There’s no better smell than the scent of a homemade dessert baking in the oven. Just the thought of it makes your mouth water. Doesn’t it? With a career as a pastry chef, you’ll get to smell—and make—delicious sweet treats for others to enjoy. But if you dream of a career in the kitchen, it takes more than a love of baking and sweets. What makes you a great pastry chef? A pinch of creativity, a dash of artistry, and a spoonful of organization.

What Does a Great Pastry Chef Do?

Did you know a pastry chef does more than just bake? Although you will bake cakes, pies, and pastries, you’ll also perform other duties:

• Manage the supply of ingredients and place orders with vendors
• Develop new recipes and create a dessert menu that will appeal to customers
• Make sure tools and equipment work properly and are replaced when necessary
• Ensure that health and safety standards are followed at all times

As a pastry chef, you may also oversee one or more bakers. This means you would set their schedules, ensure they comply with the rules and standards of the workplace, and teach them new recipes. So what characteristics are the secret ingredients to a pastry chef’s success?

Pastry Chef Skills and Qualities

Great Pastry Chefs are Creative

When you’re in the kitchen, it’s time to let your creative juices flow. A restaurant won’t want you to bake the same old recipes. Instead, you’ll need to create new desserts and put a fresh spin on the classics. It will take a creative mind to figure out the right mix of ingredients to create an amazing new dish.

Pastry Chefs are Artists

No, you don’t have to be an actual artist to be a pastry chef. But it does take an artistic eye to figure out how to plate a dessert. Your customers eat with their eyes first, so your pastries will need to look as good as they taste.

Pastry Chefs Have Patience

You can’t rush a good dessert. It can take a while to prep the ingredients and even longer to bake them. You’ll need to have patience. Otherwise, your recipe may not turn out the way you want. You’ll also need to have patience when you develop new recipes. It will take more than one or two tries to perfect them.

Pastry Chefs Are Organized

It’s really important to keep your kitchen organized. You’ll work with a lot of tools and ingredients, so you’ll need to store them properly. Make sure your utensils are within easy reach and function properly. Keep an eye on your ingredients and always replace them before they run out. Make sure you have all of the necessary ingredients ready to go before you start to make any dessert. And most importantly, keep your workspace clean at all times.

Great Pastry Chefs Have a Great Education

A great pastry chef also needs to have the right set of skills in the kitchen. At the Pennsylvania School of a Culinary Arts, a division of YTI Career Institute - Lancaster, our experienced instructors can train you in the culinary arts through our Pastry Arts program. If you’re ready to create a recipe for success, request more information today.