Senior Pastry Chef - Menu Innovation & Team Leadership

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 420,000 - 660,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Performance bonuses

Hybrid work model

Career growth

Job summary

Placements24 in Stellenbosch invites a Senior Pastry Chef to lead the pastry kitchen of a boutique patisserie. You will craft exquisite desserts, breads, and pastries, oversee production, mentor staff, and drive menu development with seasonal, high‑quality ingredients.

This hybrid role blends hands‑on baking with kitchen leadership, focusing on quality, presentation, and innovative pastry artistry within a vibrant Western Cape setting.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of pastry chef experience.
• Proficient in baking, chocolate work, sugar artistry, cake decoration.
• Strong recipe costing and quality control knowledge.
• Excellent food safety and sanitation practices.
• Proven leadership and mentoring skills.
• Creative with seasonal ingredients.

Responsibilities

• Lead the pastry kitchen operations, ensuring high-quality production of all baked goods.
• Develop and refine innovative pastry recipes and menu items with seasonal ingredients.
• Oversee daily preparation and finishing of all pastry products to meet standards.
• Maintain strict adherence to food safety, sanitation, and hygiene regulations.
• Manage inventory, order ingredients, and control costs to minimize waste.
• Mentor and train junior pastry chefs and kitchen assistants.
• Ensure consistent quality and presentation of all products leaving the kitchen.
• Collaborate with head chef on menu planning and events.
• Maintain kitchen equipment and a safe, organized working environment.

Skills

Pastry techniques

Leadership

Menu development

Costing & quality control

Food safety

Mentoring

Time management

Job description

Placements24 in Stellenbosch invites a Senior Pastry Chef to lead the pastry kitchen of a boutique patisserie. You will craft exquisite desserts, breads, and pastries, oversee production, mentor staff, and drive menu development with seasonal, high‑quality ingredients.

This hybrid role blends hands‑on baking with kitchen leadership, focusing on quality, presentation, and innovative pastry artistry within a vibrant Western Cape setting.