“Every skilled baker was first an amateur!”
Chris Geiger
Bakery and Confectionery is an area of passion for making food. It is a combination of culinary art and artistic skills. If you want to work in the Bakery and Confectionery industry, you must have a strong will not eat all the works of your creation. It is a work in which what you create will tempt you with its smell, appearance, and taste, and say: “eat me immediately!”.
Australia offers a modern education program in various courses dedicated to Bakery and Confectionery. If you see your future in this field, you must be passionate about baking. You study subjects such as gastronomic technology and production process, gastronomic technology – regional, national, traditional, natural cuisine, but what makes you a master – is your passion.
What do I need to study to become a baker?
A baker’s duties require knowledge of technology, operation of equipment, understanding of how to prepare bread from beginning to end. The baker prepares dough and additives according to a recipe. Before the loaves of bread, rolls, croissants, or scones are ready, he conducts a fermentation process, after which he divides the dough into so-called pieces – the shaped ones have to grow and finally end up in the baking oven. Finished products are stored and sent to sales points.
Work in bakeries need to be well organized. Procedures and safety standards are strictly obeyed. Bakery production is divided into several stages, and a different person is responsible for each one.
You can learn this profession at one of the relevant bakery/baking and patisserie/pastry courses. The studies are practical; a significant part of the workshop classes is carried in specially equipped kitchens. You will learn how to prepare and present food, but also develop your creativity and communication skills. You can get formal training by pursuing culinary and baking programs or in culinary schools or trade schools. The advantage of getting proper education is that you will have a chance to equip yourself with different techniques that you may otherwise not learn through self-study.
How can I become a Pastry Chef?
If you would like to become a Pastry Chef, you need to have a culinary passion, sense of taste, and rich imagination. It is hard to imagine a better culmination moment of important ceremonies than an elaborately decorated cake. It is a very artistic job. If you have a passion for baking and perform one of the sweetest professions in the world, you should complete a Certificate III in Patisserie (SIT31016) and look for a commercial kitchen, restaurant, hotel, or café where you’d like to complete your apprenticeship. You need to gain skills such as preparation of food and menu items, creating and testing new recipes, decorating baked goods, performing different baking techniques such as lamination. And understanding of the scientific principles behind baking and food safety. As a Pastry Chef, you will be responsible for the art of preparing and making pastries and baked goods, which may include desserts, bread, and cakes, tortes, gâteaux, mousses, and more.
Is baking a good career in Australia?
The bakery industry in Australia is evaluated to be worth $5 million and is predicted to grow annually by 2.1%, which makes this path of career an excellent choice. There is a steady increase in the number of franchised bakeries, which gives new employment opportunities.
If someone is passionate about cooking and loves to cook different types of cuisine or love to do baking, patisserie or a cookery career is best.
This career requires excellent imagination to produce new recipes and endeavor to innovate as much as possible to give the best possible outcome for consumers with an entertaining experience.
If you are aiming for self-employment, this could be a real opportunity for you to make that dream a reality!
What is the best course for Baking and Patisserie in Australia?
Here are some of the impeccable courses in Baking and Patisserie that will enable you to kickstart as a professional in the industry flawlessly:
- Certificate III in Commercial Cookery
- Certificate III in Patisserie
- Certificate IV in Patisserie
- Certificate III in Bread Baking
- Certificate II in Baking
- Certificate III in Baking
- Certificate IV in Baking
- Certificate III in Cake and Pastry (Apprenticeship)
What is the best school for baking in Australia?
- Evolution Hospitality Institute
- Le Cordon Bleu
- William Angliss Institute of TAFE.
- Box Hill Institute.
- Academia International.
- TAFE Western
- Baxter Institute.
- Front Cooking School.
- Canberra Institute of Technology.
- Melbourne Polytechnic
- Quality Training and Hospitality College
- AHTS – Training and Education
- The Australian Patisserie Academy
- The Australian Professional Skills Institute
- Front Cooking School
What are the job possibilities after the baking course?
Baking and Pastry Career offers many diverse and impressive paths. This industry gives various environments to work in, from bakeries, supermarkets, hot bread shops, hotels, restaurants, schools, factories, cake shops, department stores, and cafés to even a laboratory. Some options are:
- Bakery Owner
- Cake Designer
- Chocolatier
- Executive Pastry Chef
- Sous Chef
- Food Stylist
- Pastry Chef
- Chef de Partie
- Baker
How much can I earn in the baking and pastry industry in Australia?
- Pastry Chef – $55K to $65K
- Sous Chef – $60K to $70K
- Chef de Partie – $55K to $65K
- Baker – $50K to $60K
- Bakery Assistant – $45K to $55K