For good reason, the phrases “baking” and “pastry” are sometimes used interchangeably. Pastries and baked goods belong to the same category of cuisine because they are both typically baked in an oven.
Even while it could seem tempting, there are truly important distinctions between the roles of baker and pastry chef.
Bread, rolls, pies, cakes, cookies, pastries, donuts, and other baked goods are just a few of the many things that a baker can create. However, pastry chefs typically focus on desserts.
They might also include non-baked dessert dishes, such as custards, sauces, and chocolates.
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The main distinction between pastry chefs and bakers is experience. Entry-level jobs sometimes include “baker.” However, “pastry chef” is a title that requires more expertise and frequently denotes a supervisory position.
Discover the 15 best baking schools in France, as well as more information on the distinction between a pastry chef and a baker, by continuing to read.
Difference between a Pastry Chef & a Baker
The Pastry Chef
Any position in the culinary industry that uses the title “chef” is usually considered to be advanced. In the kitchen, chefs serve as managers and leaders, and pastry chefs are no different. In restaurants, pastry shops, and patisseries, pastry chefs design dessert menus and recipes.
The pastry chef usually oversees their own department, though they may operate under the direction of an executive chef. They may manage a small group of pastry chefs or work individually.
When it comes to what they cook, the emphasis is typically on sweets and desserts. Eclairs, macarons, and Danish are examples of French pastries that a pastry chef in a patisserie might make. Additionally, they are able to create scones, tarts, puff pastries, and other delicious baked items.
When plating and decorating their products in a restaurant, pastry chefs frequently use intricate piping or tiny blobs of sweet sauce. They are also in charge of a dessert’s unbaked components.
If there is homemade sorbet on the dessert menu, the pastry chef is typically the one who creates it. A pastry chef, unlike a baker, often does not produce bread or other savory baked items.
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The Baker
A baker is typically not a manager, in contrast to a pastry chef. Instead of coming up with their own recipes, bakers copy others. Even so, they still require instruction and training.
Bakers need to be familiar with the science underlying baking as well as how to use industrial baking equipment. They may also need to adjust recipe measurements, so they should be familiar with baking math.
A far wider range of baked foods can be included under the more general occupational description “baker.” While some bakers prefer to specialize in a certain area, others choose to do a little bit of everything.
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However, in general, bakers can create both sweet and savory baked items, including bread, tarts, cakes, muffins, cupcakes, bread, and much more! They typically won’t need to be experts in chocolate, sugar sculptures, ice cream, and other sweets, unlike pastry chefs.
Less decorative work may be performed by bakers than pastry chefs. While bakers spend their days producing a large quantity of simpler baked products, pastry chefs can create intricate sweets that are served on plates.
They can add some simple piping to a cake or perform some cake decorating. However, any extremely detailed decorating is often only done by trained cake decorators or designers.
The List of Baking Schools in France
Bakers and pastry chefs may pursue certificates to demonstrate their degree of expertise and dedication to their profession. Anyone wishing to pursue either field should often begin by earning a degree or diploma in baking and pastry or by enrolling in classes taught by professionals.
It’s one of the finest methods to begin learning about the various doughs and pastries while also laying a strong foundation in baking science. Given how scientific this field is, formal education is strongly advised. Below are the top 15 baking schools in France
Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, France
Address: 13-15 Quai André Citroën, 75015 Paris, France
Join the 13–18 month internship route programs. They combine an apprenticeship in culinary skills with extensive real-world experience working for top Parisian businesses.
Find out more information here
Gastronomicom
Address: 8 Rue des Moulins À Huile, 34300 Agde, France
In a picturesque village in the south of France, this school welcomes students from all over the world and provides cooking, pastry, and French education. Both professionals and novices who desire to advance their knowledge of French cookery or pastry might benefit from their classes.
Find out more information here
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La Cuisine Paris
Address: 80 Quai de l’Hôtel de ville, 75004 Paris, France
In addition to food tours in Paris and Versailles, this school offers a variety of French culinary programs, such as croissant classes, macaron classes, traditional French pastry workshops, technical skills classes, and a French cheese workshop. They work with a small, international team that is made up of people from various backgrounds and experiences.
Find out more information here
School of Bakery and Patisserie Paris
Address: 64 Rue des Pirogues de Bercy, 75012 Paris, France
The school provides a large selection of training courses leading to diplomas in bakery, pastry, and Viennese pastries, as well as different beginning and advanced courses, to help students get true expertise in baking and pastry.
Each year, the School welcomes close to 300 apprentices under the age of 18 and 100 adults seeking professional retraining, with an exam success rate close to 100%.
Find out more information here
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School Ritz-Escoffier
Address: 15 Pl. Vendôme, 75001 Paris, France
Its certification courses and general classes are both instructed, in French or in English, by chefs with notable backgrounds, offering a distinctive concentration of skill and conviviality. Whether they are informed aficionados or tomorrow’s top chefs, this remarkable staff is thrilled to impart its enthusiasm and experience to individuals who share their appreciation of perfection.
Find out more information here
Other baking schools on this list include:
Pastry To Carte, Pastry And Baking Class In Paris
Find out more information here
Maison Fleuret Ateliers Parisiens
Find out more information here
School Kitchen Alain Ducasse
Find out more information here
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Le Foodist Paris Cooking Classes
Find out more information here
École Ducasse Paris Campus
Find out more information here
Ecole des Arts Culinaires Lenôtre
Find out more information here
Related: 15 Best Culinary Schools in France & their websites
Cook’n With Class Paris
Find out more information here
Chefsquare – Beaubourg (ex Atelier des Sens)
Find out more information here
Ferrandi Paris
Find out more information here
École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie
Find out more information here
How Do You Become a Baker in France?
It is strongly advised that you possess a culinary school diploma in addition to a high school diploma or its equivalent if you want to become a baker. You’ll also require prior experience working as a pastry chef, baker, or in a related position.
Where Can I Study Pastry in France?
Le Cordon Bleu created the Diplôme de Pâtisserie and Diplôme de Boulangerie programs to allow students to learn complementary skills by becoming experts in both bread baking and pastry making.
Which Country Is Best For Studying Baking?
If you want to study culinary arts at the top culinary schools in the world, the USA is the finest option. In the USA, there are many chances for top-notch culinary education and training.
How Long Is Pastry School In France?
Undergraduate pastry arts degree programs typically last three to four years and encompass traditional and contemporary pastry, bread, and dessert-making techniques, presentation and design abilities, managerial expertise, and entrepreneurial skills.
What Is A Baker Called In France?
When comparing a French baker to a pastry chef, it’s important to keep in mind that whereas pâtissiers typically work with cold ingredients, a Boulanger (or baker) will be skilled in the methods and procedures of warm rising dough.
How Much Do Bakers In France Make?
In France, a Baker makes an average salary of €21,727 per year and €10 per hour. A Baker can expect to make between €16,621 and €25,181 per year on average. In general, a Baker’s greatest degree of schooling is a high school diploma.
Is A Pastry Degree Worth It?
Investing in pastry school is wise. However, it might also bring about significant benefits, including as more work chances, better credentials, and the development of fundamental skills that you might utilize for the remainder of your career. This investment is within your grasp.
Is Culinary School Free In France?
Depending on the sort of program the applicant has chosen, different culinary programs in France have different costs. The cost for gourmet programs that last a month can range, on average, from €2,000 to €3,000. Additionally, the price for two-month long courses that involve pastry and cookery training starts at €5,500.
Are Pastry Chefs In High Demand?
According to statistics, there will be a faster-than-average 25% increase in the number of head cooks and chefs (including pastry and dessert chefs) employed between 2020 and 2030. The statistic also applies to bakers working in supermarkets and commercial facilities.
Which Degree Is Best For Baking?
Although it’s not a conventional degree, culinary arts is one of the greatest degrees for bakers. Students that enroll in a culinary arts program often graduate with an associate’s degree. These two-year programs offer a strong foundation for a career in the culinary arts and baking.
Is Baking A Stable Career?
As long as people enjoy breaking freshly made goods, baking will remain a reliable job.
Can You Make A Living From Baking?
For excellent baking, people are willing to pay a lot of money. You are able to sell your food at events, festivals, and even neighborhood grocers. Earning money through baking is wonderful since it’s easy, flexible, and fun. You are not required to perform it on a consistent basis if you don’t want to.
What Is A Degree In Baking Called?
Culinary Arts Degree: This multifaceted degree can give students a thorough understanding of the culinary arts industry. Students typically receive introductions to taste and flavor as well as the history and current environment of the foodservice sector.
Is Learning Baking Hard?
The simplest response to the question of why baking is challenging is that it is a science. Use ingredients that will not only taste delicious together but also cause the right chemical reaction when baking anything, from a batch of cookies to a loaf of bread.
Is Being A Pastry Chef Stressful?
Long shifts standing up are a common requirement in pastry chef jobs. Many call for the early morning hours, beginning at 3 or 4 am. There could be some lifting as well. You must be mentally strong enough to continue through tedious work and physically capable of handling the stress on your body.
Why Is French Bakery So Good?
A loaf of bread will taste better the longer it is fermented. The tastiest bread in New York and France is fermented for a longer period of time. This produces chewy, nutty characteristics that provide the palette with a sensory experience instead of just filler.
How Many Years Does It Take To Become A Pastry Chef?
The majority of pastry arts certificate programs are shorter than a year long and offer targeted entry-level training. Two years are normally needed to complete associate’s degree programs, which include coursework in the technical and business sides of being a pastry chef.
Does A Pastry Chef Make Cakes?
A professional that specializes in desserts including cakes, cookies, and many other pastries is known as a pastry chef. The major duty is to bake, prepare, or pair baked goods with orders, menus, hot or cold beverages, or even wines suggested by the head chef if they work in a fine dining establishment.
What are French Diners Called?
Bistros are cozy, frequently family-run eateries that serve French wine and traditional fare. Along with tartes, braises, and stews, informal menu items are also available in brasseries.
Which is better a pastry chef or a baker?
Even while it could seem tempting, there are truly important distinctions between the roles of baker and pastry chef. Bread, rolls, pies, cakes, cookies, pastries, donuts, and other baked goods are just a few of the many things that a baker can create. However, pastry chefs typically focus on desserts.
Can You Be A Pastry Chef Without A Degree?
Even though you don’t need official training to work as a pastry chef, enrolling in classes at a community college or culinary school can help you get started.
What Makes French Baking Unique?
Typically, creams, fruits, and custard are used to produce French desserts. Due to a large amount of butter used in their production, they have an unusually flaky texture. Baking such desserts need a great deal of patience, effort, and attention to detail.
