If it's time to whip up a satisfying new position as a pastry chef, you shouldn't rely on only your sweet creations. You'll also need a pastry chef resume that explains your career journey, interests and personality to the hiring manager. Luckily, we're here to help.
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With 300+ resume examples and writing guides, Resume.io is an expert resource for job seekers in all fields and of all experience levels. This guide and the corresponding pastry chef resume example will show you how to:
- Choose the key sections for your resume including the employment history, summary and skills parts
- Pick the best format for a pastry chef resume
- Create a layout and design that calls attention to your application and helps you land the job!
What does a pastry chef do?
Pastry chefs are people who create a variety of pastries and desserts, typically including cookies, candies, cakes and other sweets. They typically work in bakeries, specialty shops, restaurants, hotels, or independently. Pastry chefs maintain sanitary and organized kitchen environments, and operate tools and machinery during their dessert-making processes. They gather ingredients, follow recipes, and strive to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction possible. Pastry chefs must be knowledgeable about the science of baking and dessert making in order to achieve desired results. They also are usually required to bring a high level of artistic ability, which allows them to create innovative and pleasing designs. Pastry chefs may work alone or with other kitchen staff.
If you're a multi-talented kitchen wizard, you may benefit from checking out our other hospitality and catering resume examples including:
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How to write a pastry chef resume
To write a great pastry chef resume, you'll need to include the following sections:
- The resume header
- The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The resume skills section
- The education section
A successful pastry chef resume should clearly convey a candidate's ability to create pleasing pastries and desserts. Your resume should include a strong profile section that neatly and effectively outlines your abilities, talents, and experiences working with pastry and dessert creations. It is important to keep this profile section brief, while managing to include the most impressive details of your professional work and the value you bring.
Your resume should include a well-organized employment history section that arranges positions in reverse chronological order, with a special emphasis on positions in the culinary world. Be sure to use powerful action verbs that call attention to your skills and abilities. Your resume should also include a well-thought-out skills section that provides an enticing mix of soft and hard skills related to pastry work. It is always advised to re-read the job description for the position you are applying for and include any desired skills in your own resume when possible.
If you're applying to a medium or large company, you'll want to make sure your resume doesn't crumble under the pressure of the ATS (Automated Tracking System.) These resume scanners look for keywords based on the job description written by the employer. Only the top ranking resumes are passed on for review by the hiring manager. Make sure yours doesn't get burned in the process by adding important duties and skills from the job description into the relevant resume sections.
Choosing the best resume format for pastry chefs
Most pastry chefs who have at least some level of previous experience should opt for the standard reverse chronological format. This structure centers on an employment history section where you can list your related role starting with the most recent and working backwards through the past 10 years. The reverse chronological resume format is often the best choice because it is the one preferred by hiring managers and most easily read by the ATS.
However some candidates may find themselves needing a resume format that offers a bit more flexibility. For apprentices, students and self-employed people, the functional resume format can allow you to list your relevant skills and experience without creating a full-blown employment history section. A hybrid format, which combines the reverse chronological and functional structure can also work well in this situation.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for bakers, including pastry chefs, is expected to grow by 10 percent over the coming decade. Many will be employed in restaurants, hotels and manufacturing plants.
Resume summary example
The summary is the place to show off your top skills alongside the personality traits that make you effective as a pastry chef. These 3-5 sentences should give the hiring manager a taste of what you have to offer while encouraging them to read the rest of the details further down on your resume. By using numbers and descriptive language, you can stand out right from the top of the page.
Here's the summary from our pastry chef resume example.
Experienced and passionate Pastry Chef with over seven years of industry experience, creating innovative and highly pleasing desserts for restaurants, events, and fine dining affairs. Adept in creating artisan breads, desserts, pastries, chocolates, and a variety of confections. Bringing forth advanced pastry techniques, food safety knowledge, and a strong understanding of the principles of pastry design.
Employment history sample
Since the employment history section will likely be the focus of your resume, you'll want to make sure you do a great job conveying all the skills and experiences you bring to the table. First, list your relevant experience beginning with the most recent role. Make sure to include the job title, employer name, location and dates worked. Underneath, offer 4-5 bullet points that show your strengths, duties and accomplishments. Quantify the impact you had by adding numbers, statistics and action verbs.
Here's the employment history section from our pastry chef resume sample.
- Served as the Executive Pastry Chef, creating rotating and seasonal desserts for events.
- Prepared special desserts for off-site events.
- Created a large variety of baked goods, pastries, and confections.
- Incorporated themes and art into pastry creations.
- Created specialty cakes for weddings, and other events.
- Held private pastry creation demonstrations for those interested in baking and pastry arts.
- Aimed to achieve high levels of client satisfaction, which resulted in a high rate of repeat clients.
Pastry chef resume education example
While you may not be required to have formal training, any education, apprenticeships or degrees can help tilt the balance in your favor. List all degrees and certifications here. Any honors or distinctions should be noted here as well. If you hold a bachelor's degree, you may leave out your high school. You can list certifications here, or create a separate section highlighting them.
Check out the formatting of the education section on our pastry chef resume example.
- 2009-2011 Culinary Institute of America, Associate of Baking and Pastry Arts Hyde Park, NY
- 2005-2009 Chappaqua High School, High School Diploma Chappaqua, NY
CV skills example
As a pastry chef, your skills are the core of what you do. This CV section helps you highlight them in a bullet point format. Make sure to build a coherent picture based on the employment history section and the employer's needs as outlined in the job description. Make sure to include a solid mix of soft skills like creativity or cleanliness and hard skills like food safety practices.
Here's the skills section from our resume example.
- Knowledge of Food Chemistry
- Dessert Making Techniques
- Aesthetics and Design
- Excellent Customer Service Skills
- Food Safety and Sanitation Practices
- Menu Development
- Quality Assurance
Resume layout and design
Just like a cake is more appetizing when covered with beautifully-piped frosting, your resume is more appealing when packaged with a great layout and design. Your layout helps create an image of you as a professional candidate who takes your profession seriously, and since pastry is a creative profession, you'll have the added benefit of showing off your personal style.
A touch of color and an attractive header can go a long way in making your resume stand out. Make sure to consider the employer's branding as well. For example, an upscale hotel will likely require a different resume layout than a local grocery chain. You can take the guesswork out of formatting, or even create multiple designs for multiple openings, by using a resume template.
- Stick with the standard margin size of 1-inch
- Call attention to your name and contact info in the header
- Keep your font size between 10-12 point
- Crowd the page with too much text which makes it difficult to read
- Submit a resume without first proofreading
- Use more than 1-2 font styles or colors on the same resume
Key takeaways for a pastry chef resume
- While the proof may be in the pudding, it's also on your resume – this is the best place to highlight your accomplishments and skills.
- An energetic and creative summary can make you stand out among candidates with similar skillsets.
- Don't forget to quantify your achievements in the employment history section.
- Check out our pastry chef resume sample for more layout and design ideas.
