Bakery and Pastry Chef

Our client is a premier, high-volume commercial bakery brand in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. They are seeking a Bakery and Pastry Chef to lead and manage day-to-day production operations, ensuring exceptional baked goods quality, consistency, efficiency, and high standards of customer satisfaction.

The Bakery and Pastry Chef is responsible for supervising daily shift operations, developing innovative product lines, maintaining production goals, and leading, training, and inspiring the bakery team within a dynamic, fast-paced retail and commercial environment.

Notes: A Culinary portfolio should be submitted alongside your resume to showcase your creativity, innovation, and visual presentation of creative menus.

Requirements:

• High school diploma or GED with 4 years of professional culinary/F&B experience; OR a 2-year Associate Degree in Culinary Arts, Hotel & Restaurant Management, or related major from an accredited university with 2 years of professional culinary/F&B experience.
• Proven capability to design, create, and execute artistic pastry and bakery items, with a sharp eye for superior product quality, flavor, and presentation.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to lead, mentor, and build mutual trust among a multicultural pastry team while managing daily shift operations.
• Thorough understanding of food safety, hygiene, proper temperature controls, purchasing, inventory management, and waste control.
• Ability to manage controllable departmental expenses, schedule staffing to match operational needs, and support HR/training activities according to SOPs.

Key Responsibilities:

Leading Pastry Culinary Team

• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage team members while demonstrating honesty, integrity, and leading by example.
• Supervises and manages daily shift operations, understanding employee roles well enough to perform duties in their absence.
• Encourages mutual trust, respect, and cooperation within the team while acting as a positive role model.
• Ensures employee productivity levels and maintains clear expectations and operational parameters.
• Maintains open, collaborative relationships within the department and utilizes an "open door" policy to address employee concerns and satisfaction.
• Leads shifts while personally preparing food items, executing requests based on required specifications, and coordinating cooks' activities.

Ensuring Culinary Standards and Responsibilities are Met

• Develops, designs, and creates artistic new pastry applications, ideas, menu items, and decorative food displays.
• Recognizes and maintains superior quality in product presentation, taste, and overall culinary execution.
• Ensures strict adherence to food handling, correct storage, purchasing, receiving, portion control, and waste management standards.
• Monitors proper temperature control and handling of all raw and cooked food products.
• Prepares and cooks food for regular shift operations as well as special guests or VIP functions.
• Guarantees full compliance with all Food & Beverage policies, standards, procedures, and local regulations.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service

• Provides service that exceeds guest expectations to drive customer satisfaction and retention.
• Communicates guest needs and provides guidance, feedback, and individual coaching to improve team service performance.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations and empowers team members to deliver outstanding service.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during departmental meetings and focuses on continuous operational improvement.

Maintaining Culinary Goals & Cost Control

• Develops specific plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish performance, budget, and departmental goals.
• Trains employees in safety and loss-prevention procedures to prevent accidents and manage operating costs.
• Purchases appropriate supplies and manages inventory levels strictly according to the approved budget.

Supporting Training, HR & Additional Activities

• Participates in interviewing, hiring, and onboarding team members with appropriate culinary skills.
• Conducts staff training on menu items, unique tastes, preparation methods, and ingredient profiles.
• Reviews staffing schedules to balance guest service, operational requirements, and financial objectives.
• Administers property policies fairly and consistently, ensuring disciplinary documentation follows SOPs/LSOPs.
• Analyzes operational data, solves problems, attends pertinent meetings, and collaborates directly with the Department Manager and HR as needed.