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  4. Job Profile: Baker and Pastry Chef

Baker and Pastry Chef

Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.

Job Prospects
Job Prospects: Steady, with around 34,300 people employed in the field and annual employment growth of about 1,300 jobs as of 2025.
Salary
Median weekly earnings: $1,417
Source
Bakers and Pastrycooks | Jobs and Skills Australia
Brief
Employed: 34,300
Part time share: 28%
Median age: 36

TAFE SA courses that may be relevant for: Baker and Pastry Chef

Accredited (Award)

  • Introduction

    Bake fresh bread, cakes and pastries people enjoy every day.
    As a baker or pastrycook, you make bread, rolls, buns, cakes, biscuits and pastries. You check that the bakery and equipment are clean and safe, and make sure ingredients are good quality before weighing them out. You mix, knead, cut and shape dough, prepare fillings, and keep an eye on oven temperatures so everything bakes just right. You load and unload batches, glaze buns, decorate cakes, and use machines to roll and cut dough. You also clean trays and tins so the next batch is ready to go.
    For further information:
    Baking Association of Australia
    Phone: (02) 4340 0244
    Email: tony.smith@baa.asn.au
    Website: www.baa.asn.au
    National Baking Industry Association
    Phone: (07) 3899 6100
    Email: admin@nbia@org.au
    Website: www.nbia.org.au
    AgriFood Skills Australia
    Phone: (02) 6163 7200
    E-mail: reception@agrifoodskills.net.au
    Website: www.agrifoodskills.net.au

  • Education Requirements

    Entry into this occupation is generally through an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate III or higher qualification via an apprenticeship.

    TAFE SA offers the following courses to help you find employment in this occupation: Certificate III and IV in Patisserie.

    TAFE SA also offers courses for those in an apprenticeship including Certificate III in Baking, Certificate III in Bread Baking, and Certificate III in Cake and Pastry.

    Still Unsure? Then try a short course also offered through TAFE SA. Check the website for the full list of short courses.

    There are SA Apprenticeships available in this occupation. For further information go to the Traineeship & Apprenticeship Services Website http://www.skills.sa.gov.au/apprenticeships-traineeships or phone the Freecall number 1800 673 097.

  • Career Path

    Due to the steady increase in the number of franchised bakeries opening employment prospects are good for bakers according to industry representatives. There tend to be fewer employment opportunities for pastry chefs though. According to industry sources, with the increasing availability of pre-packaged cakes and pastry mixes, there is a reduced demand for their specialised skills. There are self-employment opportunities for both bakers and pastry chefs.

  • Nature of the Job

    Bakers make bread, cakes and pastries, using flour and other ingredients. Part of a baker and pastry chef’s duties include checking that equipment meets health and safety regulations and checking the quality of raw materials and weigh ingredients. They may mix dough by hand or machine, then place in tins or trays. The tins or trays are then loaded into ovens, keeping an eye on the oven temperatures and the appearance of the bread (or the cake or pastry). When the bread is baked, they unload and take bread out of trays and put aside to cool. They also glaze or decorate cakes and pastries with icing or cream. Bakers and pastry chefs also order baking supplies from wholesalers and may sometimes serve customers.

  • Typical Physical Working Environment

    Most bakers work in small retail bakeries, or big wholesale suppliers of baked goods. They also work in department stores, at 'in house' bakeries in supermarkets, food store chains, hotels and restaurants. They may also own and work in their own bakery shop.

    The increased use of machinery has reduced heavy work for bakers. However, they still have to stand a lot of the time. Most bakers work full time, and they often work late at night or early in the morning. They may also work on weekends and public holidays.

  • Typical Occupational Example

    A pastry chef from France who owns a Patisserie, says chocolate éclairs filled with creamy custard and hazelnut escargots (a pastry which is shaped like a snail but which tastes like heaven) are just some of the French pastries on his menu. ''I love food. I love to eat and there are plenty of people out there like me. This job can be routine but it is also very artistic and I enjoy making cakes and pastries that are sophisticated and highly specialised.'' Pastry chefs may choose to specialise in a particular area. Those who are passionate about chocolates can become chocolatiers. Or they may choose to become a patissier (someone who makes French pastries). In South Australia, most pastry chefs work in specialist cake shops, patisseries, restaurants and cafés, five-star hotels and department stores. Both bakers and pastry chefs are on their feet most of the day. You can be guaranteed to get your daily workout from kneading and rolling dough and lifting trays. The kitchen can get hot and it often gets busy trying to get things made on time.

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