ACan some of you please tell me how long it take you to decorate a cake with buttercream, no fondant. Cake must all be done in frosting, borders, roses and all that goes along with it, 1/2 sheet cake, 9 inch x 4 round...
AIt really depends on so many variables most being your skill level and equipment. It could take anywhere from 2-8 hours ( just estimating). But it really depends on you
A 1/2 sheet with just border, simple writing and roses will take me 1/2, probably the same with the 9"
But you didn't ask about baking the cake, torting, filling, covering a board. Preparing fillings and icings. All of which add to the time.
Are the roses bc or fondant?
This really is a open ended question.
ANo baking, torting, filling, covering ... The roses are actually royal. The reason I'm asking is I interviewed with a local market and they had me do a couple of dummy's in royal icing, including making the icing. Basically they said here's the kitchen, do it. They didn't show me around or anything, I had to bring my own equipment, except the mixer but including colors, tips, scale, spatulas...things you would think they would have. It took me a while to unload my car and organize myself, there was no one there to ask questions to or help out in any way. I ended up covering the cakes in fondant, royal is just to difficult to cover with, the fondant they had was pre-rolled and to small to cover the cakes. I had to use several pieces of the fondant, cut off all the dried up edges, warm it up, knead and re-roll it. It ended up taking me a few hours including cleaning their kitchen. The owner ended up telling me I was slow and would have to learn to do "many, many, many cakes within 2 hours time", she mentioned dozens of cakes latter in the conversation! I know it took me longer than usual because of the situation and I told her so but come on, if it was even 6 cakes an hour that's 10 minutes a cake. The kicker was she said the job would be minimum wage until I picked up my speed to what she wanted. I just graduated from pastry arts school and just began getting my résumé out and I'm hoping this is not typical! I also spent a couple of days with them in the market getting familiar with the retail part helping with some salads and doing various things all for free, part of a working interview. Feels more like free help for the Holiday weekend and they now have 2 dummy's to display.
I think that's typical time-wise for a supermarket. They're not looking for quality in terms of something original, they just have to push out acceptably neat cakes for mass production. I don't think that making you bring your own equipment makes sense, that seems strange.
AIt wasn't a super market it is more of a specialty market, a small store. They bake bread daily, have an olive bar, sell fresh ricotta...I was actually surprised with some of the items they had, things you can't get at the "supermarket". They are hoping to pick up cake sales by displaying dummy's and start accepting orders. I was thinking if I'm going to do 10 minute cakes then I might as well go to a large supermarket and get paid more, last I heard they were paying $2-3 more than the minimum wage.
Well, that makes more sense why they made you bring your own equipment then. But It sounds like they want someone to crank out sheet cakes, so if the supermarket is paying more then hop on over there. At least you'll be getting paid better to learn to speed decorate.
AIf you are confident that you can hit their goals, you can include a review after a couple weeks as a condition of employment. If you meet the specific metrics outlined in your agreement, you get a raise.
It wasn't a super market it is more of a specialty market, a small store. They bake bread daily, have an olive bar, sell fresh ricotta...I was actually surprised with some of the items they had, things you can't get at the "supermarket". They are hoping to pick up cake sales by displaying dummy's and start accepting orders. I was thinking if I'm going to do 10 minute cakes then I might as well go to a large supermarket and get paid more, last I heard they were paying $2-3 more than the minimum wage.
We have a couple of markets like that in my area. One of them has a refrigerator case that has cream pies, cheesecakes, etc., all brought in by outside vendors. They also have an outside vendor for standard size pre-decorated cakes. From what you were told, it sounds like they're contemplating a similar setup where you'd do the special orders, but you'd also be responsible for keeping the case full...? If that is the case, then yes, they'd be concerned about your speed.
Unless they get big sumerset, you won't be covering 12 cakes in fondant in 2h that's for sure. You can make 12 BC cakes in 2 hours after awhile but they have to all be the same, you have to have a rack ready with the cut sponge and a 10L + Hobart ready with BC. You can't be walking around needing stuff. Heck where I worked, it wasn't even us who wrote " happy birthday " on cakes, it was the front of the house or even the delivery guys. If you have to do anything other then stack / fill / finish, their expectations are out of whack.
AThanks everyone! I'm not calling them back, let them find someone else to bring in their own equipment, pull it out each day, set up and slap frosting on cakes. Good lunch finding someone to do what they want in 5 minutes!
A
Original message sent by Littledink
Thanks everyone! I'm not calling them back, let them find someone else to bring in their own equipment, pull it out each day, set up and slap frosting on cakes. Good lunch finding someone to do what they want in 5 minutes!
At the very least you should call them back and let them know why you are declining the job. They may simply not be aware of the norms for this type of position.
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