Chapter 1: The Baking and Pastry Professional

1. Chapter 1: The Baking and Pastry Professional

2. Learning Objectives • Understand the career opportunities available for baking professionals. • Better understand the different factors for managing a business effectively. • Explain the responsibilities of the baking and pastry profession.

3. Career Opportunities for Baking and Pastry Professionals Key Points • Bakers often either work in: • large commercial bakeries. • smaller shops that produce less volume but higher-quality goods. • Hotel bakers typically make breakfast pastries, pastry displays, or wedding cakes. • Restaurant bakers make plated desserts, ice cream, chocolates, or bread. • Food producers operate research and development kitchens. • Caterers often hire bakers for special events.

4. The Business of Baking and Pastry Key Points • Managing a bakery or pastry shop requires the ability to handle four areas effectively: • physical assets • information • people (human resources) • time • The greater your management skills in these areas, the greater your potential for success. • Every area of your operation can be used to improve the quality of service you provide to your customers.

5. The Business of Baking and Pastry Managing Physical Assets • Physical assets are the equipment and supplies needed to do business. • These require control systems that will keep your organization operating at maximum efficiency. • The material cost is the biggest expense. • Being a baking and pastry professional entails being your own purchasing agent—or knowing how to work with one—to maintain inventories to produce and market your products and services.

6. The Business of Baking and Pastry Managing Information • The ability to tap into the information resources you need has never been more important because there is such a flood of information available today. • Keep abreast of current trends. • Try to predict future trends to help keep your business thriving. • Current tastes affect what people eat and where and how they want to eat it.

7. The Business of Baking and Pastry Managing Human Resources • Every bakeshop relies on a team with a multitude of skills and abilities. • A team effort is one of the major factors in the shop’s success. • Encourage your staff to hone their technical skills and foster an environment where their passion for excellence can thrive. • Learn the legal responsibilities required for managing your staff.

8. The Business of Baking and Pastry Managing Time • Learning new skills so that you can make the best possible use of time should be an ongoing part of your career. • The top five time wasters are: • lack of clear priorities for tasks, • poor staff training, • poor communication, • poor organization, • and inadequate or nonexistent tools for accomplishing tasks.

9. The Business of Baking and Pastry Managing Time • Time saving strategies to invest in: • Review daily operations. • Train others. • Learn to communicate clearly. • Create an orderly work environment. • Purchase, replace, and maintain all tools as necessary.

10. The Profession Key Points • True professionals have a passion for their craft and a drive for excellence. • They find ways to improve quality and efficiency in their own work. • Every member of a profession is responsible for its image. Professionals cultivate: • commitment to service • responsibility • good judgment