Department: Culinary

FLSA: Exempt 

Status: Full Time

Reports to: Executive Chef

Customary Days: Sunday - Saturday

Customary Hours: Varies to include evenings, holidays, and extended hours as business requires

Position Summary

The Pastry Chef is responsible for leading all aspects of Blue Plate’s pastry and dessert program, ensuring exceptional quality, creativity, consistency, and operational excellence across all catering events and venue operations. This role oversees the daily production and execution of the Pastry department while developing innovative seasonal items, maintaining safety standards, managing labor and food costs, and leading a high-performing pastry team. Working closely with the Executive Chef and Culinary Leadership Team and Sales, the Pastry Chef creates memorable dessert experiences that reflect Blue Plate’s commitment to culinary excellence, innovation, and exceptional guest service.

Essential Functions:

Culinary Leadership:

• Establish the vision, standards, and direction for all pastry and dessert operations.

• Develop innovative seasonal menus, signature desserts, breads, pastries, wedding cakes, specialty displays, and custom client offerings.

• Partner with the Executive Chef and Culinary Leadership Team on menu development, company initiatives, and culinary strategy.

• Research culinary trends, techniques, ingredients, and equipment to continuously evolve Blue Plate's pastry program.

• Ensure consistency, presentation, flavor, and execution across all pastry production. 

Leadership & Team Development:

• Recruit, hire, train, coach, mentor, and develop pastry employees.

• Build a high-performing pastry team through continuous coaching and professional development.

• Establish performance expectations and conduct performance evaluations.

• Provide regular feedback, recognition, and corrective action when appropriate.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, creativity, and continuous improvement.

• Support succession planning by identifying and developing future pastry leaders.

Operations Management:

• Direct all daily pastry production to ensure timely execution for catering events, venues, tastings, and special projects.

• Develop production schedules that maximize efficiency while maintaining exceptional quality.

• Monitor labor utilization and staffing needs to support changing business demands.

• Ensure proper inventory management, ordering, product rotation, and waste reduction.

• Maintain all pastry equipment and coordinate maintenance as necessary. 

Financial Management:

• Develop and manage the annual pastry department budget.

• Monitor labor costs, food costs, inventory, and departmental financial performance.

• Identify operational efficiencies while maintaining Blue Plate's quality standards.

• Partner with Purchasing to source premium ingredients and negotiate favorable vendor pricing.

• Analyze production trends and implement process improvements.

Client Experience:

• Participate in client tastings and menu presentations.

• Collaborate with Sales and Event Operations to develop customized dessert experiences.

• Support high-profile events and attend functions when leadership presence is required.

• Ensure pastry execution consistently exceeds client expectations. 

Food Safety & Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with all local, state, federal, and company food safety regulations.

• Maintain sanitation, HACCP, and food handling standards throughout pastry operations.

• Promote a safe, organized, and clean work environment.

• Ensure all department employees maintain required certifications and follow company policies.

Collaboration:

• Participate in Culinary Leadership, Operations, and Production meetings.

• Partner closely with Finance, Sales, Event Operations, Warehouse, and Culinary teams to ensure seamless execution.

• Perform other tasks as directed by management.

Education and Experience: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry Arts, or related field preferred.

• Minimum of 8-10 years of successful experience within the hospitality industry, preferably with catering or hotel food service.

• Minimum of 5 years managing pastry teams within the hospitality industry, preferably with catering, hotel, or high-volume production environment.

• Completion of City of Chicago Department of Public Health Certified Food Service Manager certification preferred, or ability to complete the certification within 90 days after date of hire.

Essential Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Blue Plate is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA):

• Ability to demonstrate strong affinity for Blue Plate’s mission: Our mission is to “care more” for others through food and service experiences that turn our partner’s vision into reality.

• Impeccable service standards and attention to detail.

• Demonstrated ability to lead people and get results through others.

• Ability to effectively solve problems and make decisions in a fast paced, high-pressure environment.

• Highly organized and able to handle multiple responsibilities.

Language Skills

Ability to read, write and speak English proficiently. Bilingual skills preferred.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Blue Plate is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA):

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, taste and smell.

• The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to feel; reach with hand and arms, and stoop, kneel or crouch for 6 to 8 hours at a time.

• Regularly required to lift and/or move up to 60 lbs.

• Specific vision requirements include the ability to see close range, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Blue Plate is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA):

• May work in extreme heat and cold (non-weather and weather).

• May work in wet conditions (non-weather and weather).

• Noise level is low to moderate.

• May work near toxic/caustic chemical and with fumes or airborne particles.

• Will work near moving or mechanical parts.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary Range: $90,000 - $100,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

Bonus: This position is eligible for Blue Plate’s annual incentive plan program, awarded based on individual and company performance.

Benefits Overview

At Blue Plate Catering, We Care More—and that starts with taking care of our people. We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and work-life balance. Eligible team members enjoy medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, paid time off (PTO), paid sick leave, commuter benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), complimentary employee meals, and voluntary pet insurance. We also offer, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and resources that support your personal and professional well-being—because when our people thrive, so do our clients and our company.

DEIA at Blue Plate:  

At Blue Plate, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and  Accessibility (DEIA). Our core value, "We Care More," guides us in creating an environment where all individuals are respected, valued, and empowered to thrive.  We believe in intentional recruitment practices, partnering with community organizations, diverse job boards, and attending job fairs at schools that reflect a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Our hiring and selection processes are designed to be equitable, focusing on skills, potential, and minimizing bias, ensuring opportunities are accessible to everyone. From onboarding to ongoing development, we provide tailored resources, mentorship, and training programs to support our team members and cultivate an inclusive culture. We actively measure and analyze diversity metrics, using these insights to continuously improve and hold ourselves accountable in our DEIA efforts.  

Blue Plate’s mantra, "Happy People Making People Happy," extends to our employees, clients, and partners. By honoring differences and listening thoughtfully, we build meaningful relationships and ensure everyone feels welcome and valued. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and walks of life to join our team in shaping memorable food and service experiences. Together, we are dedicated to going beyond to make a difference. Blue Plate Catering complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment, including protections related to race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.