Becoming a Baking and Pastry Chef in Connecticut

A career as a baking and pastry chef involves skills that go beyond those of a baker. In this career, you’ll be responsible for preparing delicious and attractive desserts as well as many other baked goods such as cookies, cupcakes, donuts, pies and breads.

Besides the creative skills required for baking and decorating cakes and other items, working as a baking and pastry chef may involve ordering supplies, developing recipes and supervising staff. Monitoring food sanitation and safety standards will also be part of your responsibilities.

What are the Requirements for Becoming a Baking and Pastry Chef in Connecticut?

Having a high school diploma or equivalent is usually required to enroll in formalized pastry chef training programs in Connecticut. Attending postsecondary education isn’t usually a requirement for employment, but if you do complete formal training at a community college, culinary arts school or vocational school, you’ll acquire important skills that will help you on the job and may also help you to become more competitive in the job market.

Baking and Pastry Chef Training Programs in Connecticut

Completing culinary training with a focus on baking and pastries can give you an advantage over other candidates when pursuing job openings. Some places that offer baking and pastry training programs in Connecticut include:

  • Lincoln Culinary Institute. Located in Shelby, CT, this division of Lincoln Tech offers training in international baking and pastry. Students learn to bake and design items under the guidance of master chefs. In this program, students learn to prepare cakes, baked breads and candy while also learning skills in food and beverage management.
  • Manchester Community College. This community college in Manchester, CT, offers an Associate in Science degree in Culinary and Hospitality management. Students learn a wide variety of culinary skills including analyzing theory and techniques of baking and pastry arts, decorating layer cakes and creating artisan breads.Students also learn managerial techniques, human resource management practices and different styles of marketing and sales analysis.

Baking and Pastry Chef Certification in Connecticut

You aren’t required to obtain certification in the state of Connecticut to become a baking and pastry chef. However, the American Culinary Federation offers several certifications, which can be obtained by passing written and practical exams. When you obtain this optional certification, it can help to demonstrate your expertise in this field.

Job Outlook and Salary Expectations for Pastry Chefs in Connecticut

Baking and pastry chefs fall into the category of head chefs, and the median annual pay for head chefs as of May 2018 was $48,460, or $23.30 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Connecticut, the salary range for a pastry chef as of November 2019 was $50,358 to $82,859, according to Salary.com.

In the United States, job growth for head chefs is projected to be about 11 percent between 2018 and 2028. Projected growth in the state of Connecticut is a bit lower at 7 percent between 2016 and 2026 according to CareerOneStop.

Connecticut Baking and Pastry Chefs

Working as a baking and pastry chef in Connecticut usually means working unpredictable hours in a fast-paced environment. There’s a good chance you’ll be preparing baked items very early in the morning, and you may also be working weekends or evenings.

Baking and pastry chefs are needed in many different settings, particularly in large cities such as Bridgeport and New Haven. You may work in a wide variety of business, such as upscale restaurants, cafes, hotels, stores, hospitals and assisted living facilities. When you have good business sense along with your baking talent, you may even be able to start your own café or bakery.

Popular Colleges