Cake Decorator

Summary

As a pastry chef and cake decorator at Aspasia Coffee and Bake Shop, you bring a blend of artistic flair and culinary expertise to create delectable desserts and stunning cakes. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for innovation, you excel in recipe development, baking techniques, and intricate cake decoration.

Your organizational skills ensure efficient production schedules and inventory management, while your commitment to food safety guarantees the highest quality standards. Effective communication with both customers and team members allows you to bring their visions to life while ensuring exceptional service.

With a continuous pursuit of learning and staying updated on the latest pastry trends, you are poised to deliver memorable culinary experiences that delight taste buds and dazzle eyes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and decorate cakes, pastries, and desserts to meet customer requests and bakery standards, ensuring aesthetic appeal and flavor balance.
• Innovate and test new recipes for cakes, pastries, bread, and baked goods, experimenting with ingredients and techniques to enhance menu offerings.
• Prepare cake batter and bake various pastries and bread, maintaining consistent quality, texture, and taste.
• Apply frosting, icing, and glazes to cakes using diverse techniques such as spreading, piping, and fondant rolling, ensuring smooth finishes with decorative elements.
• Enhance cake designs with vibrant colors and gradient effects using food coloring gels or airbrushing techniques.
• Pay meticulous attention to detail to ensure precision and quality in cake decorations, including symmetrical designs and neat finishing touches.
• Inspect finished products for quality and freshness, promptly addressing any issues to maintain consistency and customer satisfaction.
• Monitor inventory levels of baking ingredients, decorations, and supplies, ordering as needed to prevent shortages and maintain stock levels.
• Adhere to strict hygiene and sanitation standards, maintaining a clean and organized work area and equipment.
• Manage production schedules efficiently to meet demand while minimizing waste, organizing tasks to produce pastries and desserts in a timely manner.

Qualifications

• Formal education in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, or a related field. This may include a certificate program, diploma, or degree from a culinary school, community college, or vocational institute.
• Five or more years’ experience working in the food industry as a Pastry Chef, Baker, or relevant role.
• Strong culinary skills, including proficiency in baking techniques, pastry doughs, cake batter preparation, and dessert assembly.
• Working knowledge of flavor combinations, ingredient properties, and recipe development.
• Proficiency in cake decorating techniques. This includes skills such as frosting and icing application, fondant handling, piping, sculpting, and airbrushing.
• Ability to use various cake decorating instruments and tools
• Creativity and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and work efficiently to meet production schedules and customer orders.
• Ability to be friendly, courteous, and able to communicate effectively with customers to understand their preferences and fulfill their requests.
• Thorough understanding of food safety and sanitation practices to ensure the safety and quality of the products they prepare. This includes knowledge of proper food handling, storage, and hygiene procedures.
• Effective communication skills
• Skilled in operating kitchen equipment
• Food Handler Card required; company administered
• ServSafe Certification preferred

Supervision

The employee performs work under the supervision of the Production Kitchen Manager.

Work environment and Physical Demands

• Work with hot, cold, and potentially hazardous equipment, necessitating caution and adherence to safety protocols.
• May be required to work in very warm or cold conditions for an extended period of time, adapting to varying environmental factors.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear and taste or smell, necessitating physical mobility and dexterity.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, requiring strength and stamina to handle bakery equipment and supplies effectively.
• Climbing stairs may be necessary as part of the job responsibilities, requiring agility and balance in navigating the work environment.