Pastry Chef

Position Title:Pastry Chef
Reports to: Executive Chef of the Restaurant
Date Revised: September 2015
Location: Chicago, IL

Position Summary:

Supervise and coordinate all activities concerning pastry and baking operations and personnel for all revenue centers. Responsible for ensuring an efficient quality finished product before and during service hours. Work as a team with pastry chef's assistant.

Core Tasks and Responsibilities:
Food

• Taste food items to insure consistency and conformance to recipes and standards of appearance.
• Take time to give special attention to special guests.
• Train pastry personnel in all menu items and food production principles and practices, by way of constant communication and the creation and use of accurate menu descriptions for both restaurant and banquets.
• Control food costs by maintaining product storage requirements, daily work sheets, standardized recipes, and waste control procedures.
• Create daily specials in keeping with Restaurant's style.
• Maintain and update Pastry recipe book and cheese lists.
  • Maintain that all recipes are documented and accurate.
  • Update and organize the recipe book as needed.
  • Provide new and updated recipes to the purchaser so that they can be updated into Compeat.
• Maintain product quality standards and consistency, through the hourly pastry personnel.
• Maintain knowledge of local competition and general industry trends in order to perpetuate Restaurant menus and service.
• Maintain knowledge of pastry specific purveyors contact information and delivery schedules.
• Determine and create seasonal menus, breakfast, lunch, dinner, market, group functions.
• Oversee the baking of par baked bread products.
• Maintain current pastry related order sheets by providing updates for the purchaser.
• Maintaining Restaurant's cheese program.
• Assist Purchaser in taking monthly inventory of the pastry department with the pastry chef assistant.
• Create all wedding cakes and work with DOCC to meet with brides and sell all wedding cakes

Communication:

• Use daily kitchen notes to communicate amongst the team
• Regularly follow up on e-mail communications with the hotel re. group functions and amenities
• Establish open lines of communication between FOH and BOH at all times.
• Work with FOH personnel to execute menu changes, specials, and information regarding shortages.
• Provide new and updated menu descriptions to FOH directors and pastry cooks.
  
• Work closely with all management staff and pastry chef assistant always presenting a united front.
  
• Attend daily line up meetings, educate front of the house personnel in product awareness and cultivate long-term food knowledge.
• Lead by example and motivate through positive reinforcement.
• Be firm, fair and consistent when involved with employee issues.
• Inform Purchaser of any pastry specific R&M.
• Assist in maintaining communications with the FOH in regards to their bread needs, special requests, special occasion guests and cake sales and to go orders.
• Work with FOH Market Managers to create and maintain par levels of pastry product in Market.
• Determine and communicate staffing needs to marketing director placing ads seasonally.
• Coordinating prep lists for each of the revenue centers.
• Utilize and update all prep lists
• Coordinate preparation of all group function related items:
  • Ensure that all BEO's for Restaurant and Banquets are posted and accurate
  • Update all pastry staff and Banquet Directors to any changes or additions

Service:

1. Strive for guest satisfaction—maintain the goal of creating positive guest experiences.
2. Maintain the integrity of every dish no matter time, price point, whom it is for or level of difficulty.
3. Organize and operate an efficient, professional service.
4. Orientate, motivate, train, and educate all pastry personnel in Restaurant policies, procedures, and rules.
5. Maintain a clean and organized pastry workspace including the appearance of the pastry station from outdoors.

In-Room Dining:

• Oversee the pastries for room service operations.
• Keep up with In-Room Dining menu trends.
• Work with the Executive Chef to accommodate specific Restaurant & hotel requirements of room service.
• Act as the kitchen point of contact for all pastry needs for In Room Dining.
• Assist the Purchaser in determining par levels needed of In-Room Dining Pastry specific ingredients/packaging/OS&E

People Skills:

• Praise in public, criticize behind closed doors, and give constructive criticism.
• Constantly develop culinary talent and remember that you can learn something from every employee in the restaurant.
• Create a smarter and more helpful staff

Schedule:

• Schedule must be made according to labor budgets.
• Schedule must be approved weekly by the Executive Chef.
• Schedule must be posted by Thursday for the next week.
• Write seasonal schedules that account for training new employees.
• Create a pastry schedule that meets the needs of the business and coordinates the skill levels and needs of the employees.
  

Labor:

• Take an active role to meet the financial goals of the restaurant with regards to variable labor cost.
• Must take the initiative to cut labor when deemed necessary.
• Constantly evaluate and take measures to increase productivity of all pastry staff.
• Turn in all federal and state paperwork to accounting.
• Finish paperwork by completing check list.
• Make sure that all pastry staff are appropriately attired.

QUALIFICATIONS:Must have at least a high school diploma or GED. Previous kitchen experience is required with at least 2 years of working in a similar position. Must be able to work well under pressure and be self-motivated. Must have good organizational, time management and delegation skills. Good communication skills—both written and verbal, Spanish speaking would be a definite plus. Requires standing and carrying for long periods. This position may require lifting, carrying, pulling or pushing of approximately 21—50 pounds.

The company reserves the right to revise and change job duties as the need arises. I have read and understand the physical requirements of this position and agree that I am able to perform or meet these duties and responsibilities. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.