What Does a Patissier Do?

A Patissier is a pastry chef! They manage the best pastry kitchens and create delicious cakes and pastries.

Job -Related Skills, Interests and Values            

• managing pastry kitchens, including the hiring, supervising  and training of personnel
• planning the sequence of tasks in order to produce quality goods that people will want to buy                            
• creating cakes and pastries according to schedule to meet customer demand
• calculating raw product requirements to meet production demand
• overseeing the sale and merchandising of cakes and pastries
• hiring, supervising and training new staff
• keeping up with changes, trends and customer preferences for cakes & pastries
• performing job duties carefully, and cleaning utensils and machinery being used for hygienic and safety reasons
• operating high-tech equipment as well as conventional ovens, microwaves, food processors etc.

What Preparation and Training Do You Need?

A Patissier must have their grade12 or equivalent: credits in Math, perhaps co-op experience in retail or food preparation or exposure to this field through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program in secondary school would be an asset. An apprenticeship of 7000 hours of combined in-school and on-the-job training is recommended, even though this is an unrestricted trade. To achieve success, you should learn how to build and maintain customer relations, develop good communication skills and be willing to continually update your skills and knowledge. Red Seal trade certification allows for inter-provincial mobility.

Apprenticeship Subject Pathways provides additional information for students/parents/educators: www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/training/apprenticeship/skills/moreinfo.html

Click on the above link to view the Apprenticeship Subject Pathways  pdf  file.

What’s Your Future as a Patissier?

Patissiers generally work a 5 day week but they may work irregular hours or shift work that may include nights. If they are self-employed, they usually work very long hours. Patissiers may manage the kitchen and handle its specialized creations. Standing for long periods of time and lifting, carrying and pushing heavy loads are common requirements. Patissiers may be exposed to very hot conditions due to ovens, and adverse effects due to prolonged exposure to flour and sugar dust. The gender ratio in this trade is just about equal between men and women. Demand for Patissiers is increasing due to trends in buying baked goods; however, consolidation within the grocery industry and increasing use of high tech equipment may limit new job opportunities.

The Toronto region hires the most Patissiers, then the Hamilton-Niagara peninsula, followed by Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie. Employers who hire Patissiers include:

• Commercial bakeries
• Food processing firms
• Hotels, restaurants and catering companies
• Pastry shops and in-store bakeries
• Specialized pastry firms

Additional information can be found at The Baking Association of Canada, www.baking.ca and The Canadian Pastry Chefs Guild at: http://www.canadianpastrychefsguild.ca/.

 Wage Rate

• Apprentices usually start at a wage that is less than that of a journeyperson
• This rate increases gradually as you acquire skills and gain competency
• Fully qualified Patissiers can earn in the range of $60,000 per year, depending on the employer and the geographic location

Self-Rating

Ask Yourself: Is Working as a Patissier for You?

If you answered Yes to most of these questions, a career as a Patissier may be for you!

You may also want to explore other careers that require similar interests and skills, such as:

• Baker
• Chef
• Cook
• Baking Instructor
• Baking Supply company salesperson

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