Job Overview
About Us
We're building something special at Thorough Bread — a place where craft, community, and genuine hospitality come together. We're an artisan bakery making breads, pastries, cookies, salads, soups, quiches, and sandwiches, and we serve crafted espresso and coffee beverages. Our vision is to be the heart of our neighborhood, and that starts with the people who make it happen every day.
We are a team of makers, servers, and community builders united by a shared belief: the best things in life are made by hand, with care, and shared with others.
The Role
As a pastry baker, you'll be at the heart of what makes our case worth walking up to — laminated doughs, croissants, turnovers, galettes, and the rotating cast of seasonal pastries our guests come back for. You'll work from scratch recipes, hold our quality standards, and help keep the bench, ovens, and proofing program running like they should. This is hands-on production work, early hours, and real craft.
What You'll Do
- Produce laminated doughs and pastries — croissants, pain au chocolat, danish, puff-based items, and seasonal specials — to Thorough Bread standards
- Mix, shape, proof, bake, and finish a rotating lineup of pastries, cookies, and viennoiserie
- Operate and maintain bakery equipment safely — sheeter, mixers, deck and convection ovens, proofers, retarder, dough dividers, and related tools
- Scale recipes accurately and manage prep lists for daily and seasonal production
- Maintain cleanliness and food safety at the bench — proper storage, labeling, rotation, and sanitation throughout your shift
- Work alongside the bread and counter teams to keep the case full, fresh, and beautiful through the day
- Help refine recipes, develop seasonal items, and uphold consistent quality batch to batch
- Support opening and production prep as scheduled
What We're Looking For
- Demonstrated experience with laminated doughs — building, folding, sheeting, proofing, and baking croissants and similar viennoiserie to a consistent standard
- Comfortable running standard bakery production equipment: sheeters, spiral mixers, deck and convection ovens, proofers, retarders
- Solid understanding of dough behavior, fermentation, and lamination timing — and the patience to respect them
- Reliable, on time, and ready to work early mornings
- A team player who communicates well and supports the bench during rushes and big production days
- Detail-oriented with a clean, organized work style
- Able to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs
- Desire to be creative in the pastry kitchen
If you've trained in a production bakery or hotel pastry program, great. If you learned on the job and can show us a clean, consistent lamination, that matters just as much.
What We Value
- Attitude over experience. We can grow your skills — we look for genuine warmth, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.
- Collaboration over competition. We succeed together, support each other through busy production days, and ask for help without hesitation.
- Craft without pretense. High standards, delivered with warmth and humility. Elegantly unrefined.
What We Offer
- Competitive wage (base plus tips) with opportunity for growth
- Fixed schedules wherever possible — we respect your time and the rest of your life
- Hours: Full time 30–35 per week, including weekends. Part time: 10-20 hours per week.
- Store hours: Wednesday - Saturday 7:00 am-2:00 p.m., Sundays 8:00 am-12:00 p.m.
- Location: Aiken SC
- Accrual based paid time off
- A supportive team that invests in your development and treats you with the same care we put into our products
Duties
- Prepare a variety of baked goods, pastries, cakes, and desserts following established recipes and standards
- Decorate cakes and pastries with precision, creativity, and attention to detail
- Manage food production processes efficiently to meet high-volume demands without compromising quality
- Participate in creating new recipes and menu development
- Operate kitchen equipment safely and effectively, including mixers, ovens, slicers, and pastry tools
- Maintain a clean and sanitized workspace in accordance with food safety regulations
- Assist in food handling, portioning, and ingredient measurement using basic math skills for consistency
- Uphold food safety management practices throughout all stages of food preparation and handling
- Collaborate with team members to ensure recipe adherence and smooth kitchen operations
Skills
- Extensive pastry preparation experience with a strong background in baking techniques
- Proficiency in cake decorating, food production, and food handling procedures
- Skilled in operating various kitchen equipment safely and efficiently
- Knowledge of food safety standards and proper sanitation practices
- Excellent knife skills for precise pastry cutting and decoration tasks
- Ability to work under pressure in high-volume production environments
- Customer service orientation with the ability to communicate effectively with team members and guests
- Basic math skills for ingredient measurement, portion control, and recipe adjustments
Join us as a Pastry Chef where your culinary artistry will shine! We are dedicated to fostering a vibrant work environment that values creativity, precision, and teamwork. Send resume and cover letter to [email protected].
Thorough Bread is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or other characteristics. Thorough Bread is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. We’re building an employee experience that includes appreciation, belonging, growth, and purpose for everyone.
Pay: $15.00 - $18.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Opportunities for advancement
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
