Pastry chefs create cakes and other sweet treats.
Creating and cooking pastries can be a lifelong passion for some people. Pastry chefs have the opportunity to create culinary masterpieces by utilizing their creative impulses and know-how. Despite the popularity of television shows showcasing the culinary talents of famous pastry chefs, the Bureau of Labor expects slower- than-average job growth in this field from 2008 to 2018. Job opportunities are expected to remain good, however, because of high turnover. Preparing to become a pastry chef requires hard work, dedication and extensive hands-on training.
Instructions
1. Take courses at a community college or through a culinary school that offers recreational courses for the general public. The art of pastry chef baking is not for everyone. It takes patience and perseverance to learn bake correctly, let alone to learn do it with some proficiency. Getting your feet wet by taking a few classes is one way to see whether you have a knack for creating pastries.
2. Decide on a specialization. Plenty of people work as a general pastry chef, but having one particular area for which you have an established reputation can provide you with additional business opportunities in the future. For instance, if you have a knack for creating beautiful cakes, you could start your own cake business -- in addition to a regular job -- and make some additional money on the side.
3. Attend culinary school and complete a pastry chef training program. Even if you already have a gift for creating baked culinary delights, obtaining specialized training from a culinary school gives you more skills and ideas. Attend a culinary school to build your resume and give you an established reputation in your community as a serious professional. Check with your local community college to see whether it offers a culinary arts program. Most pastry chef programs typically provide you with a certificate of completion or a diploma when you have finished. If there is not a culinary school in your area, consider moving to attend a culinary school with an international reputation. Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts and the Culinary Institute of America are both well-recognized culinary schools in the United States. Courses of study for pastry chefs generally include studies in the creation of various types of pastries, baking decorative cakes, food safety and sanitation, and culinary theory and techniques.
4. Gain hands-on experience by working part-time or full-time in a bakery. Gaining a couple of years of experience can go a long way toward helping you establish some level of proficiency in the kitchen. Many large retail grocery chains have bakeries, or find an established local bakery and put your culinary training to good use. You can also work as a dessert or pastry chef in a restaurant where dessert creations are an integral part of the menu. Find a restaurant willing to let you put some of your own creations on the menu. This will give you an opportunity to establish your reputation as a high quality pastry chef, especially if you can gain employment with an upscale establishment.
5. Branch out on your own by starting a business on the side. Continue to build a portfolio by trying new and creative pastry dishes. As you experience successes along the way, document your work by keeping a photographic portfolio to show prospective clients.
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