Help!! Pastry Chef, Baker, Cake Decorator???
Decorating By SweetSinsationz Updated 6 Nov 2013 , 8:44am by enga
AIs there a like button yet? Mimi makes me laugh.
Original message sent by MimiFix
Certified Pastry Chef is clear and to the point. As usual, we have belabored the point. Insert smiley face here.
Also, clearly, Jason's wife was an Executive Pastry Chef because Jason (who fulfills multiple job positions) worked under her supervision. Insert smiley face here.
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Certified Pastry Chef is clear and to the point. As usual, we have belabored the point. Insert smiley face here.
Also, clearly, Jason's wife was an Executive Pastry Chef because Jason (who fulfills multiple job positions) worked under her supervision. Insert smiley face here.
(I'm also the CFO, CEO, R&D and Executive Chief Bottle Washer in my kitchen. OTT maybe? Yeah, alright enough about me.)
SweetSinsations: call yourself what ever you want. If you are going into business, as long as it's legally accurate, no worries. 'Cause you won't fool your peers, and your true talent and abilities will be completely revealed to your customers. good luck.
Quote:
SweetSinsations: call yourself what ever you want. If you are going into business, as long as it's legally accurate, no worries. 'Cause you won't fool your peers, and your true talent and abilities will be completely revealed to your customers. good luck.
and the police will never be called, regardless of any title you may use...
Not exactly, I wasn't qualified to work under her supervision in the commercial kitchen. I just dropped off supplies and the updated list of customer orders, and picked up finished cakes for delivery.
That sounds an awful lot like a gofer.
gofer :(noun) A term for an employee, servant, or slave whose primary responsibility is to fetch items and bring them back to his or her boss, master, or owner. Formed by contraction of the words "go for". As in: "Go for coffee, go for doughnuts, go for whatever we need you fer!
A
Original message sent by Annabakescakes
That sounds an awful lot like a gofer. gofer :(noun) A term for an employee, servant, or slave whose primary responsibility is to fetch items and bring them back to his or her boss, master, or owner. Formed by contraction of the words "go for". As in: "Go for coffee, go for doughnuts, go for whatever we need you fer!
"I sent my gofer for coffee over twenty minutes ago. If he doesn't get back soon, I'm dropping his health care benefits!"
:-D
A
Original message sent by Annabakescakes
That sounds an awful lot like a gofer.
That's because being a "gofer" was part of my job, in that I would source supplies at the best price, purchase said supplies, manage inventory, and make sure the commercial kitchen was fully stocked. My goal was to make sure my wife could focus on just the baking and decorating without having to worry about buying supplies, dealing with customers, or handling administrative tasks on the business side. It worked pretty well.
She did have to get her own coffee though. ;)
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Poor thing, that's what i was thinking too!
OP, if you went to culinary school then you know that calling yourself certified anything only comes after you take whatever certification tests you have to for the given title. If you went into a kitchen and told the head chef that you were a certified pastry chef and you haven't taken the certification exam they would laugh you out of there. I went to culinary school and I work from home, and I say that I'm a baker when people ask me, and the owner when I fill out forms for wholesalers. On my website I say that I have a certificate in pastry arts, and I tell people that I went to culinary school for pastry if they ask. I don't call myself a certified pastry chef because I didn't do any certification exams, not seeing the need since I had no plans for working in a pastry kitchen. People don't care what your title is so much as they care about what your work looks like. I wouldn't worry about it and just work on building your business.
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Poor thing, that's what i was thinking too!
OP, if you went to culinary school then you know that calling yourself certified anything only comes after you take whatever certification tests you have to for the given title. If you went into a kitchen and told the head chef that you were a certified pastry chef and you haven't taken the certification exam they would laugh you out of there. I went to culinary school and I work from home, and I say that I'm a baker when people ask me, and the owner when I fill out forms for wholesalers. On my website I say that I have a certificate in pastry arts, and I tell people that I went to culinary school for pastry if they ask. I don't call myself a certified pastry chef because I didn't do any certification exams, not seeing the need since I had no plans for working in a pastry kitchen. People don't care what your title is so much as they care about what your work looks like. I wouldn't worry about it and just work on building your business.
This!
And Jason, I drink my coffee black - thank you! You're on the clock!
A
Original message sent by JWinslow
And Jason, I drink my coffee black - thank you! You're on the clock! :D
No problem, I'll just need the delivery fee of $1/minute round trip plus hotel and food costs up front. An even $13K should cover it, plus $1.99 for the coffee.
A
Original message sent by -K8memphis
why is that funny? it means 'a name' yes?
does it mean something else?
I was large With you. And it looks like monkey....mAkes me giggle.
I was large With you. And it looks like monkey....mAkes me giggle.
oh god i'm so lost 'large With me'? hahaha i'm giggling too but i'm not sure why-- there goes a snort
ridiculous thread--
NOT the op's fault nor am i referring to the op--i think op had/has a legitimate question--we're just a big bunch of monikers hahahaha
AOh goodness! I swear that wasn't a Freudian slip. Dang Kindle! Should have saved for the iPad. That's what I get for playing with the babie's toys.
That should have been "I was laughing With you not at you."
AAlright now if you had completed the PME courses what would you call yourself?
I am struggling on what to call myself!
I graduated with honors last year from one of the leading culinary schools
in Canada ..so I have training, but I work from home..I'm a stay at home mom & 'home baker', I have a home-based business.
You are trained in the arts of refined baking even if you choose to specialize in home-style baking
I fulfill all of the same duties a 'pastry chef' does, whilst performing all tasks a 'baker' & 'cake decorator' does.
I paid a lot of money for my education and feel I should have a title that rectifies my training -setting me apart from other 'home bakers'.
Which is why you should use your title that is well earned, "Certified Pastry Chef".
I feel that as a 'baker' I am summed up with all the other stay at home moms that bake as a hobby. but as a 'cake decorator' that I'm limited to decorating - what do you guys think?? I hope I haven't offended anyone.
opinions and suggestions much appreciated.
Cal
But you aren't the same as the average hobby/home baker. You have to use the skills that you have been taught in school or what would be the point of working so hard to earn your title. I am a Pastry Chef too. While in school as you are well aware of, it was a lot of lab hours and hard work involved. We had to do everything from baking, cake decorating, chocolate making, and Artisan bread making. Don't forget about costing out recipes, and formulas just to name a few. We were Jacks of all trades, masters of none,lol.
Now that you have graduated you have to hone those skills. I really think you should shadow a Pastry Chef in the industry or incorporate what you have leaned into your home baking. For instance when I make blueberry muffins, they are not just the run of the mill muffins. I add fresh lemon juice, the zest, heavy cream, and European butter. I whip the egg white separately from the egg yolks to give it a lighter texture. That will blow the average blueberry muffin out the window. I always look for ways to refine my products. That is what all that eduction has bought you, the art of refinement. Take all your text books out and use all those recipes for different sauces, mousse, and Chantilly cream to make your cakes above the average ones. I still use mine as they are invaluable to me.You are a Pastry Chef and should be really proud of yourself for achieving that. I know from my own experience it was not easy. I still have not perfected cake decorating by any means but I excel in baking pastry, bread, and gourmet cookies. You will find with experimenting and practice, you will get better. Some of the best decorated cakes go beyond buttercream and fondant, Charlotte cake comes to mind. You have everything you need to stand above the average baker right in your well educated head.
Congratulations Madame Pastry Chef, you have earned your title, wear it proudly!
Good Luck!!!
AEnga,
That was very thoughtful, encouraging, and kind.
As someone who has no formal culinary training, is it OK to weigh in on this discussion?
Personally I think titles are overrated - as someone pointed out earlier your reputation and success will be based on your execution, not your qualifications, as in any job you'll ever have. I am considering taking some culinary classes, not in pursuit of a title, but to learn techniques to up my game and improve my end product.
Use whatever title you're comfortable with that best describes what you do, and makes the impression you want to make on your customers. You can always include a footnote on your business card with your degrees if you decide not to make it part of your title but want people to know you've done it.
For the record, I also use the title "Owner/Cake Artist", even though I am also R&D, baker, purchasing agent, and administrator. I feel that Cake Artist conveys that I make specialty cakes that are beautiful, detailed, exclusive, and a cut (or more) above the grocery store cakes.
Quote:
I am struggling on what to call myself!
I graduated with honors last year from one of the leading culinary schools in Canada ..so I have training, but I work from home..I'm a stay at home mom & 'home baker', I have a home-based business.
You are trained in the arts of refined baking even if you choose to specialize in home-style baking
I fulfill all of the same duties a 'pastry chef' does, whilst performing all tasks a 'baker' & 'cake decorator' does.
I paid a lot of money for my education and feel I should have a title that rectifies my training -setting me apart from other 'home bakers'.
Which is why you should use your title that is well earned, "Certified Pastry Chef".
I feel that as a 'baker' I am summed up with all the other stay at home moms that bake as a hobby. but as a 'cake decorator' that I'm limited to decorating - what do you guys think?? I hope I haven't offended anyone.
opinions and suggestions much appreciated.
Cal
But you aren't the same as the average hobby/home baker. You have to use the skills that you have been taught in school or what would be the point of working so hard to earn your title. I am a Pastry Chef too. While in school as you are well aware of, it was a lot of lab hours and hard work involved. We had to do everything from baking, cake decorating, chocolate making, and Artisan bread making. Don't forget about costing out recipes, and formulas just to name a few. We were Jacks of all trades, masters of none,lol.
Now that you have graduated you have to hone those skills. I really think you should shadow a Pastry Chef in the industry or incorporate what you have leaned into your home baking. For instance when I make blueberry muffins, they are not just the run of the mill muffins. I add fresh lemon juice, the zest, heavy cream, and European butter. I whip the egg white separately from the egg yolks to give it a lighter texture. That will blow the average blueberry muffin out the window. I always look for ways to refine my products. That is what all that eduction has bought you, the art of refinement. Take all your text books out and use all those recipes for different sauces, mousse, and Chantilly cream to make your cakes above the average ones. I still use mine as they are invaluable to me.You are a Pastry Chef and should be really proud of yourself for achieving that. I know from my own experience it was not easy. I still have not perfected cake decorating by any means but I excel in baking pastry, bread, and gourmet cookies. You will find with experimenting and practice, you will get better. Some of the best decorated cakes go beyond buttercream and fondant, Charlotte cake comes to mind. You have everything you need to stand above the average baker right in your well educated head.
Congratulations Madame Pastry Chef, you have earned your title, wear it proudly!
Good Luck!!!
:D thanks so much - that was very thoughtful, encouraging and kind of you :) and your right! it was alot of hard work, time and dedication!! you are also right about being a jack of all trades and a master of none - that made me lol. i do incorporate skills learned from school and modify recipes - the one thing i love about culinary school is the vast amount of recipes you get to take home with you!! my personal favorites are the chantilly and pastry cream - hehe. again thank you so much for taking the time out to write all that and above all being encouraging, understanding and supportive of a fellow culinary graduate. and congratulations to you as well my dear - it was no easy feat!
:)
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