Help!! Pastry Chef, Baker, Cake Decorator???
Decorating By SweetSinsationz Updated 6 Nov 2013 , 8:44am by enga
I am struggling on what to call myself!
I graduated with honors last year from one of the leading culinary schools in Canada ..so I have training, but I work from home..I'm a stay at home mom & 'home baker', I have a home-based business.
I fulfill all of the same duties a 'pastry chef' does, whilst performing all tasks a 'baker' & 'cake decorator' does.
I paid a lot of money for my education and feel I should have a title that rectifies my training - setting me apart from other 'home bakers'. I feel that as a 'baker' I am summed up with all the other stay at home moms that bake as a hobby. but as a 'cake decorator' that I'm limited to deocrating - what do you guys think?? I hope I haven't offended anyone.
opinions and suggestions much appreciated.
Cal
Silly girl....it doesn't lessen your skill level or knowledge because your a Mom too, and it doesn't lessen your degree if you bake from home or if you bake from a restaurant.
If you have a degree or certificate in baking or pastry arts, than you are a certified pastry chef.
Just as professional cake decorators here at CC choose to distinguish themselves from non-professionals....always be and act professionally. That will separate yourself from the people whom don't work and act professionally.
AFor our business we used the title Executive Pastry Chef.
lol i didnt mean that because im a mom that my knowledge or skills are weaker. i just meant that i feel categorized with hobby bakers. lol
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lol i didnt mean that because im a mom that my knowledge or skills are weaker. i just meant that i feel categorized with hobby bakers. lol
I knew you knew that, that's why I wrote what I did. Don't let yourself be categorized as anything less than a professional, don't accept it, point out the differences. Don't ever act unprofessionally in anyway and others won't categorize you either. 
Jason, an 'executive' chef title is usually (in the industry) reserved for chefs who have other chefs working under them.....and or a chef that isn't hands on.
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Original message sent by Stitches
Jason, an 'executive' chef title is [I]usually ([/I]in the industry[I])[/I] reserved for chefs who have other chefs working under them.....and or a chef that isn't hands on.
From my research an Executive Pastry Chef is typically responsible for creating original pastry products, they may or may not be involved in the execution of said products depending on staffing level. My wife handled both the Executive Pastry Chef (recipe creation, planning, administration of production) and Pastry Chef (execution) roles until we hired a second pastry chef to focus on the execution.
i do occasionally have help in the kitchen from a former partner in my class for large orders - at which time I direct and prioritize him, have control over production and am responsible for quality control if that helps any..
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i do occasionally have help in the kitchen from a former partner in my class for large orders - at which time I direct and prioritize him, have control over production and am responsible for quality control if that helps any..
That's still a pastry chef. An executive pc is a higher designation reserved for chefs in larger organizations.
AThere are no legal restrictions as to what you can call yourself, so if you want to be an Executive Pastry Chef, call yourself an Executive Pastry Chef. Or Chief Pastry Officer. Or Pastry Engineer-In-Chief.
The exception is "Certified Executive Pastry Chef", which is trademarked by the American Culinary Federation.
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There are no legal restrictions as to what you can call yourself, so if you want to be an Executive Pastry Chef, call yourself an Executive Pastry Chef. Or Chief Pastry Officer. Or Pastry Engineer-In-Chief.
The exception is "Certified Executive Pastry Chef", which is trademarked by the American Culinary Federation.
Correct, there aren't legal restrictions. But wouldn't you want to use what the majority of professionals in the industry use? Using the wrong title or exaggerating your title is never a smart decision. Unless you live in a bubble...........
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Original message sent by Stitches
Correct, there aren't legal restrictions. But wouldn't you want to use what the majority of professionals in the industry use?
Maybe in a B2B environment, but I'm not sure I see the downside if you are a small bakery focused on the consumer market. IMO it's more likely a consumer would be impressed by an "Executive Pastry Chef" title than upset by the title being used inappropriately based on inside information of the culinary industry and a specific (non-ubiquitous) opinion of how the title should be used.
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According to what Jason's written In this thread and others; Jason's wife probably did do the job of a R & D (research and development) chef creating recipes. She makes a niche product of allergy free baked goods.
Where as you/the OP. probably haven't spent serious time creating your own recipes from nothing. Recipe development is an art done by highly skilled people. Most of us professional bakers tweak our recipes and taste test recipes before we decide which recipes we want to use. But to call everyone who tweaks a recipe a R&D chef is to not give credit to the very hard and skilled job that position is.
Sheesh.......you guys, call yourselves whatever you want. I don't personally care. I was just trying to explain the titles and what people in the industry use. It's not much different than a cake decorator that labels their work as "couture design"....... define yourself how you want.....it will impress some people and make a fool of yourself in front of other people..........
AI think executive pastry chef sounds odd for a home business. Kind of like calling a housewife a "domestic engineer".
Here's my opinion which is freely given so you may use or ignore:
Stitches is absolutely correct. In the industry, Executive Chef is usually reserved for someone who leads team of other chefs. He or she is responsible for being the eyes and palette of the kitchen. Typically they oversee all production but usually don't actually prepare any items. They are in charge of all aspects of the kitchen include menu planning and ordering. As a former chef, we would often joke about the fact that the Executive Chef rarely gets their hands dirty. As a former Executive Chef, I was more hands on than typical Executive Chef for that very reason.
You get to call yourself whatever you would like.
I chose the title of "Owner/Cake Artist". While I am certified as a Chef and have experience as both a Pastry Chef and Executive Chef, they don't fit my current position or style.
Find what makes you personally feel comfortable.
It is important, however, to know the connotations associated with the different titles.
Certified Pastry Chef is clear and to the point. As usual, we have belabored the point. Insert smiley face here.
Also, clearly, Jason's wife was an Executive Pastry Chef because Jason (who fulfills multiple job positions) worked under her supervision. Insert smiley face here.
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Original message sent by MimiFix
Also, clearly, Jason's wife was an Executive Pastry Chef because Jason (who fulfills multiple job positions) worked under her supervision. Insert smiley face here.
Not exactly, I wasn't qualified to work under her supervision in the commercial kitchen. I just dropped off supplies and the updated list of customer orders, and picked up finished cakes for delivery. :D
like jason said 'cpc' is not a random designation--it's an on purpose certification with requirements--here's the link for the cepc plus notice the list on the right that notes the other certifications available
http://www.acfchefs.org/ACF/Certify/Levels/CEPC/ACF/Certify/Levels/CEPC/
and for what it's worth--and i think it's kind of ironic --i actually have a certificate that awards me points toward my certification as a pc ;)
i am not a cpc but i have points toward that--one step at a time--hahaha
AOn my business cards and chef coat, I used the title "Owner/Pastry Chef"
A"Certified Pastry Chef" is not trademarked by ACF (presumably the term was too common to be approved) so you are free to call yourself that even if you don't have ACF certification (presumably you would have some kind of certification).
But if you want to call yourself Certified Pastry Culinarian, Certified Working Pastry Chef, Certified Executive Pastry Chef, or Certified Master Pastry Chef you would need to go through the ACF. http://www.acfchefs.org/ACF/Certify/Levels/ACF/Certify/Levels/
and fwiw--my family loves to introduce me as a pc--i often correct them--but i am very happy to be called a baker and cake decorator--i am also a sugar artist but i do not use that moniker
"Certified Pastry Chef" is not trademarked by ACF (presumably the term was too common to be approved) so you are free to call yourself that even if you don't have ACF certification (presumably you would have some kind of certification).
But if you want to call yourself Certified Pastry Culinarian, Certified Working Pastry Chef, Certified Executive Pastry Chef, or Certified Master Pastry Chef you would need to go through the ACF.
http://www.acfchefs.org/ACF/Certify/Levels/ACF/Certify/Levels/
yes of course--but op,if you run into someone who knows what the cpc can refer to you might get some uncomfortable questions--i think since we know there's a certification that has requirements it would be wise to avoid using that.
and does the culinary school you attended grant such certification?
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