Senior Pastry Lead - Dessert Innovation in Luxury Kitchens

HotelJobs; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Live-out position

Job summary

Kendrick Recruitment is assisting in identifying an experienced Senior Pastry Chef to lead the pastry section of a luxury hospitality establishment in Cape Town. The role requires overseeing dessert and bakery production, mentoring junior staff, and contributing to menu development.

You will ensure high standards of presentation, quality, and hygiene in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen environment. Strong leadership and creativity are essential for success.

Qualifications

• A relevant culinary or pastry qualification.
• Minimum 5 years' pastry experience in a professional kitchen.
• Experience in a high-volume kitchen.
• Experience in a fine dining, semi-fine dining or luxury hospitality establishment.
• Strong knowledge of pastry production, baking techniques and dessert presentation.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to lead a team and work under pressure.
• Strong leadership, creativity, communication, problem-solving and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the daily operations of the pastry section.
• Prepare and present desserts, pastries, breads and baked goods in accordance with company recipes and presentation standards.
• Ensure the pastry section is fully prepared before service.
• Maintain consistency, quality and creativity across all pastry items.
• Supervise, support and develop junior pastry chefs and kitchen staff, allocating daily tasks and monitoring performance during service.
• Provide coaching and on-the-job training, promoting teamwork and a positive working environment.
• Monitor portion control and product consistency, maintaining high standards of presentation and attention to detail.
• Assist with seasonal menu development and new dessert concepts where required.
• Assist with stock ordering and inventory management, rotating stock using FIFO principles and minimising wastage.
• Monitor stock levels and communicate requirements to the Sous Chef.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, hygiene and health and safety standards.
• Maintain a clean, organised and safe pastry kitchen, and ensure all equipment is cleaned and maintained correctly.
• Report maintenance concerns where necessary.
• Support other kitchen sections where operationally required.

Skills

Pastry production

Dessert presentation

Team leadership

High-volume kitchen

Food safety

Menu development

Time management

Creativity

Education

Culinary or Pastry Qualification

Job description

Kendrick Recruitment is assisting in identifying an experienced Senior Pastry Chef to lead the pastry section of a luxury hospitality establishment in Cape Town. The role requires overseeing dessert and bakery production, mentoring junior staff, and contributing to menu development.

You will ensure high standards of presentation, quality, and hygiene in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen environment. Strong leadership and creativity are essential for success.