Advice for becoming a pastry chef?

I'm interested in becoming a pastry chef?

• I'm interested in becoming a pastry chef as a career. I'm recently in community college for a respiratory therapist program but after 2 years n half Ive come to realize that ...show more

• Answer:

  Because of the tv cooking shows, there was a glut of new chefs in 2010-2012. That is getting a bit better now. The pastry chef is always the most-loved member of the kitchen staff for obvious reasons. You never yell at other workers and seldom get yelled-at... you mostly do your own thing. It gets a bit boring at times since the menu has 3 items for you to produce for each meal. If you get noticed by an upcoming chef, she might take you with her as she moves up the ladder. Good chefs love to keep their staff together. The basic chef certificate at culinary school takes apx 9 months and costs $23,000. The pay will be $10 to $30 an hour. Don't be put off by a low starting wage. You can make more later. In the back of most chefs' minds is the thought of opening their own restaurant-bakery at some time in the future. If you can get your first cooking job without the chef cert, that would be best. You don't want to have to make $23,000 just to break even. Chefs hire good cooks regardless of whether they have a certificate or not.