Pastry Chef

Pastry Chef qualifications to look for

Pastry Chefs are creatives who take charge of desserts in your establishment. They order ingredients and supplies for the restaurant that pertain to desserts, and also create the desserts on your menu.  

Your top candidates will have a strong portfolio and proven work experience. Many candidates may have formal culinary training at an institution, or through mentorship at a previous restaurant. 

👩‍🍳 It may help to ask a pastry chef candidate to prepare a dessert on the spot to see what they come up with. 

Keep an eye out for candidates who are:

• Strong leaders
• Budget-minded 
• Creative
• Cool under pressure
• Resourceful 
• Business-minded
  

Top tip: Hire candidates willing to grow by making sure their personal career goals align with your company's mission.

Pastry Chef interview questions

• What inspired you to become a professional pastry chef? What do you love about your work? 
• What training has prepared you for this role? 
• Do you work on your skills at home? What projects do you currently have underway? 
• What are some of your favorite flavor combinations? What do you like making the most?
• Is there a specific dessert you would like to see on our menu? 
• How would you prepare pastry cream? Walk me through the process. 
• What techniques were most important in preparing ice cream?
• What made you select these sample desserts for this interview?
• How do you manage your time when the kitchen is busy? 
• Do you offer desserts for those with special dietary needs? 
• How do you handle it when something goes wrong in the kitchen? 
• What do you do if you realize you missed an ingredient? 
• How would you react if a customer sent back their dessert? 
• How well do you handle communication if you are running low on a specific menu item? 
• Describe a time you had to work with a team to achieve a shared goal. What was the outcome? 
• The kitchen is a busy, fast-paced, often stressful environment. How do you keep cool under pressure?