The Business of Baking and Pastry

As your career evolves, you will move into those positions where your skills as an executive, administrator, and manager are in demand. This does not mean that your ability to make breads and pastries is less important. Plating, presentation, and pricing are daily concerns for any executive pastry chef or baker—and you may still be creating new menu items and products while keeping costs under control and improving profits. Managing a bakery or pastry shop requires the ability to handle four areas effectively: physical assets, information, people (human resources), and time. The greater your management skills in these areas, the greater your potential for success. Many management systems today emphasize the use of “excellence” as a yardstick. Every area of your operation can be used to improve the quality of service you provide to your customers.