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Almost everyone loves eating desserts. For those of you that enjoy making them, you should definitely consider becoming a baker and/or pastry chef. In this line of work, you will be creating and making your very own desserts. From candies to cookies, muffins and cakes, there are an endless amount of food items that can be considered pastries. Another great reason to enter this profession, other than the fact that you will be doing something you love, is because you can make good money.
There are many things that you will have to learn to become a successful baker or pastry chef. You will need to join culinary programs. Such programs are large in number. When it comes to locating baking and pastry schools in US, you can rest assured that you will find one that accommodates your wants and needs. From weekend courses to nighttime classes, you can earn your culinary degree at your own pace.
Qualities of Successful Bakers and Pastry Chefs
It is important that you understand that there are several skills you will need to master as you earn a degree specialization in baking and pastry arts. Such skills include the following:
- Attention to detail: A small change made to a recipe can result in a very favorable dish. On the other hand, the wrong change can result in a recipe becoming completely inedible. As a pastry chef or baker, you must be strongly attentive to detail, always paying attention to what you are doing even while multitasking.
- Stamina: You will likely spend much of your time as a baker or pastry chef on your feet. In fact, in this line of work, it is not uncommon for culinary professionals to be on their feet more than 10 hours a day. To make sure you excel, you will need to be in good physical shape. You must also be willing to get up early in the morning because many pastry and bakery shops start cooking their goodies earlier than 3 a.m. every morning.
- Customer relations: Bakers and pastry chefs who own their own shops will need to have top-notch customer relations skills. From being interpersonal to dealing effectively with customer complaints, a thriving business will only be obtainable if you have people skills.
- Creativity: To be a good baker or pastry chef, you need to be creative with the goodies that you make. From new icing flavors to oddly shaped cookies, being creative will help ensure your success in the culinary industry.
Becoming a Baker or Pastry Chef
There are a couple of paths you can take to obtain a specialization in baking and pastry arts. The first path involves going to baking and pastry schools in US. In doing this, you will join culinary programs, leading to the earning of a culinary arts degree. The second path involves obtaining many years of experience working in the baking and pastry industry. No matter what route you take, there is no undervaluing the advantages you will gain with a culinary degree. Even if you have 20 years of experience as a baker or pastry chef, there are some employers that will not mandate you without a culinary degree.
The culinary programs that you can take part in will vary in length and coursework. Some last for 12 months while others take up to four years to graduate. If you are looking for a quick way to enter into a pastry chef or baker position, you will want to take part in a certification program. For a job position that is accompanied by a higher paying salary, you will want to obtain an actual degree.
