Description
A baker is responsible for making a wide range of breads, pastries, and other baked goods. This job title requires one to rise very early and work during the hours that most people are asleep, so it is ideal for a true morning person. One of the great things about being a baker is that it offers the possibility to work in a variety of settings, from a small family-owned bakery to a corporate-owned industrial operation, and everything in between.
Tasks:
1. Mixes and bakes ingredients according to recipes to produce breads, pastries and other baked goods
2. Measures flour, sugar, and other ingredients to prepare batters, doughs and fillings. Using scale and graduated containers
3. Dumps ingredients into mixing-machine bowl or steam kettle to mix or cook ingredients according to specifications
4. Rolls, cuts, and shapes dough to form sweet rolls, tarts, cookies and related products preparatory to baking
5. Places dough in pans, molds, or on sheets and bakes in oven
6. Observes color of products being baked and turns thermostat or other controls to adjust oven temperature
7. Applies glaze or other toppings to baked goods, using spatula or brush
8. May specialize in baking one type of product, such as breads, rolls, tarts, or cakes
9. May decorate cakes
10. May develop new recipes for cakes and other baking goods for management approval
Key skills for Baker:
United Kingdom: £13,000 and £19,000 per year
United States of America: $80,000 per year
Australia: AU$19.52 per hour
Qualifications and training required:
Although a college degree is not required to become a professional cake baker, students may wish to attend accredited culinary schools to formally train in the baking and pastry field. In some cases, workers acquire their cake baking skills through on-the-job training in a bakery or restaurant.
Both one-year certificates and two-year degrees related to cake-baking are available. A baking certificate program may include courses in food service safety and sanitation, baking principles, and restaurant baking. The certificate program serves as sufficient preparation for jobs as entry-level pastry or cake bakers.
Students may also enroll in associate's degree programs in pastry and baking, which include a selection of general education courses (English, math, science) as well as hands-on work with ingredients and recipes. Classes might cover pastry shop business basics, pastry shop production, sugar basics, bread production, and pastry design.
Tasks:
1. Mixes and bakes ingredients according to recipes to produce breads, pastries and other baked goods
2. Measures flour, sugar, and other ingredients to prepare batters, doughs and fillings. Using scale and graduated containers
3. Dumps ingredients into mixing-machine bowl or steam kettle to mix or cook ingredients according to specifications
4. Rolls, cuts, and shapes dough to form sweet rolls, tarts, cookies and related products preparatory to baking
5. Places dough in pans, molds, or on sheets and bakes in oven
6. Observes color of products being baked and turns thermostat or other controls to adjust oven temperature
7. Applies glaze or other toppings to baked goods, using spatula or brush
8. May specialize in baking one type of product, such as breads, rolls, tarts, or cakes
9. May decorate cakes
10. May develop new recipes for cakes and other baking goods for management approval
Key skills for Baker:
- Passionate about your work/food
- Willingness to learn
- Team player
- Upbeat and fun personality
- Can do attitude
- Strong work ethic
United Kingdom: £13,000 and £19,000 per year
United States of America: $80,000 per year
Australia: AU$19.52 per hour
Qualifications and training required:
Although a college degree is not required to become a professional cake baker, students may wish to attend accredited culinary schools to formally train in the baking and pastry field. In some cases, workers acquire their cake baking skills through on-the-job training in a bakery or restaurant.
Both one-year certificates and two-year degrees related to cake-baking are available. A baking certificate program may include courses in food service safety and sanitation, baking principles, and restaurant baking. The certificate program serves as sufficient preparation for jobs as entry-level pastry or cake bakers.
Students may also enroll in associate's degree programs in pastry and baking, which include a selection of general education courses (English, math, science) as well as hands-on work with ingredients and recipes. Classes might cover pastry shop business basics, pastry shop production, sugar basics, bread production, and pastry design.
