Pastry Chef

andBeyond Travel; Mpumalanga; On-site; ZAR 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

&Beyond is seeking a talented and creative Pastry Chef to oversee the preparation of high-quality pastries, breads, and desserts. The ideal candidate should have experience in baking, decorating, and creating a variety of pastries, bread and sweets.

They should ensure consistency, maintain food safety standards and contribute to menu development. This permanent live-in position requires 3+ years in a senior pastry role, a Diploma or Certification in Culinary Arts, and the ability to lead a

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a pastry chef, baker, or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of baking techniques, ingredients, and decorating methods.
• Creativity and attention to detail in food presentation.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and bake a variety of pastries, bread, cakes and desserts on a daily basis.
• Be able to create visually appealing and delicious baked goods using advanced decorating techniques.
• Experiment with new recipes and techniques to enhance menu offerings.
• Manage pastry section operations, ensuring smooth workflow and efficiency.
• Maintain a stock control of baking ingredients and allow orders to be placed as needed.
• Minimize waste and manage ingredients usage to optimize food costs.
• Adhere to food safety and hygiene standards at all times.
• Ensure all ingredients are stored correctly and labelled properly.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the pastry section and equipment.
• Develop and refine recipes to meet high-quality standards.
• Present pastries attractively for display and service.
• Work closely with chefs and kitchen staff to coordinate food preparation.
• Train and mentor junior pastry chefs and assistants.
• Provide guidance on baking techniques and decoration methods.
• Modify recipes to cater to dietary restrictions, including gluten-free or vegan options.
• Keep up with industry trends and introduce innovative flavours and techniques.
• Design and develop new pastry and dessert menu items.

Skills

Pastry chef

Baking techniques

Decorating

Leadership

Time management

Education

Diploma or certification in Culinary Arts

Job description

&Beyond is built, almost entirely, on the strength of remarkable people who give passionately to their roles, work tirelessly, and have the guest experience at the core of their focus daily and care of the sustainability of our communities and environment. Every single '&Beyonder' makes a huge difference to our success and our contribution to the world, regardless of their role or function. For this reason we choose '&Beyonders' very carefully - they are the strength and the future of this company.

We are seeking a talented and creative Pastry Chef to oversee the preparation of high-quality baked goods and desserts. The ideal candidate should have experience in baking, decorating, and creating a variety of pastries, bread and sweets. They should ensure consistency, maintain food safety standards and contribute to menu development.

Key Outputs

• Prepare and bake a variety of pastries, bread, cakes and desserts on a daily basis
• Be able to create visually appealing and delicious baked good using advanced decorating techniques
• Be able to experiment with new recipes and techniques to enhance menu offerings
• Manage pastry section operations, ensuring smooth workflow and efficiency
• Maintain a stock control of baking ingredients and allow orders to be placed as needed
• Minimize waste and manage ingredients usage to optimize food costs eg: left over controls
• Adhere to food safety and hygiene standards at all times
• Ensure all ingredients are stored correctly and labelled properly
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the pastry section and equipment
• Ensure consistency in taste, texture, and appearance of products
• Develop and refine recipes to meet high-quality standards
• Present pastries attractively for display and service
• Ability to work closely with chefs and kitchen staff to coordinate food preparation
• Train and mentor junior pastry chefs and assistants
• Provide guidance on baking techniques and decoration methods
• Modify recipes to cater to dietary restrictions, including gluten‑free or vegan options
• Keep up with the industries trends and introduce innovative flavours and techniques
• Design and develop new pastry and dessert menu items

Skills Required

• Proven experience as a pastry chef, baker, or similar role
• Strong knowledge of baking techniques, ingredients, and decorating methods
• Creativity and attention to detail in food presentation
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure and meet deadlines
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills
• Team player with good communication and leadership abilities

Previous Work Experience Required

• At least 3+ years of experience in a senior pastry role
• Diploma or certification in Culinary Arts (preferred)

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Creativity and innovation
• Attention to detail
• Passion for baking
• Patience & perseverance
• Strong work ethic
• Organizational skills
• Team plater & leadership
• Adaptability and problem‑solving
• Cleanliness & hygiene awareness
• Customer‑oriented mind‑set

This is a permanent live-in position.

Transport to/from leave cycles is the successful candidate's own responsibility