How to hire a pastry cook

How to hire a pastry cook, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pastry cook hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a pastry cook job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new pastry cook
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a pastry cook do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The pastry cook hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a pastry cook to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a pastry cook that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of pastry cooks.

   Type of Pastry Cook	Description	Hourly rate
   Pastry Cook	Cooks prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods, which may include soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.	$12-21
   Chef/Owner	A Chef/Owner is the owner of a restaurant who also manages the restaurant's kitchen through coordinating the food preparation team, deciding what dishes to serve, and adjusting orders to meet guests' requests. They also prepare budgets, manage and implement new menus and operational ideas.	$12-36
   Chef	A chef is the master of the kitchen-someone who is creative and innovative with food. Chefs are the pride and reputation of each restaurant or dining establishments... Show more	$14-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Culinary
   • Cleanliness
   • Food Handling
   • Quality Standards
   • Fine Dining
   • Food Safety
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Food Preparation
   • Customer Service
   • Sanitation Standards
   • Wine
   • Banquet Events
   • Executive Pastry Chef
   • La Carte

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage cold kitchen production for a luxury hotel with a Michelin star restaurant
   • Clean steamers, hot @ cold line.
   • Serve customers ordering at the bistro.
   • Work in dining room during Sunday brunch and buffets serving desserts.
   • Engage in meetings including an annual board presentation of USDA budget.
   • Focuse on maintaining budget while meeting USDA and BSA nutrition requirements.

   More pastry cook duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your pastry cook job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A pastry cook salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a pastry cook in Oklahoma may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level pastry cook usually earns less than a senior-level pastry cook. Additionally, a pastry cook with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average pastry cook salary

   $16.76hourly

   $34,858 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level pastry cook salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average pastry cook salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$44,260	$21
   2	California	$42,266	$20
   3	District of Columbia	$42,251	$20
   4	Massachusetts	$40,571	$20
   5	New York	$39,566	$19
   6	Oregon	$39,331	$19
   7	Florida	$38,936	$19
   8	Minnesota	$38,865	$19
   9	Colorado	$38,044	$18
   10	New Jersey	$35,999	$17
   11	Nevada	$35,327	$17
   12	Pennsylvania	$35,292	$17
   13	Illinois	$35,148	$17
   14	Arizona	$34,795	$17
   15	North Carolina	$34,237	$16
   16	Georgia	$32,554	$16
   17	Texas	$32,443	$16
   18	Louisiana	$30,678	$15

   Average pastry cook salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sailfish Club of Florida	$47,573	$22.87	1
   2	Grosse Pointe Yacht Club	$43,421	$20.88
   3	Chumash Casino Resort	$43,000	$20.67	2
   4	King's Hawaiian Enterprises, Inc.	$42,706	$20.53	4
   5	Columbia Country Club	$41,290	$19.85	2
   6	Valley View Casino & Hotel	$40,721	$19.58	3
   7	JEAN-GEORGES MANAGEMENT	$40,688	$19.56
   8	Gun Lake Casino	$40,244	$19.35	2
   9	Mstreet Entertainment Group	$39,896	$19.18	2
   10	Legends Hospitality	$39,796	$19.13
   11	Gila River Hotels & Casinos	$39,450	$18.97	6
   12	Hyde Park Golf & Country Club	$39,258	$18.87
   13	Wequassett Resort and Golf Club	$39,250	$18.87	2
   14	Northern Quest Resort & Casino	$38,974	$18.74
   15	Morongo Casino Resort & Spa	$38,653	$18.58	4
   16	Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort	$38,541	$18.53
   17	Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City	$38,536	$18.53	2
   18	Penn National Gaming	$38,411	$18.47
   19	HEI Hotels & Resorts	$38,261	$18.39	45
   20	Hyatt Regency Lake Washington	$38,179	$18.36

4. Writing a pastry cook job description

   A pastry cook job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a pastry cook job description:

   Pastry cook job description example

   About Us Within the sweeping panorama of the north Georgia foothills, Chateau Elan began with the planting of the vineyards in 1981. From these lush vines has grown a 3,500 acre conference and leisure destination. We welcome your interest in applying for a position with Chateau Élan Winery & Resort. For many years, we have served our guests with the highest level of products and service in luxury resorts. We owe our growth and success to our associates who have served our guests with dedication and pride. The key to our continued growth is found in satisfying and exceeding our guests' expectations.
   
   We look for people with personality, energy, enthusiasm, excellent grooming and commitment. We nurture and train our associates throughout their tenure here. They, in turn, provide the highest level of guest service making Chateau Élan the special place it is today.
   
   Perks include but are not limited to discount hotel stays, discount spa services, discount golf, discount food and beverage, discount retail as well as access to the YouDecide discount program. YouDecide offerings include negotiated pricing arrangements for vacation destinations, hotels, vacation planning, rental cars, movie tickets/rentals, consumer electronics, consumer goods and services, personal services and even discounts on cell phones and plans.
   
   Don't meet every single requirement of this job? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At HEI we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still send in your information. You may be the perfect candidate for this or for other roles within our organization!
   
   From our French-inspired showpiece to an old-world speakeasy to a Southern-influenced chophouse, Chateau Elan is North Georgia's premier destination for dining. Our on-property restaurants and bars offer a culinary tour across the globe, guided by a team of chefs and sommeliers who share a passion for excellence.
   Responsibilities Prepare pastry food of consistent quality following recipe cards and production and portion standards. Start food items that are prepared ahead of time, making sure not to over prepare estimated needs. Date all food containers and rotate as per HEI Hotels and Resorts standards, making sure that all perishables are kept at proper temperatures. Check pars for shift use, determine necessary preparation, freezer pull and line set up. Note any out-of stock items or possible shortages. Assist in keeping buffet stocked. Return all food items not used on next shift to designated storage areas, being sure to cover/date all perishables. Assist in setting up plans and actions to correct any food cost problems, control food waste, loss and usage per HEI Hotels and Resorts standards. Operate, maintain and properly clean equipment. Comply with attendance rules and be available to work on a regular basis. Perform any other job related duties as assigned. Qualifications Pastry and/or hotel experience preferred. Must be familiar with basic pastry techniques and understand the fundamentals of how a pastry team operates. Finger/hand dexterity in order to operate food machinery with or without reasonable accommodation. Ability to grasp, lift and/or carry, or otherwise, move goods weighing a maximum of 100 lbs. on a continuous schedule with or without reasonable accommodation. Effective verbal and written communication skills. Ability to adapt communication style to suit different audiences, such as effectively communicating with supervisors, coworkers, public etc. Benefits HEI Hotels and Resorts is committed to providing a comprehensive benefit program that offers you choices for your physical, mental and financial wellness, creating value in your most important investment - you!
   
   For your physical and mental wellness we offer competitive Medical, Dental and Vision insurance programs geared to you and your family's needs as well as Vacation/Sick/Holiday benefits. For your financial wellness, HEI provides a wide array of coverage, including Supplemental, Spousal and Child Life insurance as well as Short and Long-Term Disability plans. Our 401(k) Savings Plan with matching funds, and discounts through our 'YouDecide' and Hotel Room Discount programs provide additional incentives for choosing HEI as the employer of your future.
   HEI Hotels and Resorts is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find pastry cooks for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any pastry cooks they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level pastry cooks with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your pastry cook job on Zippia to find and recruit pastry cook candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit pastry cooks, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new pastry cook

   Once you've found the pastry cook candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new pastry cook. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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