Pastry Chef Pay

[Bruiser]

not only the pay is not as much as we all would like... you also have to remember that the hours are horrendous...... if you like to sleep late..forget about it

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i spent 6 years working dinner service (which meant 12 pm til as late as 2 am), which I thought I hated.

Until I decided to quit and run the bakery end of a cafe. Now I go to work at midnight, and usually stay until 3 in the afternoon. My body hates me.

but hey, at least I have peace and quiet the first 8 hours of my shift

[Lisa1349]

I think it is also important to note the general 3-5 years you spend being a "pastry cook" before attaining the title of pastry chef. This time is spent plating, producing components of the dishes, learning, and making lots of mistakes.

Many whom I attended school with thought they could become executive high muckety-muck chefs right out of school. They usually spent a year peeling potatoes. I spent 2 years making salads, not that I am bitter.

[Drewman]

I spent the first 10 years of my career as a pastry chef sounding much like many of the posts I've read here. Then I met Gunther Heiland, CMPC & had the chance to speak with him for about 30 minutes. That short period of time changed my life because I told him how I had worked at private clubs, restaurants, caterers, etc. & I was never able to earn more than $15/hour.

He told me that I'm a $15/ hour pastry chef & for the rest of my life I'll always be a $15/ hour pastry chef unless I swallow my pride & become an assistant to a very talented chef. That was the only way I could learn the skills needed to earn more.

I took his advice & spent 2 1/2 years working as an assistant (earning a little more than $15/hour) under 2 great pc's at resort hotels.

Since that time, my salary has more than doubled & I'm now exec pc overseeing 2 small resorts (one 4 star, one 5 star) and I'm living in a part of the country many people save up all year to visit.

FWIW, this was the "recipe" for success that worked for me.

[chefpeon]

Since that time, my salary has more than doubled & I'm now exec pc overseeing 2 small resorts (one 4 star, one 5 star) and I'm living in a part of the country many people save up all year to visit.

FWIW, this was the "recipe" for success that worked for me.

So, Drew.....I'm just wondering.......how much time do you spend doing stuff like managing people, costing out menus, creating the production schedule, doing inventory, ordering product, and various other office type jobs vs. actually spending time in the kitchen?

When I was the production manager at a wholesale bakery, I spent so much time in the office, I didn't even feel like a pastry chef anymore, which is why I left. Office work (and managing people) makes-a-me crazy........

[Fibilou]

I used to earn £19,000 as a pastry chef in a 5* hotel; that was about 7 years ago but the salary in the UK (outside london) hasn't gone up much.