Apprenticeship training course

Pastry chef (level 3)

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Information about Pastry chef (level 3)

Plan, prepare and produce complex, refined patisserie in a variety of establishments.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • Culinary science for the production of refined dough and batter products including yeast feeding, bread improving, gluten, CO2 fermentation, combination cooking, Maillard reaction, types of grain and how their different reactions, and gluten free doughs.
  • Culinary science for the production of refined confectionery and chocolate products including tempering and crystallization.
  • Culinary science for the production of refined paste products including fat to flour ratios, gluten viscosity, aeration types, emulsification, stabilisation and water holding capacity.
  • Culinary science for the production of refined fruit and sugar products including inversion, caramelisation, crystallisation, uses of pectin, aeration, and enzyme breakdown.
  • Culinary science for the production of refined biscuit and sponge products including sugar ratios, sponge emulsifiers, effects of raising agents, fat to flour ratios, and gluten and starch in flour.
  • Culinary science for the production of refined hot, cold and frozen desserts including freezing points, ice crystal formation, speed of freezing, taste profiling, use of stabilisers, and the art of plating.
  • Culinary science for the production of refined fillings including stabilisers, emulsification, gelling agents, and finishes including glazes, sauces, coulis, and icing.
  • Culinary science of ingredient functionality and how to reformulate recipes to make them plant based or free from gluten and allergens.
  • Design and construction considerations for refined, filled patisserie.
  • Design and construction considerations for small display pieces and decorative items
  • Quality indicators in ingredients and common defects
  • Seasonal ingredients commonly used in producing pastry products
  • Ingredient specifications, ratios and balance needed to achieve intended quality standards
  • How to manage time, cooking temperature, and environment, i.e. temperature of room and humidity, when preparing and cooking refined products
  • Signs of common errors in production and how to rectify
  • Quality indicators related to size, texture, flavour, consistency and appearance in finished products
  • How to design products so they can be effectively presented, held, served and or transported to customers on and off site without negative impact on the finished product.
  • Functions, use and preventative maintenance of specialist equipment and technologies used by a pastry chef.
  • Control of Substances Hazardous for Health (COSHH) legislation in the context of a commercial kitchen
  • Food Safety legislation including labelling and packaging in the context of a commercial kitchen
  • Health and Safety legislation including stress mitigation in the context of a commercial kitchen
  • Principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) in the context of a commercial kitchen
  • Methods of planning for daily production demand using data such as customer numbers
  • The principles of profit and loss and how to achieve targeted gross profit.
  • Sources of information about current trends in pastry products and techniques
  • Common product improvements to maximise profitability and popularity.
  • Stock control; ordering, storage, rotation to maximise sustainability and support planned operations
  • Principles of controlling waste and sustainability
  • Communication styles and methods, verbal, digital and written, in the context of a commercial kitchen.
  • Equality Act 2010, equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including physical and mental wellbeing of self and others and how to access sources of help and advice.

  Skills

  • Use professional production methods to create refined, finished dough products including fermented yeast, non-fermented, laminated, enriched and hand-shaped doughs
  • Use professional production methods to create refined, finished batter products including separated egg, creamed, whisked whole egg, yeasted and French, Swiss, and Italian meringue mix sponges.
  • Use professional production methods to create refined, finished confectionery and chocolate products including honeycomb or cinder toffee, marshmallow, caramel mou, caramelised nuts, nougat, macaron, Florentine, moulded and dipped bon bons, piped truffle, pate de fruit, and chocolate decorations.
  • Use professional production methods to create refined, finished paste products using choux, sweet, short or brise, inverse and classic puff, and sable pastries.
  • Use professional production methods to create refined, finished fruit products including poached, roasted, baked, confit, conserves, compotes, fillings, and curd.
  • Use professional production methods to create refined, finished biscuit products including hollandaise and a la poche sable, Breton, cookies, and tuille.
  • Use professional production methods to create refined, finished hot, cold and frozen desserts including starch and non-starch based souffles, fondants, tarts, ice creams, sorbets, parfaits, granites, dacquoise, set creams (anglaise, ganache, meringue) and sabayon mousse.
  • Use professional production techniques to create refined fillings including ganache, crémeux, frangipane, praline, crème pat, diplomat and mousseline, meringue, chiboust butter cream, bavorois, sec, savoury, baked custard, and gels and inserts.
  • Use professional production techniques to create refined finishes including glazes, sauces, coulis, and icing
  • Use professional production methods to create refined, filled, constructed patisserie products including opera, éclair, St Honore, chocolate, fruit and meringue tarts, millefeuille, fraisier, black forest gâteaux, mont blanc, paris brest, pithivier or galette, petit and large entremets.
  • Use professional production methods to create small decorative display work including nougatine, pastillage, cooked sugar and chocolate which can be in combination.
  • Reformulate recipes to produce plant-based, gluten free and allergen free alternatives.
  • Use sensory and related to methods to ensure ingredients are the right quality.
  • Interpret specifications to achieve intended quality standards
  • Manage time, temperature and environment when preparing and cooking refined products
  • Identify and resolve errors during the production process
  • Apply quality standards related to size, texture, flavour, consistency, and appearance to finished products.
  • Design products to ensure they can be effectively presented, held, served and or transported to customers on and off site without negative impact on the finished product
  • Select and use specialist pastry equipment and technology to make refined finished products
  • Prepare, check, clean, and maintain specialist pastry equipment
  • Proactively maintain a safe, clean and hygienic working environment to manage compliance with all food safety and health and safety legislation
  • Plan to meet daily demand, allocating resources and proactively managing risk to production.
  • Prepare mise en place lists
  • Adapt plans according to variable internal and external factors
  • Improve or develop new products considering customer, profit, standards and brand fit
  • Adopt sustainable working practices to minimise waste and maximise yield for product batches
  • Use professional communication styles and methods relevant to a commercial kitchen.
  • Observe professional standards for teamwork, including equity, diversity and inclusion, and act to support the wellbeing and professional development of self and colleagues.

  Behaviours

  • Be solution focused with the attention to detail that consistently achieves expected outcomes
  • Promote an efficient, professional, calm and supportive environment
  • Be commercially aware and customer focused in all aspects of work
  • Reflect on own and team health, wellbeing and professional development, seeking and offering support when appropriate
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Catering and hospitality
• Qualification level: 3; Equal to A level
• Course duration: 18 months
• Maximum funding: £11,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Chef de partie, pastry
  • Chef patissier
  • Pastry chef
  • Senior pastry chef

View more information about Pastry chef (level 3) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.