Pastry Chef
Create desserts, breads and patisserie for restaurants and hotels.
Save this career to see your personalized pathway in My Senda.
- Typical pay
- €24k–€48k
- Usual education
- Culinary school or apprenticeship
- Outlook
- Steady, with strong demand in cities and resorts.
A day in the life
Early starts baking, tempering chocolate, plating desserts for service, developing seasonal menus.
Ways in
- Patisserie course
- Bakery apprenticeship
What to study at 16
The subjects you choose for the final years of secondary school can shape which degrees, exams and careers are easiest to reach. This is about choosing courses, not choosing a school.
Spain
Bachillerato de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales
France
Bac professionnel
Poland
Technikum
Sweden
Yrkesprogram
Austria
HLW – Business and services college
Belgium
BSO – Vocational secondary
Skills that matter
Best courses to take
The study routes that lead most directly into this career.
Culinary Arts Diploma
Hands-on kitchen training in technique, hygiene and menu costing.
A broad kitchen base before specialising.
Helpful school subjects: Cookery, Food safety, Costing, Patisserie
Bakery and Pastry (Grado Medio)
Bread, pastry and chocolate work, with production shifts that mirror a real obrador.
Production-shift training that mirrors a real obrador.
Helpful school subjects: Baking, Pastry, Chocolate work
Patisserie & Bakery Certificate
Focused training in bread, chocolate and dessert work.
Specialist training pays off quickly in this field.
Helpful school subjects: Baking, Chocolate, Plated desserts
Places that hire for this
Accor
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.
Booking.com
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.
eDreams ODIGEO
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.
Iberia
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.
Grupo Ibersol
Common first job; shift supervisor within a year or two is realistic.
Grupo José Avillez
Kitchen stages and commis roles in Michelin-level brigades.
Lufthansa Group
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.
Marriott International
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.
Meliá Hotels International
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.
MSC Cruises
Recruits for this role through internships, apprenticeships and graduate entry routes.