Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced and creative Executive Pastry Chef to lead a high-volume pastry operation serving a diverse, multi-concept restaurant group. This position oversees the centralized production of all desserts, breads, baked goods, ice creams, sorbets, confections, and specialty pastry items across multiple restaurant concepts and catering operations.
The Executive Pastry Chef is responsible for developing distinctive offerings tailored to each concept while ensuring consistent quality, efficient production, and exceptional presentation at every location. The ideal candidate combines strong pastry expertise with operational discipline and inspiring leadership. This is a hands-on role for a chef who thrives in a fast-paced production environment and can successfully balance creativity, consistency, cost control, and volume.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead all pastry and bakery operations supporting the group’s restaurants, private events, catering programs, and seasonal initiatives.
- Oversee high-volume production of plated desserts, cakes, breads, breakfast pastries, baked goods, ice creams, sorbets, sauces, confections, and specialty items.
- Develop original pastry programs and menu items that reflect the identity, service style, and guest expectations of each restaurant concept.
- Create, document, test, and maintain standardized recipes, production methods, plating guides, and quality-control procedures.
- Establish production schedules and distribution systems that ensure every location receives fresh, accurate, and properly packaged products on time.
- Maintain consistent standards for flavor, texture, appearance, portioning, presentation, and shelf life across all concepts.
- Recruit, train, schedule, coach, and develop pastry cooks, bakers, decorators, and production team members.
- Foster a professional, collaborative kitchen culture centered on accountability, creativity, organization, and continuous improvement.
- Partner with executive chefs, culinary leaders, operations teams, and restaurant management on menu development, seasonal changes, special events, and new concept openings.
- Manage ingredient and labor costs through accurate recipe costing, portion control, purchasing, inventory management, and waste reduction.
- Forecast production needs based on restaurant volume, reservations, catering orders, seasonality, and special events.
- Oversee ordering, receiving, storage, rotation, and inventory of ingredients, packaging materials, smallwares, and pastry equipment.
- Ensure products are packaged, labeled, stored, and transported correctly to preserve quality and meet food-safety requirements.
- Maintain strict sanitation, allergen-control, food-handling, and workplace-safety standards in accordance with company policies and health regulations.
- Ensure pastry equipment is operated safely, cleaned properly, and maintained in good working condition.
- Remain current on pastry techniques, ingredients, equipment, and industry trends while introducing innovations appropriate to the group’s brands and operations.
Qualifications
- Significant professional experience in pastry, baking, dessert production, and frozen-dessert preparation.
- Previous leadership experience as an Executive Pastry Chef, Pastry Chef, Executive Sous Chef–Pastry, or comparable senior pastry professional.
- Demonstrated success managing a high-volume pastry department, commissary kitchen, hotel pastry operation, restaurant group, or large-scale catering program.
- Advanced knowledge of plated desserts, breads, laminated doughs, cakes, chocolates, confections, ice creams, sorbets, sauces, and contemporary pastry techniques.
- Proven ability to manage production for multiple outlets or restaurant concepts while maintaining consistency and brand differentiation.
- Strong leadership, communication, organization, and team-development skills.
- Experience creating standardized recipes, production schedules, plating specifications, and training materials.
- Working knowledge of recipe costing, budgeting, inventory control, purchasing, labor management, and waste reduction.
- Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, allergen management, labeling, and proper storage practices.
- Ability to scale recipes accurately and apply culinary math to yields, portions, conversions, and production planning.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure, manage competing deadlines, and adjust quickly to changing business needs.
- Culinary or pastry degree is preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
- Food-safety certification required or must be obtained within the company’s designated timeframe.
- Flexibility to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require.
Physical and Operational Requirements
- Ability to stand and work in a kitchen or production environment for extended periods.
- Ability to lift and safely carry ingredients, equipment, and finished products as required.
- Ability to work around ovens, freezers, mixers, and other commercial pastry equipment.
- Ability to travel between restaurant locations when needed to support training, quality assurance, menu launches, and special events.
What Success Looks Like
The successful Executive Pastry Chef will build a pastry program that delivers exceptional products consistently and efficiently across every concept. They will develop a skilled, motivated team; create memorable desserts and baked goods; maintain strong financial and operational controls; and ensure each restaurant receives the right products at the right quality and at the right time.
Join our culinary leadership team and shape the pastry identity of a growing, multi-concept restaurant group. This is an opportunity to combine creative artistry with large-scale operational leadership and make a meaningful impact across every guest experience.
Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
