In most popular restaurants the job of the pastry chef (also called a pâtissier) is revered second only to the head chef. This means that competition to become a pastry chef is intense and it is a huge career advantage to attend one of the top pastry chef schools. These schools offer a formal education with full honors available and with this education behind you a high level of job is easier to find. However, most chefs just out of school will have to work under the guidance of a head chef until they can prove themselves.

It is the pastry chef’s job to create all the pastry recipes (pastries, deserts, breads and other baked goods) on the menu as well as testing and creating new recipes for the customers of the restaurant. The pastry chef will usually have other chefs working with them so good people and time management skills are needed to be successful.

There are many top pastry chef schools around the world, but the two most popular schools are; Le Cordon Bleu and The Culinary Institute of America. These schools feature top facilities and training for all types of chefs and both have world class pasty chef courses with worldwide recognition. However, don’t overlook the little pastry chef cooking schools, as these can be a great environment to learn the craft of pasty making.