Education Requirements for a Pastry Chef
- Future pastry chefs can get training in different ways.cheesecake image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
A formal pastry or culinary education isn't required to become a pastry chef. However, a formal education will help you to advance in the pastry industry and earn more. Several educational paths can help you become a pastry chef: Earn a certificate, an associate degree, a bachelor's degree or a master's degree. Salaries for pastry chefs can vary greatly by region, type of employer, experience and expertise. As of May 2008, pastry chefs earn between $22,120 and $66,680 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. - Enter a pastry arts certificate program at a local technical or private chef school. These courses usually take a year or less to complete and give you a basic overall pastry education. In a certificate program, classes prepare you for entry-level pastry positions in locations such as restaurants, bakeries, cafes and hotels.
- With an associate degree in pastry arts you will receive pastry education along with knowledge of the technical and organizational side of working in a pastry business. Completion of an associate degree usually takes two years and courses are available at 2-year or 4-year colleges, independent cooking schools and professional culinary institutes. Besides attending more advanced classes, you will spend more time in a commercial kitchen and most likely have to complete an internship or apprenticeship to graduate.
- If you are looking for a more well-rounded education to supplement your concentration on pastry arts, a 4-year bachelor's program can meet those needs. You will receive more hands-on training in the kitchen and attend culinary-related classes such as nutrition, culinary history, food chemistry, recipe creation and food safety and handling. In addition, you also receive general education in such fields as history, science, math, technology and business.
- To further your pastry education and broaden your job opportunities, consider a master's degree in pastry arts, which will focus on nutrition and the science of pastry rather than general pastry techniques. This often includes studying digestive processes and dietary-affected disorders. Also, a master's degree can be beneficial if you want to expand on a specific aspect of pastry arts such as cake designing or baking breads.
