Experienced Pastry Chef

Chef by Design Catering; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Health insurance

401(k) with employer match

Employee meals

Job summary

Chef by Design Catering in Norfolk, VA is seeking an Experienced Pastry Chef to join our culinary team and drive the pastry program across our growing hospitality group.

This full-time, hands-on role requires 5+ years of bakery experience, the ability to lead a team through high-volume production, and a commitment to quality as volume increases. PTO, health insurance, and 401(k) with employer match are benefits after eligibility.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of professional pastry experience.
• Leadership and team guidance in a busy kitchen.
• Ability to scale pastries and breads for high-volume production.
• Culinary or pastry degree a plus; experience matters most.

Responsibilities

• Execute an established pastry program across events and venues.
• Produce pastries and breads at scale while maintaining consistency.
• Lead and motivate the pastry team through busy production schedules.
• Communicate clearly, stay calm under pressure, and own your work.

Skills

Pastry expertise

Bread baking

High-volume production

Leadership

Communication

Education

Culinary or pastry degree

ServSafe certification

Job description

Full-Time | Starting pay: $23- $26 per hour, with flexibility for highly experienced candidates. Position is designed to transition to salary after the eligibility period. | Norfolk, Virginia

You know your way around a pastry kitchen. Now, we’re looking for someone ready to bring that experience to a team that does a little bit of everything.

Chef by Design is looking for an Experienced Pastry Chef to join our culinary team and help execute the pastry program across our growing hospitality group.

One week may include artisan breads and pastries, an intimate private event, and desserts for a wedding. The next may mean high-volume production for a large corporate gala or developing something new for a seasonal offering. The scale changes. The expectation for quality does not.

A little about us

Chef by Design is a full-service catering company serving Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and the greater Coastal Virginia region. Our team produces weddings, corporate events, galas, private celebrations, and events at our own venues, including The Neon House and The Beaumont 759. And we’re continuing to grow, with the opening of our new patisserie planned for fall 2026, creating even more opportunities for our pastry program to expand and evolve.

We have built our reputation around from-scratch food, thoughtful hospitality, and a team of talented people, many of whom have been with us for years.

We move fast. We care about the details. And we take a lot of pride in what leaves our kitchen.

Who we're looking for

This isn't an entry-level pastry position. We're looking for someone with at least five years of professional baking and pastry experience who can step into an established program, work confidently in a high-volume environment, and bring a strong work ethic to the kitchen every day.

A culinary or pastry degree is a plus, but experience, skill, and leadership matter most.

You should be comfortable producing pastries and breads at scale, maintaining consistency when volume increases, and helping lead a team through busy production schedules.

We're also looking for someone with a voice. Someone who can communicate clearly, help guide a team, stay calm under pressure, and take ownership of their work.

The opportunity

You'll primarily help execute an established pastry program, but we don't want you to leave your creativity at the door.

There are opportunities for R&D, recipe development, and seasonal offerings, along with producing pastry for Chef by Design and our growing collection of hospitality concepts.

This is a full-time, hands-on kitchen position.

Benefits available after eligibility period, including PTO, health insurance, and 401(k) with employer match | Employee meals

What you'll need

• 5+ years of professional pastry experience
• Strong pastry, bread, and high-volume production skills
• Leadership ability and a strong, dependable work ethic
• Valid Drivers License
• ServSafe certification
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Ability to work efficiently and remain calm in a fast-paced kitchen

Five reasons to consider Chef by Design

• Variety. Your work won't look the same every day.
• Scale. Produce for everything from intimate celebrations to large-scale weddings, corporate events, and galas.
• Creativity. Contribute to R&D and seasonal offerings while working within an established pastry program.
• A seasoned team. Work alongside experienced hospitality professionals and long-tenured members of our culinary team.
• Room to grow with us. We're building more than a catering company, and we're looking for people who want to be part of where we're going next.

Sound like your kind of kitchen?

If you're an experienced pastry professional who takes pride in your craft, isn't intimidated by volume, knows how to lead when things get busy, and wants to be part of an established team that's continuing to grow, we'd like to meet you.