Executive Pastry Chef at The Social House

WHAT YOU WILL OWN
As Executive Pastry Chef, you will:

• Lead and oversee the entire pastry and bakery operation, setting high standards for quality, taste, texture, presentation and consistency.
• Develop a distinctive French inspired pâtisserie offering for The Social House and The Living Room.
• Create signature pastries and desserts that guests begin to associate specifically with The Social House.
• Develop exceptional croissants, viennoiserie, laminated pastries, artisan breads, cakes, tarts, entremets, petits gâteaux, chocolate products and plated desserts.
• Balance classical French pastry techniques with contemporary flavours, presentation and locally relevant ideas.
• Develop seasonal collections, festive ranges, celebration cakes, afternoon experiences and limited edition pastry concepts.
• Continuously explore pastry trends, techniques, ingredients and leading pastry houses locally and internationally.
• Create, implement and maintain standard recipes, production specifications, photographs, yields, portion sizes and presentation standards.
• Build production systems that deliver the same exceptional quality every day, regardless of who is on shift.
• Plan production requirements and maintain appropriate par levels and stock availability.
• Monitor ingredient usage, wastage and portion control while maintaining strong food cost discipline.
• Work closely with Procurement on ingredient quality, supplier performance and product specifications.
• Lead, coach, train and develop Pastry Chefs, Commis Chefs, Bakers and other members of the pastry team.
• Build the technical capability of the pastry team so that knowledge and standards are transferred rather than concentrated in one person.
• Work closely with the Executive Chef and wider culinary team on menus, promotions, special events and seasonal offerings.
• Partner with the commercial and marketing teams to create pastry products and experiences that generate excitement, guest traffic and revenue.
• Ensure all pastry production complies with food safety, hygiene and health and safety standards.
• Maintain exceptional standards of cleanliness, organisation and operational discipline within the pastry kitchen.
• Monitor the condition and performance of pastry equipment and promptly address maintenance and safety concerns.
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation and efficiency throughout the pastry operation.
• Act as a role model for professionalism, teamwork, discipline and culinary excellence.

WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN YOUR FRENCH PASTRY CRAFT
You should have strong practical knowledge of classical and contemporary French pastry.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate excellent work in areas such as:

• Croissants and laminated doughs
• Pain au chocolat and viennoiserie
• Brioche
• Choux pastry and éclairs
• Mille feuille
• Macarons
• Tarts and tartlets
• Entremets and petits gâteaux
• Mousses, crémeux, ganaches and glazes
• Chocolate and praline work
• Celebration and speciality cakes
• Artisan breads and premium bakery products
• Contemporary plated desserts
• We are interested not only in where you have worked, but also in what you can actually create.

THE PERSON WE ARE LOOKING FOR
INQUISITIVE

• You are curious about your craft.
• You study what leading pastry chefs and pâtisseries are doing. You ask why a product works, how it could be improved and what guests might want next.
• You experiment intelligently and never assume yesterday’s success guarantees tomorrow’s relevance.

RESOURCEFUL

• Not every challenge requires more money, more people or more equipment.
• You know how to work intelligently with ingredients, people, equipment and available resources.
• When something goes wrong, you look for solutions rather than excuses.

EFFICIENT

• Beautiful pastry must also make commercial sense.
• You understand production planning, yields, portion control, food cost, wastage, labour productivity and stock management.
• Your kitchen is organised because you understand that creativity performs better when supported by discipline.

DETERMINED

• You have high standards and the stamina to maintain them.
• You understand that becoming recognised for exceptional pastry requires repetition, refinement, training and relentless attention to detail.
• You finish what you start.

EXPRESSIVE

• Pastry should have personality.
• So should its leader.
• You communicate clearly, teach confidently, receive feedback well and can explain the story and thinking behind your creations.
• You bring energy and character to your kitchen while maintaining discipline, professionalism and respect.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING

• A recognised qualification in Pastry & Bakery, Culinary Arts, Hotel Management or a related discipline.
• Significant experience as an Executive Pastry Chef, Head Pastry Chef, Pastry Sous Chef or equivalent senior pastry leader within a luxury hotel, premium pâtisserie, high end restaurant or comparable hospitality operation.
• Strong practical expertise in French pâtisserie and viennoiserie.
• Demonstrable experience creating and launching new pastry products rather than simply reproducing an existing menu.
• Strong technical knowledge of pastry, bakery, desserts and chocolate production.
• Experience developing recipes and establishing production and presentation standards.
• Strong understanding of recipe costing, food cost, portion control, inventory management and waste reduction.
• Experience leading a pastry team and developing junior chefs.
• Strong production planning and organisational capability.
• Excellent knowledge of food hygiene, safety and quality standards.
• An exceptional eye for presentation and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding that a successful pastry operation must deliver both exceptional products and sustainable financial performance.
• The ability to remain calm, organised and consistent in a demanding hospitality environment.
• Genuine passion for craftsmanship, innovation and creating memorable guest experiences.