La Belle® French Bakery – Thornton, Colorado
Job Type: Full-time
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 3:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Compensation: $21.00–$23.00 per hour, based on demonstrated lamination experience and technical skill
Expected Hours: 40 hours per week
Work Location: In person
About La Belle
La Belle® French Bakery is a growing retail and wholesale bakery dedicated to producing authentic French pastries throughout Colorado. Led by Executive Chef Bradford Jean, our production team prepares croissants, breads, and other pastries from scratch using traditional French methods and professional bakery equipment.
We are seeking an experienced Croissant Laminator to join our Viennoiserie Kitchen. Lamination is one of the most important positions within our bakery and directly affects the quality and consistency of thousands of pastries produced for our retail and wholesale customers.
This opportunity is ideal for an experienced baker who understands the precision of laminated dough, takes pride in consistent craftsmanship, and is ready to take ownership of a critical stage of production.
Position Overview
The Croissant Laminator is responsible for preparing and laminating croissant and puff pastry dough while maintaining consistent layers, dimensions, temperature, and overall product quality.
You will work closely with the Kitchen 1 Sous Chef and the rest of the viennoiserie team to meet daily production goals and ensure every batch meets La Belle’s standards.
Training will be provided on our specific recipes, equipment, and production systems. However, professional commercial baking experience is required, and direct experience producing laminated dough is strongly preferred.
Candidates with strong commercial dough-production experience may also be considered if they demonstrate the technical ability and aptitude to learn our lamination process quickly.
Primary Responsibilities
- Prepare croissant dough according to established recipes and production specifications
- Laminate croissant dough using a professional commercial dough sheeter
- Prepare and laminate puff pastry dough
- Produce standard and colored croissant doughs
- Monitor dough and butter temperature throughout the lamination process
- Produce clean, consistent layers without damaging the dough structure
- Maintain accurate folds, dough dimensions, resting times, and final thickness
- Evaluate dough quality and identify potential problems before they affect production
- Follow daily production schedules and complete lamination within required timeframes
- Record completed batches, dough temperatures, production issues, and necessary adjustments
- Communicate incomplete production, equipment concerns, or quality issues to the Sous Chef before the end of the shift
- Operate mixers, dough sheeters, dough presses, and other commercial bakery equipment safely
- Follow all recipes, SOPs, food-safety requirements, and cleanliness procedures
- Maintain a clean, organized, and safe workstation throughout the shift
- Communicate effectively with the Sous Chef and production team
- Assist with additional viennoiserie production when needed
What Success Looks Like
A successful Croissant Laminator at La Belle consistently demonstrates:
- Uniform lamination across every batch
- Proper control of dough, butter, and room temperature
- Accurate folds, dimensions, resting times, and final thickness
- Completion of the daily lamination schedule on time
- Early identification and communication of dough-quality concerns
- Careful and efficient operation of the dough sheeter
- Consistent documentation of completed production and adjustments
- Reliable attendance and readiness to begin production at 3:00 a.m.
- A clean, organized, and disciplined approach to production
- The ability to maintain quality while working at commercial volume
Required Qualifications
- At least one year of professional commercial baking experience
- Practical experience working with dough in a bakery or high-volume production environment
- Strong understanding of dough handling, fermentation, temperature, and consistency
- Ability to operate commercial bakery equipment safely
- Ability to follow precise recipes, measurements, and production procedures
- Excellent attention to detail
- Strong time-management and organizational skills
- Dependable, punctual, and comfortable working an early-morning schedule
- Ability to work independently while remaining part of a production team
- Ability to meet strict production deadlines without sacrificing quality
- Ability to lift and handle up to 50 pounds
- Ability to remain standing and active throughout an eight-hour shift
- Commitment to food safety, cleanliness, and workplace organization
Preferred Experience
- At least one year of professional experience producing laminated dough
- Direct experience laminating croissant or puff pastry dough
- Experience operating a commercial dough sheeter
- Experience producing laminated dough at wholesale or high-volume scale
- Familiarity with traditional French viennoiserie techniques
- Ability to recognize and correct common lamination issues, including butter breakage, temperature problems, uneven layers, dough shrinkage, and inconsistent thickness
- Experience adjusting the lamination process based on dough condition and room temperature
Schedule
- Full-time position
- Monday–Friday
- 3:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
- Eight-hour shifts
- Approximately 40 hours per week
- Occasional weekend availability may be required based on production needs
Consistent attendance and punctuality are essential because lamination determines the workflow for the remainder of the viennoiserie production team.
Compensation
$21.00–$23.00 per hour, based on demonstrated lamination experience, technical ability, and overall qualifications.
Candidates with strong commercial lamination experience and the ability to take ownership of the position will be considered at the higher end of the range.
Practical Skills Assessment
Final candidates may be invited to complete a paid practical skills assessment to demonstrate:
- Dough handling
- Commercial sheeter operation
- Understanding of dough and butter temperature
- Accuracy and consistency
- Organization and cleanliness
- Ability to follow production specifications
- Response to instruction and technical feedback
Benefits and La Belle Perks
- Paid time off
- Paid sick leave
- 401(k) eligibility after one year of employment
- Opportunities for professional growth and advancement
- Complimentary coffee and pastry during scheduled shifts
- Employee discounts on coffee and pastries
- Professional production environment
- Opportunity to strengthen advanced viennoiserie and lamination skills
- Growth potential as La Belle continues to expand
Work Location
La Belle® French Bakery
12189 Pennsylvania Street
Thornton, CO 80241
This is an in-person position.
La Belle® French Bakery is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Pay: $20.00 - $23.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
