Cupcakes and Cookies and Cake! Oh My!
Annabel Lee
Vanden High School
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Page 1
Works Cited Page 4
About the Author Page 5
Lee 1 Annabel Lee
Ms. McKee English 1 3/25/11
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
Scrumdiddlyumptious goodies freshly made, covered in frosting or chocolate, sprinkles gracing the top, the sweet, enticing aroma filling one's nose screaming "Eat me!" Delicious desserts are the perfect pick-me-up for any one's terrible day, creating a huge demand for pastry chefs. Pastry chefs are the people behind every forkful of sugary excellence eaten by this society. It is important for those individuals interested in the making of delectable confections to
comprehend all the requirements, specialized training, possible income, and potential advancements in order to become a successful pastry chef.
Lee 2 learn the trade, gives valuable knowledge and useful tips to those interested in becoming a pastry chef.
Becoming a pastry chef may sound like fun, but specialized training and activities are needed for this job. This specialized training can be important and Mrs. Clarkin, a locally successful Cake Decorator, says "If you're really considering going into this field, I would say, get a design background, get some culinary training" (2/27/11). Culinary training is important for taste, and a design background would greatly help with presentation. Learning how to properly bake, design, and create works of art, or food, provides the strong basis needed for pastry work. Physically, this job also demands "Stamina: Long hours on [your] feet. [Your day] sometimes starts around 3-4 A.M. Lifting may be involved. [You] must be able to handle the stress and be mentally prepared to preserve through repetitive tasks" ("All Culinary Schools"). Unlike most, this job can start extremely early in the morning to prepare dishes that will be served throughout the day. Staying focused and paying attention to every measurement made, is crucial because one small mistake could possibly ruin the entire dish.
Lee 3 beneficial mentally because it "stimulate[s] all the senses in your body; your work brings
pleasure to your customers and satisfaction to your staff" (Brefere, Barnes, and Drummond 11). One bite of delicious cake could be the highlight of someone's cruddy day. Having the ability to bring a smile to customer's face can be enough satisfaction to persevere and make it through the rest of the day.
The growth of this particular occupation may be slow, but there is definitely room for advancing. Moving to a higher position in this field would include going from a "Pastry Chef Trainee, [to a] Pastry Chef, [and then to a] Pastry Specialist [or an Executive Pastry Chef]" (Sims-Bell 23). Advancement in this career comes from the amount of experience one has. Having an advanced degree qualifies a person for higher pay and positions. Though employment rates in this career are increasing slower than other occupations, "there are [still] ample
opportunities for pastry chefs, particularly in urban areas and destination resorts, with lots of restaurants" (Sims-Bell 23). Going to areas with upscale dining holds the best opportunities for those looking into a career as a pastry chef, since these areas have a higher demand for sugary sweets. Those who already live in urban areas should take advantage of these opportunities and open positions.
Clearly, there is more effort put into this career than simply whipping up a mean brownie. One must take the requirements, specialized training, possible income and potential
Lee 4 Works Cited
Brefere, Lisa, Brad Barnes, and Karen Drummond. So You Want to be a Chef? Hoboken: John Wiley, 2009. Print.
Clarkin, Jenn. Personal interview. Jan.-Feb. 2011.
“Pastry Chef Job.” All Culinary Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http://www.allculinaryschools.com/careers//pastry/chef-job>. “Pastry Chef Salary.” Pastry Chef Salary. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.pastrychefsalary.org>.
