Executive Pastry Chef

DNATA US Inflight Catering • Brisbane, CA

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Pastry Chef at dnata leads all pastry and bakery operations, overseeing the creation, production, quality, and presentation of desserts, breads, pastries, and specialty baked goods. This role is responsible for product development, team leadership, food cost management, quality assurance, and maintaining high culinary standards while ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.

Requirements

• Culinary degree, pastry arts certification, or equivalent professional training preferred.
• 5–10+ years of pastry experience, including leadership or management responsibilities.
• Strong knowledge of pastry techniques, baking science, chocolate work, sugar work, and dessert plating.
• Experience in high-volume hospitality, luxury hotels, restaurants, resorts, or catering operations – airline experience will be beneficial.
• Food safety certification as required by local regulations.
• Advanced pastry and baking expertise.
• Leadership and team development skills.
• Menu and recipe development.
• Cost control and budgeting.
• Inventory and purchasing management.
• Time management and organizational skills.
• Strong attention to detail and creativity.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.

Nice To Haves

• airline experience will be beneficial

Responsibilities

• Design and develop innovative pastry, dessert, bakery, and seasonal menu offerings for our airline clients.
• Maintain consistency, quality, and presentation standards across all pastry products.
• Research industry trends and introduce and explore new techniques, ingredients, and concepts.
• Collaborate with culinary and food & beverage teams on menu planning and special events.
• Lead menu presentations for the pastry and dessert offerings.
• Oversee daily pastry kitchen operations and production schedules.
• Ensure efficient workflow and timely delivery of products.
• Monitor inventory levels and manage ordering of ingredients and supplies.
• Control food costs, waste, and labor expenses to meet budget targets.
• Assist with all planning, staff training and opening of new pastry kitchens
• Recruit, train, mentor, and supervise pastry chefs, bakers, and support staff.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing coaching.
• Create staff schedules and manage labor allocation.
• Foster a positive, professional, and high-performance kitchen culture.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and health regulations.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of pastry production areas.
• Implement quality control procedures and product testing.
• Monitor equipment maintenance and operational readiness.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets.
• Analyze food cost percentages and profitability.
• Negotiate with suppliers and manage purchasing relationships.
• Prepare reports on production, inventory, and financial performance.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• healthcare benefits including Medical, Dental & Vision
• Complimentary Daily Meals: Enjoy FREE breakfast, lunch, and dinner during your shift
• mentoring
• volunteer and professional development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Associate degree