Pastry Chef

Capsicum Culinary Studio; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 260,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Jack Rabbit Chocolate in Johannesburg seeks a qualified Pastry Chef or Chef with proven chocolatier experience to join our production team. You will produce premium chocolate products, applying pastry techniques to temper, mould, fill, and finish confections, with a focus on quality and consistency.

The role is hands-on, requires 5+ years' experience, and involves recipe development, scaling for small-batch and large production, and ensuring food safety and housekeeping standards.

Qualifications

• Recognised qualification in Pastry Arts or related culinary discipline.
• 5+ years’ professional experience as a Pastry Chef or Chef.
• Hands-on experience with chocolate production and confectionery.
• Knowledge of tempering, crystallisation, moulding, ganache, fillings.
• Experience in scaling recipes and production planning.
• Ability to work in a professional pastry/kitchen environment.
• Attention to food safety, hygiene, allergen management, and shelf-life.

Responsibilities

• Produce a wide range of premium chocolate and confectionery products.
• Apply pastry and culinary techniques to chocolate production.
• Temper chocolate accurately using manual and tempering equipment.
• Prepare and execute chocolate and pastry-based recipes to spec.
• Operate pastry, chocolate-making, and culinary equipment safely.
• Monitor temperature, texture, crystallisation, and shelf life.
• Develop innovative products, flavours, textures, and finishes.
• Scale recipes for small-batch and larger production.
• Document ingredients, yields, wastage, and completed products.
• Support stock control, planning, and scheduling.
• Maintain a clean, hygienic, and food-safe production environment.
• Collaborate with production teams to meet targets and deadlines.

Skills

Chocolate production

Pastry skills

Recipe development

Quality control

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Education

Pastry Arts / Professional Cookery / Culinary Arts / Patisserie / Confectionery or related discipline

Tools

Chocolate tempering equipment

Moulding & enrobing equipment

Job description

A Pastry Chef is responsible for preparing, baking, and decorating pastries, cakes, desserts, and other baked goods while maintaining high standards of quality, presentation, and food safety.

Job Description

Jack Rabbit Chocolate is a leading chocolate manufacturing company dedicated to creating exceptional chocolates with passion, precision, and attention to detail. We combine traditional chocolate-making techniques with innovative flavours and contemporary designs to produce premium-quality confectionery for both retail and wholesale customers.

We are seeking a qualified and highly experienced Pastry Chef or Chef with proven chocolatier experience to join our dynamic production team and contribute to the creativity, technical expertise, and exceptional quality for which Jack Rabbit Chocolate is known.

Position overview

The successful candidate will be a skilled Pastry Chef or professionally trained Chef with a minimum of 5 years’ experience, ideally between 5 and 8 years, and strong practical experience working with chocolate and confectionery.

This is a hands-on production role that requires a combination of culinary expertise, creativity, technical chocolate-making skills, and exceptional attention to detail.

The ideal candidate will have a solid foundation in professional pastry or culinary arts, together with demonstrated experience in chocolate tempering, moulding, fillings, ganaches, confectionery production, and chocolate finishing techniques.

The successful candidate will be responsible for producing premium chocolate products, developing innovative recipes and concepts, supporting commercial production, and consistently maintaining Jack Rabbit Chocolate's high quality standards.

While a formal chocolatier qualification is not essential, proven practical experience and technical competence in chocolate production are essential.

Key responsibilities

• Produce a wide range of premium chocolate and confectionery products, including pralines, truffles, bonbons, ganaches, moulded chocolates, chocolate bars, enrobed products, and seasonal confectionery.
• Apply professional pastry and culinary techniques to chocolate production, including the preparation of fillings, creams, caramels, ganaches, inclusions, decorations, and other confectionery components.
• Temper chocolate accurately using both manual techniques and professional tempering equipment.
• Prepare and execute chocolate and pastry-based recipes according to approved formulations, production specifications, and quality standards.
• Operate professional chocolate-making, pastry, and culinary equipment correctly, safely, and efficiently.
• Monitor chocolate temperature, texture, crystallisation, consistency, setting, shelf life, and final product appearance.
• Apply creative pastry skills to the development of innovative chocolate products, flavour combinations, textures, fillings, and finishes.
• Participate in new product development, seasonal collections, and the improvement of existing product ranges.
• Accurately adapt and scale recipes for both small-batch artisanal production and larger commercial production volumes.
• Identify and resolve technical production challenges relating to tempering, moulding, cooling, filling, enrobing, decorating, and storage.
• Ensure consistency in taste, texture, presentation, portion sizes, and product quality across all retail and wholesale orders.
• Support chocolate-based pastry and confectionery production where required.
• Complete daily production records and accurately document ingredients, production yields, wastage, and completed products.
• Assist with stock control, ingredient planning, production preparation, and scheduling.
• Maintain a clean, organised, hygienic, and food-safe production environment.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, hygiene standards, allergen management, and internal quality-control procedures.
• Minimise ingredient waste and contribute to efficient, cost-effective production processes.
• Collaborate closely with the production, pastry, packaging, and management teams to meet production targets and customer deadlines.
• Assist with training, mentoring, and supporting junior production staff when required.
• Stay informed about new chocolate-making techniques, pastry innovations, equipment, ingredients, and industry trends.
• Be available to work overtime during peak production periods when required, with prior notice wherever possible.

Minimum requirements

• A recognised qualification in Pastry Arts, Professional Cookery, Culinary Arts, Patisserie, Confectionery, or a related culinary discipline.
• A minimum of 5 years’ professional experience as a Pastry Chef or Chef, preferably with 5–8 years of relevant industry experience.
• Proven, hands-on experience working with chocolate and producing professional-quality chocolate or confectionery products.
• Practical knowledge of chocolate tempering, crystallisation, moulding, ganache preparation, fillings, enrobing, decorating, and finishing techniques.
• Strong pastry or culinary skills, particularly in preparing fillings, creams, caramels, ganaches, and other components used in chocolate and confectionery production.
• A good understanding of different chocolate varieties, couverture chocolate, cocoa percentages, flavour combinations, and ingredient interactions.
• Experience following, developing, testing, documenting, and scaling recipes.
• Experience working in a professional pastry kitchen, confectionery environment, chocolate production facility, or commercial food production operation.
• Ability to operate professional pastry, chocolate-making, and culinary equipment.
• Sound understanding of food safety, hygiene, allergen management, quality control, and shelf-life requirements.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to producing consistently high-quality products.
• Creativity and a passion for producing visually appealing, innovative, and premium confectionery.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure and meet demanding production deadlines.
• Strong organisational, planning, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a production team.
• Flexibility and willingness to assist across different areas of production when required.
• Reliable transport to and from Sandton is advantageous.

Desirable attributes

• Previous experience as a Pastry Chef, Chef de Partie (Pastry), Chocolatier, or Confectionery Chef in a professional kitchen or production environment.
• Experience working with premium or luxury chocolate and confectionery products.
• Experience in both artisanal chocolate-making and larger-scale commercial production.
• Advanced chocolate decorating, moulding, hand-finishing, and presentation skills.
• Experience developing innovative chocolate flavours, fillings, textures, and seasonal product ranges.
• Knowledge of recipe costing, stock management, production planning, and waste reduction.
• Experience supervising, training, or mentoring junior kitchen or production staff.
• A portfolio demonstrating previous pastry, chocolate, or confectionery creations would be advantageous.
• A creative mindset, with a passion for exploring new techniques, ingredients, flavours, and finishes.
• A professional, proactive, solutions-focused approach and strong work ethic.
• A willingness to learn, adapt, and contribute to the continued growth and success of Jack Rabbit Chocolate.

Working hours

• Monday to Friday: 08:00–17:00.
• Overtime may be required during peak production periods, seasonal production, or when large customer orders need to be completed and dispatched. Prior notice will be provided wherever possible.