Who is a pastry chef?
A pastry chef or a pastry craftsman is a craftsperson or a worker skilled in pastry and baking technology or closely related field. Baking is basically a method of cooking food in an oven by use of heat without direct exposure to flame. Pastry on the other hand is food made from flour, water and fat mixed together, rolled flat or in other shapes then baked in an oven, a good example of a pastry is bread, cake among other related products. Pastry chefs make breads, cakes, pastries and other baked food stuffs.

Other closely related title(s)

1. Baking craftsperson
2. Pastry baker
3. Pastry cook
4. Baker
5. Baking chef
6. Macaroni and Noodle Maker
7. Chocolate Maker
8. Confectionery Maker

What is the work environment?
Pastry chefs work indoor in kitchens among other environments

Some important skills to have
Working successfully as a pastry chef requires important skills some of which are listed below.

1. Creativity skills
2. Teamwork skills
3. Passionate about food/ baking
4. Ability to prepare different pastries
5. Listening skills
6. Communication skills
7. Ability to use hands
8. Among others

What are some career opportunities?
Pastry chefs can get employment opportunities in a number of places. Some of these include; bakeries, hotels, restaurants, cafes, bistros, spas & resorts, learning institutions, cruise lines, confectionary businesses, other businesses and government departments among other areas.

With sufficient pastry and baking experience, pastry chefs can also launch their own pastry and baking enterprises.

Becoming a pastry chef

Minimum admission requirements
A Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), mean grade D (plain) and above is required.

Training & Study options
With a KCSE mean grade D (plain) and above, you can proceed to a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college and enroll for a relevant craft certificate course. Craft courses are also offered within Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) within your region.

So what course(s) can you pursue in TVET colleges?

1. Certificate in pastry and baking technology
2. Certificate in baking technology
3. Or other similar/ related courses

Education Progression
Upon a successful completion of a craft certificate course, you can advance your education upward (in a relevant field) up to university level if you like. How is this possible?

1. Get a craft certificate
2. Advance to diploma certificate, (in a relevant field)
3. Advance to degree certificate, (in a relevant field)

How to Join TVET College.
There are two ways you can follow to join training institution(s) in pursuit of your career of choice. The majority way is applying through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps). This is a state owned agency that admits/ places government sponsored students to TVET colleges and universities. One of the advantages of applying through Kuccps is that, upon successful placement, you will pay subsidized fee as a government sponsored student.

To be placed through Kuccps you must have attained a certain pass mark required for various education levels such as degrees, diplomas, certificates and artisan courses. For a craft certificate course, you need a minimum of KCSE mean grade D (plain) and above. For more details on placement criteria, visit Kuccps website. The second approach is applying directly to training institution of your choice. Students who opt to apply this way do not get government fee subsidy and are therefore self-sponsored.

How to fund your post-secondary education.
If you are a needy student, upon application, you can get education loan from Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), a state owned institution that gives education loans to students joining technical colleges and universities. You can also access education bursaries from your local Member of Parliament (MP) or the County Government among other sources.

Always remember this!
Information provided on this website is for career awareness only, and not for any other purpose.

Before you make any career choice, or commit yourself to any career or study option, be sure of what you are doing. It is advisable to seek professional advice from career advisors to navigate this very important process.

Need more information? We can provide you with additional career and education related information to meet your individual needs.