Chef, Pastry

Churchill Downs Incorporated; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Churchill Downs Incorporated is seeking a Pastry Chef to lead the Derby City Gaming & Hotel culinary team, directing pastry operations and creating diverse breads, pastries, and desserts. This role drives guest satisfaction while supporting profitability in the Food & Beverage department.

The Pastry Chef oversees pastry production, menu development, and seasonal offerings, ensuring quality, sanitation, and cost control in a fast-paced property that includes events and promotions.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years’ experience as a sous chef, pastry sous chef, or pastry chef.
• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major.
• Valid health certifications, if required.
• Able to obtain and maintain a valid Kentucky racing and gaming license.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership to pastry department staff, ensuring quality and service standards.
• Assists Executive Chef with pastry menu development and seasonal recipes.
• Develops new pastry ideas and designs; coordinates with marketing for events.
• Maintains sanitation procedures and manages cost controls for pastry.
• Monitors inventory, staffing, and production schedules to meet forecasted demand.

Skills

Management abilities

Interpersonal relationships

Communication skills

Work under pressure

Education

Associate degree in Culinary Arts

Job description

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Derby City Gaming & Hotel boasts nearly 1,300 of the latest games, a grab-n-go restaurant, Oliver’s Chophouse & Bourbon Bar, a Kentucky Derby-themed hotel, and live music! The newly expanded Derby City Gaming & Hotel was voted one of the “Best Places to Work in Greater Louisville” by Louisville Business First

JOB SUMMARY

The Pastry Chef position is a role primarily defined by the leading of the Derby City Gaming & Hotel culinary team while creating diverse breadmaking, pastry, and dessert offerings. The Pastry Chef contributes to the success of the Food & Beverage department by directing and guiding the restaurant operations to ensure a positive guest experience while ensuring company profitability.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides leadership and guidance to all employees within the pastry department, ensuring exceptional quality of product and service standards are upheld.
• Provides leadership and guidance to all employees within the culinary department in the absence of the Executive Chef and Sous Chef.
• Assists the Executive Chef with menu development related to pastry.
• Develop and create new pastry ideas and design presentations that are presented in a tasteful and appealing way.
• Develop new seasonal recipes and menus that relate with current trends.
• Ensures proper handling of all food products.
• Maintains food and labor costs related to the pastry department.
• Meet with the marketing department to discuss occasion-related desserts or baked goods needed for the property and/or guests.
• Maintain sanitation procedures and organization of work area, adhering to all OSHA regulations.
• Monitor and order ingredients, supplies, and equipment.
• Establishes menu forecasts based on customer counts or business forecasts and previous experience of dates and holidays. Responsible for posting the menu forecast for all kitchen team members to review.
• Reviews the prep team's staffing levels to maintain budget employment levels and delegates authority or assigns duties to all staff as necessary.
• Assists and advises upper management in training and developing staff, interviewing new hires, completing the hiring process, and evaluations.
• Reviews and improves service execution, ticket times, and production schedule.
• Verifies that kitchen staff maintains all portion sizes, quality standards, departmental rules, policies, and procedures and supervises the production of all food items.
• Verifies that all sanitation and nutrition practices are maintained by kitchen staff.
• Ensure the safety and security of employees and guests.
• Implement programs and processes to reduce loss-time injuries.
• Responsible for the enforcement of company policies and procedures.
• Works with the marketing team to prepare for events and promotions.
• Maintains a cooperative relationship with vendors.
• Meets with departmental directors and managers as necessary.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Management abilities demonstrated in managing the kitchen's effectiveness.
• Maintaining interpersonal working relationships among all personnel.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Willingness to assume overall responsibility relative to the performance of the kitchen in the absence of the upper management staff, work flexible hours, and handle high-pressure deadlines.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Three to five years’ experience as a sous chef, pastry sous chef, or pastry chef.
• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major.
• Valid health certifications, if required.
• Able to obtain and maintain a valid Kentucky racing and gaming license.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit or stand; walk; use hands to finger reach, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee may also be required to lift, push, and pull up to 50 lbs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability.

Work With Us

Churchill Downs Incorporated is an inclusive and fun place to work. We celebrate unique approaches and points of view. We believe diversity is a mindset that drives excellence. We’re always learning, evolving and growing. We innovate through mutual respect of ideas and collaboration. This allows us to build a common language that inspires our team members and propels us toward the achievement of our vision.