Pastry Chef

Job Description: Pastry Chef

Position Summary

The Pastry Chef is responsible for leading all pastry and bakery production operations, ensuring consistent quality, creativity, and presentation standards across all pastry products. The role oversees the preparation of cakes, pastries, desserts, bakery items, and specialty products while maintaining food safety, production efficiency, cost control, and adherence to company recipes and standards.

The ideal candidate must have strong experience in a specialty coffee shop, bakery, pastry shop, or café environment with advanced knowledge of pastry techniques, ingredient handling, production planning, and product development.

Key Responsibilities

Pastry \& Bakery Production Management

• Oversee daily pastry and bakery production activities.
• Prepare and supervise production of:
• Cakes
• Viennoiseries
• Croissants
• Cookies
• Muffins
• Desserts
• Tarts
• Seasonal pastries
• Specialty bakery products
• Ensure all products are prepared according to approved recipes, standards, and presentation guidelines.
• Maintain consistency in taste, texture, appearance, and quality.

Recipe Development \& Menu Innovation

• Develop new pastry and bakery products aligned with brand direction.
• Create seasonal and promotional pastry offerings.
• Standardize recipes, preparation methods, and portion sizes.
• Conduct product testing and improvement trials.
• Maintain updated recipe cards and production specifications.

Quality Control

• Monitor product quality throughout the production process.
• Ensure proper baking techniques and finishing standards.
• Control product freshness and shelf-life management.
• Ensure attractive presentation and display standards.
• Conduct daily product quality checks.

Production Planning

• Prepare daily and weekly production schedules based on sales forecasts.
• Ensure adequate product availability while minimizing waste.
• Coordinate production requirements with Store Manager and Operations Team.
• Plan preparation based on:
• Sales trends
• Events
• Promotions
• Seasonal demand

Inventory \& Cost Control

• Monitor pastry and bakery ingredient usage.
• Coordinate purchasing requirements with Store Keeper and Procurement Team.
• Control food cost through:
• Proper portioning
• Yield management
• Waste reduction
• Recipe compliance
• Conduct regular stock checks of:
• Flour
• Chocolate
• Dairy products
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Baking ingredients
• Packaging materials

Food Safety \& Hygiene Compliance

• Ensure compliance with HACCP, food safety, and sanitation standards.
• Maintain proper temperature control and storage procedures.
• Ensure FIFO / FEFO practices are followed.
• Monitor cleanliness and hygiene of pastry production areas.
• Maintain proper labeling and expiry date control.

Team Leadership \& Training

• Lead, supervise, and train pastry team members.
• Assign daily production tasks and responsibilities.
• Ensure team follows recipes, procedures, and safety standards.
• Coach team members on pastry techniques and improvements.
• Monitor staff performance and productivity.

Equipment Management

• Ensure proper operation and care of pastry equipment including:
• Ovens
• Mixers
• Proofers
• Refrigeration equipment
• Freezers
• Baking tools
• Report equipment issues and coordinate maintenance requirements.

Reporting \& Documentation

• Maintain pastry production records.
• Prepare daily production reports.
• Monitor wastage and product yield.
• Maintain recipe files, SOPs, and preparation standards.
• Provide recommendations for improving efficiency and quality.

Required Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, Bakery, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Pastry Chef, Bakery Chef, or Senior Pastry position.
• Experience in:
• Specialty coffee shops
• Artisan bakeries
• Premium cafés
• Hotels
• Restaurant pastry operations

Mandatory Knowledge \& Skills

Pastry \& Bakery Expertise

Strong knowledge of:

• French and modern pastry techniques
• Bread and viennoiserie production
• Cake preparation and decoration
• Chocolate and confectionery techniques
• Dessert production
• Baking methods and temperature control
• Dough preparation and fermentation
• Ingredient functionality
• Product shelf-life management

Production \& Cost Control

• Production planning
• Recipe standardization
• Food costing
• Yield calculation
• Portion control
• Waste management
• Inventory control

Food Safety Knowledge

• HACCP principles
• Food hygiene standards
• Allergen management
• Cross-contamination prevention
• Proper storage procedures
• Temperature monitoring

Systems Knowledge (Mandatory)

Must have knowledge of:

• POS Systems
• ERP Systems (Odoo, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.)
• Inventory Management Systems
• Recipe \& Food Costing Systems

Ability to:

• Review sales reports
• Plan production based on demand
• Monitor ingredient consumption
• Support inventory control
• Maintain accurate production records

Microsoft Office Skills

• Microsoft Excel: Production planning, costing sheets, inventory tracking, and reports.
• Microsoft Word: Recipe documentation, SOPs, and reports.
• Microsoft Outlook: Professional communication.
• Microsoft PowerPoint: Basic reporting and presentations.

Additional Requirements

• Strong creativity and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to work under pressure during high-volume production periods.
• Flexible to work weekends, holidays, and early production shifts.
• Physically fit to stand for extended periods and handle bakery equipment.

Core Competencies

• Pastry Creativity \& Innovation
• Product Quality Management
• Production Planning
• Team Leadership
• Cost Control Awareness
• Food Safety Compliance
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving
• Time Management
• Brand Standard Execution
• Accountability \& Professionalism

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Product Quality \& Consistency
• Customer Satisfaction
• Pastry Sales Performance
• Food Cost Percentage
• Production Efficiency
• Waste Reduction
• Recipe Compliance
• Inventory Accuracy
• New Product Development
• HACCP \& Hygiene Audit Scores
• Display \& Presentation Standards
• Staff Training Completion

This role profile is suitable for a Pastry Chef managing an artisan coffee shop, bakery, pastry, and café operation, responsible for product excellence, innovation, production control, and maintaining premium pastry standards.

Pay: RO1.000 - RO2.000 per month

Work Location: In person