Executive Pastry Chef

Silversea; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Silversea is seeking an Executive Pastry Chef to lead all pastry and bakery production aboard our luxury ships. You will drive quality, consistency, and guest satisfaction while mentoring a high-performing team in a fast-paced galley environment.

Excellence in safety, sanitation, and presentation is essential to uphold our standards of refinement and hospitality. You will oversee showpieces, menu development, and training, ensuring accurate forecasting, cost control, and adherence to Public

Qualifications

• Minimum five (5) years of pastry chef or executive pastry chef experience in luxury/hospitality environments.
• Valid STCW certification and USPH or HACCP certification are required.
• Advanced knowledge of international pastry and bakery production with strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Lead pastry and bakery production across all venues onboard, ensuring quality, consistency, and on-time delivery.
• Maintain compliance with Public Health standards, food safety, and portion control guidelines.
• Train and develop pastry staff; manage staffing, schedules, and equipment utilization.
• Collaborate with culinary leadership on menu planning, showpieces, and dietary accommodations.

Skills

Leadership

Attention to detail

Communication

Teamwork

Problem solving

Education

STCW certification

USPH or HACCP certification

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Silversea’s culinary and service standards are built on refinement, consistency, and genuine hospitality.

The Executive Pastry Chef contributes directly to the guest experience by delivering pastry and bakery offerings that are curated, precise, and memorable, while leading a high-performing team culture grounded in professionalism, trust, and pride in craftsmanship. This position is expected to drive operational excellence across all pastry and bakery touchpoints, uphold Public Health standards without exception, and ensure that every guest interaction reflects the Company’s service principles: personalized, attentive, and sincere.

Responsible for the overall leadership, quality execution, financial accountability, and operational management of all pastry and bakery production onboard. Ensures the delivery of high-quality, efficient, consistent, and technically excellent pastry and bakery products in accordance with standard recipes, techniques, company policies, and all Public Health regulations. The objective is to achieve total guest satisfaction, meet all performance metrics, and support the Company’s culinary and service standards.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to the Executive Chef, with functional alignment to the Corporate Pastry/ Bakery Chef.
• Subordinates include Confectioners, Assistant Pastry Chefs, Head Baker, and Bakers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages, directs, and oversees the complete pastry and bakery production for breakfast, lunch, teatime, dinner, special functions, and crew service across all venues.
• Ensures the correct setup, organization, and operational readiness of all pastry and bakery service stations and production areas.
• Coordinates, supervises, and ensures the execution of all guests’ special orders and dietary requirements, ensuring that restrictions, allergies, and preferences are fully respected.
• Plans, prepares, and executes pastry and bakery items for all functions, cocktail parties, special events, and themed operations.
• Organizes, supervises, and delivers pastry and bakery demonstrations and culinary presentations as required.
• Oversees the preparation and execution of showpieces and decorative elements for buffets and special displays, ensuring brand consistency and visual excellence.
• Responsible for preparation standards and final approval of all show plates and plated dessert presentations.
• Assists and supports cooking demonstrations, guest chef programs, and culinary initiatives as required.
• Organizes, leads, and evaluates training sessions for all pastry and bakery personnel to ensure continuous development and adherence to Company standards.
• Monitors staff satisfaction, comments, and eNPS metrics; actively engages with the team, maintains hands‑on leadership, and lead by example within the department.
• Monitors crew satisfaction, comments, eNPS and participation; actively engages with the team, leads by example, and maintains hands‑on involvement within the department.
• Monitors guest satisfaction, comments, ratings, and NPS (Net Promoter Score); actively engages with guests; assumes personal responsibility for service recovery; and takes immediate corrective action when necessary.
• Ensures absolute quality and consistency in taste, presentation, portioning, and appearance of all pastry and bakery products.
• Prepares, reviews, and approves requisitions for pastry and bakery operations, accurately forecasting operational needs.
• Cross-checks requisitions, deliveries, and stock levels to ensure accuracy, quality, and cost control.
• Ensures all setups, production schedules, and service preparations are completed on time.
• Ensures proper storage, labeling, rotation, and handling of food items to maintain quality and comply with Company and Public Health standards.
• Enforces economic food production, portion control, and waste reduction strategies.
• Maintains all pastry and bakery areas in a clean, orderly, and safe condition.
• Ensures accurate communication and tracking of guest allergies and intolerances, enforcing strict compliance within the team.
• Applies advanced knowledge of pastry and bakery production, including dietary adaptations.
• Supervises daily bakery production and requisitions to ensure operational continuity.
• Provides the Officer and Crew Mess with a consistent and high-quality selection of pastry and bakery goods.
• Assists with menu planning, menu development initiatives, and maintenance of recipe manuals, ensuring adherence to the menu cycle.
• Ensures safe, appropriate transport of products to assigned outlets.
• Demonstrates advanced pastry and bakery skills while remaining aware of industry trends.
• Ensures the department operates productively, efficiently, and with minimal supervision required by the Executive Chef.
• Assists with and oversees regular inventory of galley, pastry, and bakery equipment.
• Ensure all areas and equipment are properly cleaned, maintained, and sanitized.
• Ensures continuous readiness for internal or external Public Health inspections.
• Ensures accurate logging and monitoring of refrigerator and freezer temperatures per Company standards.
• Ensures correct use of equipment by the team and reports any malfunction promptly.
• Minimizes breakage and wastage, enforces correct waste-disposal procedures, and promotes responsible use of resources.
• Ensures financial targets are achieved through strong cost and quality control.
• Assists in training, inducting, and integrating new pastry and bakery personnel.
• Identifies operational risks or challenges and addresses them promptly, informing senior management as needed.
• Attends all required training sessions and actively pursues continuous professional development.
• Ensures full adherence to the Company’s Code of Conduct.
• Practices and enforces preventative maintenance procedures.
• Keeps the Executive Chef and Corporate Pastry/Bakery Chef fully informed of significant operational or personnel matters.
• Enforces all Standard Operating Procedures and checks all pastry outlets for compliance.
• Continuously reviews recipes and production processes to identify improvement opportunities.
• Ensures recipe reviews are conducted, updated, and communicated to the Executive Chef, Corporate Pastry Chef, and Corporate Office.
• Monitors working and resting hours of the pastry and bakery team, ensuring compliance with ILO and MLC regulations; optimizes the workforce; controls overtime; and proposes operational solutions when required.
• Incorporates Company service standards and hospitality principles into all guest interactions.
• Practices effective people management and maintains professional collaboration with all departments.
• Ensures compliance with uniform, grooming, hygiene, and appearance standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned by shipboard management.

Safety Duties

• Participates in crew and passenger safety drills as instructed.
• Comply with Company safety and pollution-prevention regulations and procedures.
• Participates in all mandatory safety and compliance training.
• Leads by example in promoting the health and safety of self and others.
• Ensures correct use of work equipment, PPE, chemicals, and safety devices.

Qualifications

• Valid STCW certification.
• Valid USPH or HACCP certification.
• Minimum five (5) years of experience as a Pastry Chef or Executive Pastry Chef within a luxury/5‑star hospitality environment or a cruise line of comparable standard.
• Advanced knowledge of international pastry and bakery production.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to excellence.
• Proven knowledge and experience with Public Health policies and procedures.
• Ability to read, interpret, and apply advanced culinary documentation.
• Physically and medically fit.

Knowledge and Skills

• Maintains a professional, confident, and approachable leadership presence.
• Punctual, reliable, and accountable.
• Proactive and solution‑oriented.
• Adaptable and able to perform under pressure with attention to detail.
• Communicates clearly and effectively.
• Able to follow written, oral, or diagram instructions.
• Able to address problems involving multiple variables.
• Respects the privacy of guests and colleagues.
• Promotes teamwork and mutual respect.
• Demonstrates safe and responsible practices in compliance with the SMS.
• Able to live and work in close quarters onboard.
• Maintains a well‑groomed and professional appearance.
• Consistently delivers high performance standards.

Language requirements

• Excellent fluent English, verbal and written, with the ability to give and receive instructions and effectively engage with guests and crew.

Computer knowledge

• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Sufficient knowledge to operate Company software in compliance with global information‑security policies.

Required to stand and walk long distances, perform repetitive movements, work in a fast‑paced galley environment, lift or push up to 50 lbs. (22.6 kg), work extended hours and irregular schedules, and operate in all galley areas.

Full use of hands, arms, speech, hearing, smell, and taste.

Ability to adjust focus, depth perception, peripheral vision, and distance vision.