all the necessary preparation of the various desserts in advance, before dinner seating begins. The actual plating of the desserts is often done by another station chef, usually the '' garde manger'', at the time of order. The pastry chef is often in charge of the dessert menu, which, besides traditional desserts, could include dessert wines, specialty dessert beverages, and gourmet

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...

platters. They are responsible for the creation and execution of dessert courses, as well as the menu's overall presentation. Pastry chefs must have a solid grasp of flavor profiles, baking processes, and food styling in order to create desserts that are both delicious and aesthetically pleasing. In addition to their technical abilities, pastry chefs must be able to work swiftly and effectively under pressure, as they are sometimes required to meet strict deadlines. Pastry chefs are also expected to fully understand their ingredients and the chemical reactions that occur when making fine pastries. Precise timing and temperatures are critically important. It is generally preferred to weigh the ingredients (i.e., with a kitchen scale) as opposed to measuring by volume (e.g., with a measuring cup), as weighing inherently offers far more consistent baking results. In larger kitchens, the pastry chef may have a number of other chefs working in their station, each responsible for specific types of pastries: * (baker): responsible for breads, cakes, and breakfast pastries * (confectioner): responsible for candies and '' petits fours'' * (decorator): responsible for specialty cakes and show pieces * : responsible for cold and frozen desserts Job requirements * Proven experience as a pastry chef, baker, or relevant role * Great attention to detail and creativity * Organization and leadership skills * Willingness to replenish professional knowledge * Thorough knowledge of sanitation principles, food preparation and cooking techniques, and nutrition * Working knowledge of baking with ingredient limits (gluten-free, sugar-free pastries, etc.) * Certificate in Culinary Arts, Baking, Patisserie or relevant field

References

External links

Pastry Chef Education & Career Guide
Baking industry Culinary terminology Restaurant terminology {{job-stub

Duties and functions

See also

References

Further reading

External links