Career Profile, Salary & Job Outlook —
What does a Pastry Chef do?
A Pastry Chef is a station chef in a professional kitchen who specializes in making pastries, desserts, breads, and other baked goods. They create, test, and evaluate new pastry and dessert recipes. Pastry chefs order ingredients, keep inventory, deal with wholesalers, and manage the budget for the department, and often work closely with the executive chef to plan dessert items that will complement the main menu.
How much does a Pastry Chef make?
According to Glassdoor, Pastry Chefs make a national average of $62,498 or $30.05 an hour (as of July 2022). In general, entry-level chefs make around $42,000 annually, with senior-level chefs making $114,000 a year. This wide range also depends on skill, seniority, company, and location.
What impact does this career have towards the hospitality industry?
Pastry chefs are the creative artists of the kitchen. They develop the dessert and baking programs and menus. They make unique pastries, breads, and desserts from scratch that can become staples of a restaurant, hotel, or event company.
What is the job outlook for a Pastry Chef?
Analysts forecast that hotel revenue and food service industry revenue will grow to $950 billion and $898 billion, respectively, in 2022. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job opportunities in baking are expected to grow at a rate of 10% during the 2020-2030 decade.
How to kick-off your career:
- Practice baking and creating desserts that reflect your personality.
- Explore the NYU x Hospitality And Tourism Industry Essentials online course.
- Download Yellowbrick’s Ultimate Hospitality Career Guide.
Learn from:
Yvette Ly
Director of People + Culture, West Bourne & Tourism Industry Essentials contributor
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