Pastry Courses and Pastry Jobs

There are a multitude of opportunities available to those who successfully complete a pastry course. Restaurants, lodges, wine farms, hotels, casinos and bakeries are establishments that are in need of chefs with formal pastry course training. A pastry chef is in charge of the department in the kitchen responsible for producing desserts, breads, biscuits and bites. They normally report to the executive or sous chef and have pastry assistant that may or may not have completed a formal pastry course. Part of a pastry chef’s job description is to train assistant and staff under his/her management.

Completing a pastry course without having any training in the financial running of a kitchen will not get prospective pastry chefs very far in the hierarchy system of a kitchen. Menu costing, ordering stock and staying within the budget of an establishment falls under the pastry chef’s responsibilities. After completing a pastry course it is up to the chef himself to stay knowledgeable about the latest global trends in pastry kitchen by means of food magazines and on-line articles.

Many culinary graduates decide to rather plough their acquired pastry course knowledge and the energy it takes to work for someone else into their own businesses. Some start their own bakeries or become chocolatiers, focusing on chocolate delicacies or patissiers, specializing in French pastries. Baking cakes for special occasions is also quite lucrative to those with formal pastry course training.

Prue Leith Chef’s Academy is a chef’s school in Gauteng that is internationally renowned for their pastry course of master class level. Students are encouraged to create their own dessert menus which are then put on parade at the acclaimed Prue Leith’s Restaurant on campus. Only the best chocolates, spun-sugars and other ingredients are used during the pastry course training. Part of the pastry course training is a detailed financial module which empowers graduates for the demanding job of pastry chef or to start their own business.