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Bakery chef vs pastry chef

The differences between bakery chefs and pastry chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a bakery chef and a pastry chef. Additionally, a pastry chef has an average salary of $44,879, which is higher than the $40,422 average annual salary of a bakery chef.

The top three skills for a bakery chef include culinary, kitchen equipment and food cost. The most important skills for a pastry chef are culinary, food handling, and customer service.

Bakery chef vs pastry chef overview

Bakery ChefPastry Chef
Yearly salary$40,422$44,879
Hourly rate$19.43$21.58
Growth rate15%15%
Number of jobs22,49218,844
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%Associate Degree, 49%
Average age4242
Years of experience66

Bakery chef vs pastry chef salary

Bakery chefs and pastry chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

Bakery ChefPastry Chef
Average salary$40,422$44,879
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $58,000Between $25,000 And $78,000
Highest paying CityPaterson, NJUrban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew Jersey
Best paying companyPrice Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32The Culinary Institute of America
Best paying industryInsuranceMedia

Differences between bakery chef and pastry chef education

There are a few differences between a bakery chef and a pastry chef in terms of educational background:

Bakery ChefPastry Chef
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%Associate Degree, 49%
Most common majorCulinary ArtsCulinary Arts
Most common collegeUniversity of CincinnatiDrexel University

Bakery chef vs pastry chef demographics

Here are the differences between bakery chefs' and pastry chefs' demographics:

Bakery ChefPastry Chef
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 47.9% Female, 52.1%Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 10.7% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between bakery chef and pastry chef duties and responsibilities

Bakery chef example responsibilities.

  • Integrate key culinary leaders into casino and food and beverage operations, achieving positive results and industry awards.
  • Experience in safe operation of commercial food service equipment, including deep fryers, ovens, cook tops, and slicers.
  • Own and operate successful gourmet restaurant/bakery/catering service
  • Mix, weigh and proof ingredients in accordance with bakery recipes.
  • Direct or coordinate bakery deliveries.
  • Own and operate successful gourmet restaurant/bakery/catering service

Pastry chef example responsibilities.

  • Hire, schedule and manage a staff of 9 direct reports (5 in kitchen and 4 in caf).
  • Control food and payroll costs to achieve maximum profitability.
  • Follow food safety and cleanliness guidelines.
  • Work as per the HACCP standard.
  • Create specialized dessert items for wine and holiday dinners.
  • Operate blenders, mixers, grinders, slicers, and other cooking equipment.
  • Show more

Bakery chef vs pastry chef skills

Common bakery chef skills
  • Culinary, 49%
  • Kitchen Equipment, 32%
  • Food Cost, 6%
  • Bakery Products, 4%
  • Oven Temperatures, 3%
  • Safety Regulations, 3%
Common pastry chef skills
  • Culinary, 19%
  • Food Handling, 11%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Food Preparation, 7%
  • Pastry Kitchen, 6%
  • Fine Dining, 6%

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