Job Description

Job Title: Pastry Chef
Reports To: Executive Chef / Chef de Cuisine / Director of F&B
Department: Back of House – Pastry
Employment Type: Salaried, Exempt

About José Andrés Group

José Andrés Group (JAG) is a hospitality company led by Chef José Andrés, known for outstanding guest experiences, innovation, and a values-driven culture. Our teams bring world-class food and warm hospitality to life across acclaimed concepts worldwide.

Position Summary

The Pastry Chef is the creative and operational leader of the pastry program—owning menu vision, daily production, team development, food safety, and financial performance. You’ll design seasonally inspired desserts and breads, lead tastings and training, ensure consistent execution for à la carte, PDR, and events, and partner cross-functionally to deliver JAG standards of flavor, texture, and presentation every service.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Vision, Menus & Standards

• Create and maintain pastry menus aligned with concept and seasonality (à la carte, tasting menus, banquet/PDR, retail/pastry case as applicable).
• Establish and enforce specs/SOPs for recipes, bakes, textures, decoration, and plating; keep version control current.
• Lead pre-service tastings and quality calibrations; continuously refine based on feedback and sales mix.

Daily Production & Service

• Build weekly/daily production schedules and pars; assign tasks to meet covers and event timelines.
• Set and run pastry service stations; coordinate with expo on coursing and ticket times; lead “fix-now” recovery on remakes.
• Ensure precise finishing, temperature, and presentation standards for all items.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, schedule, train, and develop a high-performing pastry team (Sous, Cooks, Stewards).
• Deliver clear goals, timely coaching, and documented feedback; recognize great performance.
• Cross-train team across stations (lamination, entremets, plated desserts, viennoiserie, chocolate work).

Food Safety, Sanitation & Compliance

• Enforce DOH/HACCP: cooling logs, holding temps, allergen/cross-contact controls, and personal hygiene.
• Maintain cleaning schedules for equipment, walk-ins, freezers, and dry storage; ensure safe chemical/PPE use.
• Prepare for inspections and audits; correct violations immediately and retrain.

Inventory, COGS & Procurement

• Own pastry inventory accuracy, ordering, and vendor relationships (dairy, chocolate, flour, fruit, décor, packaging).
• Control COGS via portioning, yield tracking, waste logs, and smart batch sizes; verify receiving quality/temperatures.
• Partner with Finance on month-end counts and variance analysis; surface cost-savings without sacrificing quality.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate with Savory Culinary, Beverage, Events, and Marketing on pairings, promotions, and seasonal activations.
• Provide specs and assets for collateral; support photoshoots and content needs.
• Participate in menu engineering, pricing, and sales strategies.

Equipment, Facilities & R&M

• Ensure proper use and daily care of mixers, sheeters, proofers, deck/combi ovens, blast chillers, chocolate tempering machines, dehydrators, and small tools.
• Calibrate scales/thermometers; tag out unsafe equipment; submit and track work orders.

Events, Banquets & Openings (as applicable)

• Design and execute banquet/PDR menus to BEO specs; stage timelines and pulls for large programs.
• Support openings/renovations: staffing, training, tastings, prep builds, and stabilization (30/60/90).

Required Qualifications

• 5–7+ years professional pastry/bakery experience with 2–3+ years in a lead role (Pastry Sous or Pastry Chef) in upscale/fine dining or luxury hotel.
• Mastery of core techniques (mixing methods; custards/mousses/curds; lamination; chocolate tempering and décor; icings/glazes; bread/viennoiserie basics).
• Proven success leading teams, managing production schedules, and controlling inventory/COGS.
• Deep knowledge of HACCP/food safety; ServSafe Manager or equivalent (or ability to obtain).
• Organized, creative, and calm under pressure; strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Proficient with Google Workspace and KDS/POS basics; scheduling/inventory systems familiarity a plus.
• Schedule flexibility (early mornings, nights, weekends, holidays).

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Stand/move for extended periods (up to 8+ hours); frequent bending, reaching, and repetitive motions.
• Lift/carry/push/pull up to 35–50 lbs. (flour/sugar bags, sheet trays, equipment).
• Exposure to heat, refrigeration, humidity, and cleaning chemicals; slip-resistant footwear required.

In Return, We Offer You

• Competitive compensation with performance-based bonus opportunities
• Comprehensive health & wellness benefits
• Retirement savings program
• Employee dining and partner discounts
• Professional growth within a values-driven, award-winning hospitality group

Equal Opportunity Employer

José Andrés Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the federal E-Verify Program.

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