There is a wide range of different careers in the field of the culinary arts, and it can sometimes be a challenge to know what the various roles are and what kind of tasks and responsibilities you could face if you pursued a career in these areas.

 

One such area is looking at what it means to be a pastry chef vs. a baker. Most people might just think that both these professions involve baking cakes, but there is a lot more to it when you look at pastry chef vs. baker. In this article, we will examine the difference between baker and pastry chef, what skills and qualifications you'll need for a career in each, as well as the key career opportunities in these fields.

 

Introduction to baking and pastry arts

 

Baking and the pastry arts exist in the same general realm. Both revolve around creating baked goods and other foods. However, there is a difference between the two when you are looking at different job roles.

 

Generally speaking, bakers tend to create a wide range of baked items, including bread, cakes, and pastries, while a pastry chef is a more specialized professional who focuses on desserts and confectionery. This means that while there is a lot of overlap, there are also duties and skills that are unique to each.

 

What is a baker?

 

A baker is familiar with a wide range of baking techniques for making everything from bread to cakes. They'll usually work in cafes, bakeries, and even factories. Baking is a profession that goes back hundreds of years.

 

Job role and key responsibilities

 

The exact role of a baker depends on where they work. Most bakers will have to produce a high volume of baked goods every day, though the volume will be highest in settings such as factories and bakeries. In cafes or smaller businesses, they might produce less but of a more bespoke variety. In a factory setting, a baker could expect to bake hundreds, if not thousands of loaves of bread every day.

 

Bakers need a solid basic knowledge of most baked goods. This includes bread, pastries, pies, biscuits, cakes, quiches, and more. They may also have to carry out tasks like decorating cakes.

 

Skills and qualifications required

 

There are multiple different ways that you can get the skills you need to become a baker. You could look at a bakery essentials course, or you could learn on the job or might undertake an apprenticeship. These skills include baking techniques, food handling, health and safety, and more. People who want to become head bakers or baker owners might also take business courses in order to learn additional business and management skills.

 

 

 

 

What is a pastry chef?

 

As with many areas in the culinary world, becoming a professional chef means a more advanced role. In this way, pastry chefs are higher up than bakers and have more honed dessert skills. They're usually in charge of creating desserts of all types for whatever work environment they're in. Pastry chefs work in restaurants, hotels, specialized party shops, and high-end catering companies. As well as making cakes, they might also make other components for desserts, such as sauces and other patisserie items.

 

While a lot of pastry chefs will ultimately work under a head chef or executive chef, a pastry chef will be in charge of the dessert section and will have a great deal of creative input into their work. Larger kitchens might have executive pastry chefs who oversee multiple pastry chefs.

 

Job role and key responsibilities

 

If you are looking to work as a pastry chef, your duties will again depend on where you work. However, some of the common tasks for pastry chefs are:

 

• Menu and recipe creation for the dessert menu or the offerings at a pastry shop
• Using creativity and presentation skills to make dishes that look appealing as well as taste good
• Working on individual desserts for guests
• Baking cakes, pastries, and more

 

While pastry chefs still have to create desserts, they will often be doing much smaller batches of baking. For example, while a baker might create dozens of biscuits each day, a pastry chef might only make one dozen biscuits, with much more emphasis put on the finish and craft of making them.

 

Skills and qualifications required

 

Pastry chefs need to have a lot of the same basic skills as bakers, and will usually have undergone training in baking and pastry arts. A good start to this kind of culinary career is to get degree-level culinary training. This type of education gives students everything they need, from basic skills to more refined techniques, as well as business acumen and management experience to help them advance as pastry chefs.

 

World-class French pastry education

 

This specialized three-year degree gives you all the pastry skills you need along with managerial know-how.

 

bachelor's degree in pastry arts

 

 

 

 

Can a baker become a pastry chef?

 

It's quite common for people to get experience as a baker and then look at becoming a pastry chef. After all, if a pastry chef is a chef baking delicious desserts, then there is a significant crossover in the skills needed.

 

It's very possible for a baker to become a pastry chef, but most bakers will find that they need to train more to gain the advanced skills and knowledge needed for a career as a pastry chef. Attending a French pastry school can help people learn these skills. Much of the experience gained as a baker can also be helpful when it comes to becoming a pastry chef, as the baker will already be at home in a professional kitchen.

 

Professional training in pastry arts

 

This course gives you a wide range of French pastry and dessert techniques, ideal for advancing your career or becoming an entrepreneur

 

diploma in patisserie

 

 

What are the career prospects for pastry chefs and bakers?

 

In either career, there is a career path that you can follow with the right experience and culinary education. Bakers could progress to head baker within an organization. This would usually include managing numerous other bakers, adjusting recipes, and deciding what the cafe or factory makes. There is also the option to get further training and become a pastry chef.

 

For pastry chefs, there is also room to move up into management roles. This can be a rewarding career change for people who enjoy the business side of the culinary world. Pastry chefs can also advance to become executive chefs, who manage a whole kitchen.

 

For either a baker or pastry chef, there is also the option to start their own business.

 

The difference between pastry chef and baker salaries

 

One of the biggest things that people wonder about when it comes to baker vs pastry chef is the salary. Pastry chefs tend to have higher salaries thanks to their more in-depth experience and expertise.

 

 

 

 

Bakers vs. pastry chefs: summary

 

Bakers and pastry chefs work in the same area, but a pastry chef role is more demanding. While bakers focus on all baked goods and sometimes large volumes of them, pastry chefs create dessert menus and distinctive recipes for restaurants, hotels, and patisserie shops. If you are looking to start a career as a pastry chef, you should consider our culinary school in France where you can learn all about French pastry. It's also a good idea to read up on how to get into culinary school.