Pastry Chef

Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa Ltd; Romford; On-site; GBP 22,950 - 31,050; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days holiday incl. BH

3 volunteering days

3 grandparent leave

24 weeks maternity leave

Training & development

Pension & life insurance

Perkbox discounts

Wellbeing & EAP

Free meals at work

Apprenticeships for all levels

Job summary

We are looking for a talented and creative Pastry Chef to join the kitchen team at Brentwood School. You will be responsible for producing a variety of high-quality baked goods, breads and desserts, supporting the wider culinary operation while adding a distinctive flair to the school’s food offering.

From traditional bakes to innovative patisserie, your work will play a key part in delivering an exceptional dining experience for pupils, staff, and guests, as part of Holroyd Howe’s contract

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in a Pastry Chef role, ideally within contract catering, hotel, or high-end food service.
• Genuine passion for pastry with creativity and innovation in menu development.
• Attention to detail and excellence in presentation.
• Strong understanding of food safety and allergen management.
• Collaborative team player, able to work independently when required.
• Professional approach in a school environment with young people.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop pastry offer, maintaining high standards across home baking and desserts.
• Ensure food production, costs and menu planning are managed timely with the Executive/Head Chef.
• Oversee smooth running of the pastry section.
• Assist with compiling food orders and developing new concepts.
• Plan, prepare, cook and present food to required standards.
• Enhance the company’s reputation for excellent food and service with clients and customers.

Skills

Pastry experience

Contract catering

Food safety & allergens

Team leadership

Job description

Job Title & Location

Pastry Chef – Brentwood, Romford

Contract & Salary

Term‑time (175 days), 40 hours a week, Salary: £27K

Benefits

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high‑street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development through apprenticeships for all experience levels

About the Role

We are looking for a talented and creative Pastry Chef to join the kitchen team at Brentwood School.

You will be responsible for producing a variety of high‑quality baked goods, breads and desserts, supporting the wider culinary operation while adding a distinctive flair to the school’s food offering.

From traditional bakes to innovative patisserie, your work will play a key part in delivering an exceptional dining experience for pupils, staff, and guests.

You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

The safety and wellbeing of the people we serve is at the heart of everything we do. A key element is effective allergen management; achieved through training, communication, and care, we create mealtimes where every pupil has a safe experience.

Our mission is simple: to provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their job and our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop pastry offer, ensuring high standards across all areas of home baking and desserts, in line with Executive/Head Chef.
• Ensure food production, standards, costs, and menu planning are carried out in a timely fashion, as agreed with the Executive Chef/Head Chef.
• Carry out the smooth and efficient running of the section as appropriate.
• Assist the Executive Chef/Head Chef with compiling food orders and developing new food concepts.
• Plan, prepare, cook and present food to the standards required by the company and the client.
• Ensure the company’s reputation for excellent food and service is enhanced with the client and customers.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in a Pastry Chef role, ideally within contract catering, hotel, or high‑end food service.
• A genuine passion for pastry, with a flair for creativity and innovation in menu development.
• Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring precision in preparation and excellence in presentation.
• Strong understanding of food safety, allergen management, and best practices in kitchen hygiene.
• Proactive and collaborative team player, able to work independently when required.
• Confident and professional when working in a school environment, understanding the needs of young people.

Additional Information

We are an equal opportunities employer. In order to be considered for this role, you must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check, will be required for all successful applicants.

Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children. This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.