Choose the ingredients wisely, surround yourself with flours, sugars and spices, unleash your creativity and discover new recipes to entice your customers: working in a pastry shop is an art and, perhaps, also one of the most idealized professions. & nbsp;
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A PASTRY CHEF?
The talent shows dedicated to the art of confectionery have helped to entice the dreams of many, and more and more people are wondering whether starting a pastry shop without experience is possible.
The short answer? Yes it is. But there are several things to consider. It may seem obvious, yet knowing how to prepare delicious desserts at home is not enough to become a pastry chef.
In this article we delve into the delicious world of sweets to understand what it takes (really) to start working in the pastry shop.
Let’s bite into the first croissant, and go!
Pastry tasks: putting your hands in the dough is just the beginning
What does it mean to work in a pastry shop?
Let’s start with a concise definition: a pastry chef is the person who works in bakeries, pastry shops, food industries or catering establishments and prepares desserts and sweets of various kinds.
“Making desserts” is too reductive an expression to describe the job. Among the main tasks of those who work in pastry making we also find:
- Preparing biscuits, cakes, pies and other flour-based products;
- Preparing savory pastry products;
- Packaging pastry and confectionery products; & nbsp;
- Design decorations for sweets and desserts;
- Apply sauces, icings and other coatings to baked goods, using spatulas, brushes or other suitable tools;
- Think about the supplies of ingredients and monitor their consumption;
- Prepare and combine ingredients in mixing containers, kneaders or baking machines;
- Check the quality of the raw materials to make sure that standards and specifications are always respected;
- Design and modify production data sheets;
- Set up the displays and showcases in the room;
- Check cleanliness of the equipment and conditions of the premises before starting production to ensure compliance with occupational health and safety regulations.
Working in a pastry shop without experience: where to start?
At this point, you may be wondering how it is possible to be able to work in a pastry shop without having experience. It’s not easy, but it’s still possible, but it’s important to know where to start.
You can take a professional pastry course
Often those who have the ambition to work as a pastry chef make this decision at a young age and choose a professional training course in a hotel school . & nbsp;
Unfortunately in Italy there are still few hotel schools that offer an address dedicated to pastry. For this reason, many people after graduation choose to hone their knowledge by enrolling in a professional pastry course . A course of this type is a valid option even if you have not studied in a hotel school: it is a great way to learn the secrets of the trade and immediately combine theory and practice.
Getting started as a pastry chef’s assistant
The assistant pastry chef is the person who helps the master pastry chef in all the collateral tasks for making desserts. Similar to cook assistant , the pastry assistant takes care of the behind the scenes of the pastry laboratory , from cleaning to the preparation of work tools up to the creation of the bases for the preparations. An indispensable right hand for busy pastry shops!
Every great pastry artist has a past as an assistant or pastry chef assistant. Think of Pierre Hermé, Iginio Massari or Jessica Préalpato: not even they have escaped the indispensable period of apprenticeship!
Getting a contract as an assistant pastry chef will be easier if you can prove that you have taken a professional training course, but it is not a mandatory requirement. & nbsp;
The soft skills to start working in a pastry shop without experience
If you find a pastry shop willing to train you even if you have no experience, you can say you’ve hit the mark! But what do you have to offer in return?
The job of a pastry chef, although often idealized, is also very hard. To do this successfully and without perishing in intent, consider these three inevitable soft skills :
- Creativity and love for detail
Creativity and attention to detail are essential qualities for every pastry chef. You will use them to serve desserts, decorate cakes and pastries, and indulge yourself with sugar art . & Nbsp;
- Basic knowledge of mathematics
To work in a pastry shop it is important to juggle numbers well: fractions and equivalences, necessary to mix the ingredients and follow the recipes, will be your trusted companions together with sugar and flour. & nbsp;
- A little confectioner, a little … marathon runner!
The art of pastry does not only require a creative effort: the body too must be ready to face daily marathons. Be prepared for the small hours, long periods of standing work and a little weightlifting to transport the packages of ingredients bought in bulk.
In conclusion
Spending days baking treats, decorating cakes and magnificent desserts is the dream of many people who aspire to a career as a pastry chef. But what does it take to work in a pastry shop without having experience? We do not want to deceive you: passion is not enough. & Nbsp;
Getting started as an inexperienced pastry chef can be tricky; but with a good mix of resourcefulness, creativity, study and a lot of good will, the goal could become more achievable.
To maximise the chances of making your dream come true, join Jopla and get in touch with pastry shops looking for pastry chefs (or pastry chef helpers) in your area!
Have a nice job!
