Confectioner is a profession. Description and features

Today, the profession of a pastry chef is popular and is considered quite in demand. Confectioners specialize in the masterful production of sweets. Thanks to their work, consumers can please themselves with waffles, cookies, cakes, muffins, chocolate, jelly, ice cream, jam, as well as other types of desserts and pastries.

Preparation of different types of dough, fillings and creams, as well as semi-finished products for subsequent baking are the responsibilities that the profession of a pastry chef entails. A description of the profession, qualities, skills and responsibilities will be given below.

What is special about being a pastry chef?

The specificity of the profession is that the pastry chef is forced to do a significant part of the work with his hands. Often this concerns the manufacture of decorative elements of dishes and decoration of products (cakes, pastries).

Unlike a pastry chef, a sweets specialist is a master with more versatile skills. The program includes training in preparing soups, appetizers and other culinary delights.

Qualifications and ranks

To determine the level of skill of confectioners, a division of specialists into six categories has been introduced. As the rank increases, the master acquires additional skills that indicate his professionalism and help him perform more complex tasks.

The characteristics of the discharges are as follows:

1. First. At the very beginning of his career, a pastry chef is engaged in cutting finished biscuits, delivering semi-finished products to workplaces, loading fillings and creams into machines, and also monitoring the operation of equipment. Increasingly complex tasks can only be performed by such a novice in the presence of masters with extensive experience.
2. Second. A pastry chef at this stage of mastering his specialty is tasked with preparing creams, whipping and coloring them, boiling syrups, cutting biscuits, and brushing them with filling. The preparation of some semi-finished products, placing the dough in the machine, starting and adjusting its operation is also carried out by a novice pastry chef. This profession is not simple, so to obtain each subsequent rank, masters have to pass exams.
3. Third. Having received this qualification, the master can produce simple types of confectionery and bakery products, prepare certain types of creams, fillings and dough. He is also trusted with cutting semi-finished products and decorating sweets with fondant or icing.
4. Fourth. At this level, the confectioner profession program involves training masters in preparing certain types of rolls, cookies, and cakes from all types of raw materials. They can also select creams according to the dish and prepare individual elements that make up complex decorations (cakes).
5. Fifth. After receiving this rank, the pastry chef is assigned additional responsibilities. While still under the supervision of a senior master, he is responsible for the correct progress of the process of preparing non-standard cakes ordered individually. Also, a confectioner, whose profession is always inextricably linked with sweets and desserts, gets the opportunity to control the work associated with the production of sweets and can decorate cakes and pastries with complex finishing.
6. Sixth. A professional of this level is capable of producing complex, shaped, highly artistic confectionery products. He is able to select the necessary materials in accordance with color and size, and also independently prepare the most complex of them. In addition, a sixth-grade confectioner can develop a technology and recipe for making sweets.

Confectioner (profession): advantages and disadvantages

When choosing a future profession, you should carefully weigh all its inherent advantages and costs. Chefs and pastry chefs will always be in demand, as the demand for their services remains consistently high. By improving his skills, a master can build an excellent career and earn good money.

For a talented worker in this field there are many opportunities for self-realization as an employee or as the owner of his own enterprise.

Speaking about such a specialty as a confectioner, whose profession is associated with many dangerous factors, it is worth highlighting the risk of injury and the occurrence of a number of diseases. Craftsmen who spend almost their entire working day in a standing position are prone to damage to the joints of the legs and spine. The effect of high temperature and humidity on the human body is also unfavorable.

In order to reduce the number of injuries from contact with sharp and hot objects, all cooks and pastry chefs undergo safety training both during training and on the job.

What qualities should a good pastry chef have?

When deciding to begin training in the confectionery craft, you should take into account your predisposition to this type of work activity, as well as the compliance of your temperament, character and abilities with the requirements that this profession places on the master.

To fully master the intricacies of the confectionery craft, you should have the following qualities:

• developed sense of smell and subtle taste sensations;
• excellent memory, which is useful for remembering ingredients and recipes;
• developed imagination;
• manual dexterity and the ability to quickly switch between different types of work (after all, many processes and operations are performed simultaneously);
• physical endurance.

What does it take to become a virtuoso pastry chef?

The traits listed above, combined with a decent education, will allow you to successfully work in the kitchen. However, in order to go beyond an ordinary confectioner and become a specialist of the highest rank, one cannot do without artistic taste, ingenuity and creativity.

In addition, in the course of his work, the pastry chef interacts with team members and superiors, so he is expected to be patient, self-controlled, friendly, friendly and sociable. Sloppy, inattentive and careless workers are not successful in this field of activity.

How to become a pastry chef

Many educational institutions offer special programs and courses. Considering the demand for the pastry chef profession, training begins to bear fruit quite quickly.

Basic knowledge is taught in primary and secondary vocational education institutions. To obtain a qualification as a confectionery production technologist, you need to enroll in a higher education institution. The curriculum that guides teachers in public and private institutions must comply with legally established standards.

The Federal State Educational Standard for the pastry chef profession regulates the content and process of presenting information to students, and also determines the learning outcome in the form of specific skills and abilities of graduates.

Where can a pastry chef apply his skills?

Having received an education, the master can be accepted into the staff of a bakery, catering establishment (cafe, restaurant, canteen), in health camps or in sanatoriums. In addition, all educational institutions, without exception, employ confectioners on their staff.

As a master of confectionery production, you can get a job in a preparation factory or semi-finished products plant.

Steps of the career ladder

Career growth within a particular enterprise is possible for those confectioners who have management skills and ambitions. They become shift, shop or production managers.

For those who want to try their hand at private entrepreneurship, there is the opportunity to open their own confectionery or bakery.

Characteristics of work. Cutting with a knife or knocking out the baked sponge cake from the molds. Cleaning molds and biscuits. Delivery of semi-finished products to workplaces. Loading the spreading machine with cream or filling and regulating its operation. Performing more complex operations under the guidance of a more highly qualified pastry chef.

Must know: requirements for the quality of baked biscuits for cakes and pastries; maintenance rules for the spreading machine.

§ 43. Confectioner 2nd category

Characteristics of work. Performing individual work in the process of making cakes, pastries and shaped cookies. Preparation of syrups and creams, churning and coloring cream, boiling syrup. Laying out, leveling and cutting the biscuit to size into layers for cakes and pastries. Filling or spreading cakes and pastries with cream or filling manually or using spreading machines, adjusting the thickness of the layer of cream or filling. Preparation of semi-finished products for certain types of confectionery products. Checking the weight of piece products. Monitoring the quality of syrup cooking using instrument readings. Delivery of semi-finished product to the workplace. Conducting the process of forming complex-shaped cookies. Filling depositor bags with dough and manually depositing cookies or cakes onto sheets. Jigging of cookies type "Ukraine" on jiggers. Filling the depositor cylinder with dough. Monitoring the quality of deposits. Removing the formed dough from the depositor and placing it on sheets. Making sandwiches by machine. Checking the quality of incoming cookies, fillings, creams. Starting and stopping a sandwich making machine and regulating its operation. Loading cream or fillings into the drums of the machine being serviced. Feeding cookies by conveyor onto cassettes, applying fillings, cream, cooling in a refrigerator, placing them on the conveyor. Packaging of cakes, pastries and shaped cookies.

Must know: technology and recipes for preparing syrups, creams, making sandwiches, semi-finished products for certain types of confectionery products; methods of coloring creams; range of manufactured confectionery products; types of raw materials, flavoring and aromatic substances, leavening agents and dyes used for the manufacture of confectionery products; principle of operation and rules of operation of the equipment being serviced.

§ 44. Confectioner 3rd category

Characteristics of work. Conducting the process of manufacturing simple mass-produced cakes, pastries and other piece confectionery and bakery products with the application of a stencil pattern according to a standard in one paint or with a simple combination of paints from various types of raw materials: flour dough, curd mass or ice cream. Preparation of various types of dough, creams, fillings. Procurement, weighing, measuring raw materials according to a given recipe. Kneading, kneading the dough, kneading, rolling to a certain thickness, adding flour to the dough. Cutting the resulting semi-finished products. Stamping, forming and depositing products onto sheets. Decorating products with fondant, marzipan, candied fruit, chocolate, cream. Transfer of ice cream products for hardening.

Must know: types of flour and its properties (quality of gluten formed); recipes and production modes for simple mass-produced cakes, pastries and other piece confectionery products with the application of a stencil pattern according to a standard in one paint with simple combination of colors; methods of finishing confectionery products with fondant, marzipan, candied fruit, chocolate, cream; arrangement of serviced equipment.

§ 45. Confectioner 4th category

Characteristics of work. Conducting the process of making cupcakes, rolls, cookies of various assortments, complex types of cakes and pastries from various raw materials: flour dough, curd mass or ice cream with a multi-color pattern, separate arrangement of small and medium-sized details of the pattern and sharp traditional transitions of tones. Shaped cutting of baked semi-finished products. Molding. Making design details, decorations for cakes from chocolate, cream, meringue. Selection of cream by color. Applying a pattern. Installation of a pattern from various small and medium-sized parts. Visual check of the combination of colorful elements and details of the design, the weight of the finished cakes and pastries.

Must know: technology and recipes for making cupcakes, rolls, retail cookies, complex cakes and pastries with multicolor patterns; ways to mount a picture.

§ 46. Confectioner of the 5th category

Characteristics of work. Conducting the process of manufacturing highly artistic, original, figured, national, custom cakes according to specially developed proprietary recipes under the guidance of a more highly qualified pastry chef. Production of individual baked and finishing semi-finished products. Conducting the process of making candies for sets such as “theater” and “chocolate”. Preparation and quality control of raw materials, fillings, finishing semi-finished products. Forming dough pieces, artistic finishing of complex types of products.

Must know: recipes and basic technology for making highly artistic, figured, custom, national cakes; manufacturing technology and recipes for sweets included in “chocolate” and “theater” sets, creams, syrups, individual baked and finishing semi-finished products; methods and techniques of artistic finishing of confectionery products.

§ 47. Confectioner 6th category

Characteristics of work. Conducting the process of manufacturing highly artistic, original, figured, custom, national cakes. Formation of complex-shaped dough pieces. Complex artistic finishing of products. Selection of finishing materials by color, shape, size. Installation of a pattern from various small and medium-sized parts. Development of recipes and manufacturing technology for branded cakes and pastries.

Must know: technology for manufacturing highly artistic, original, figured, custom, national cakes; rules and techniques for developing recipes for baked cakes and finishing semi-finished products; requirements for the quality of cakes; methods and techniques for highly artistic finishing of confectionery products.

Secondary vocational education required.

I CONFIRM:

[Job title]

_______________________________

_______________________________

[Name of company]

_______________________________

_______________________/[FULL NAME.]/

"_____" _______________ 20___

JOB DESCRIPTION

Confectioner 3rd category

1. General Provisions

1.1. This job description defines and regulates the powers, functional and job responsibilities, rights and responsibilities of a 3rd category confectioner [Name of the organization in the genitive case] (hereinafter referred to as the Company).

1.2. A 3rd category confectioner is appointed and dismissed in accordance with the procedure established by current labor legislation by order of the head of the Company.

1.3. A 3rd category confectioner belongs to the category of workers and reports directly to [name of the position of the immediate supervisor in the dative case] of the Company.

1.4. A person with vocational education, appropriate training and work experience in the specialty of at least 1 year is appointed to the position of 3rd category confectioner.

1.5. In practical activities, a 3rd category confectioner must be guided by:

• local acts and organizational and administrative documents of the Company;
• internal labor regulations;
• rules of labor protection and safety, ensuring industrial sanitation and fire protection;
• instructions, orders, decisions and instructions from the immediate supervisor;
• this job description.

1.6. A 3rd category confectioner must know:

• types of flour and its properties (quality of gluten formed);
• recipes and production modes for simple mass-produced cakes, pastries and other piece confectionery products with the application of a stencil pattern according to a standard in one paint with simple combination of colors;
• methods of finishing confectionery products with fondant, marzipan, candied fruit, chocolate, cream;
• arrangement of serviced equipment.

1.7. During the period of temporary absence of a 3rd category confectioner, his duties are assigned to [deputy position title].

2. Job responsibilities

A 3rd category confectioner performs the following labor functions:

2.1. Conducting the process of manufacturing simple mass-produced cakes, pastries and other piece confectionery and bakery products with the application of a stencil pattern according to a standard in one paint or with a simple combination of paints from various types of raw materials: flour dough, curd mass or ice cream.

2.2. Preparation of various types of dough, creams, fillings.

2.3. Procurement, weighing, measuring raw materials according to a given recipe.

2.4. Kneading, kneading the dough, kneading, rolling to a certain thickness, adding flour to the dough.

2.5. Cutting the resulting semi-finished products.

2.6. Stamping, forming and depositing products onto sheets.

2.7. Decorating products with fondant, marzipan, candied fruit, chocolate, cream.

2.8. Transfer of ice cream products for hardening.

In case of official necessity, a 3rd category confectioner may be involved in the performance of his official duties overtime, in the manner prescribed by law.

3. Rights

A 3rd category confectioner has the right to:

3.1. Get acquainted with draft decisions of the enterprise management concerning its activities.

3.2. Submit proposals for improvement of work related to the responsibilities provided for by this job description for management's consideration.

3.3. Inform your immediate supervisor about all shortcomings in the production activities of the enterprise (its structural divisions) identified during the performance of your official duties and make proposals for their elimination.

3.4. Request personally or on behalf of the immediate supervisor from heads of departments of the enterprise and specialists information and documents necessary to perform their job duties.

3.5. Involve specialists from all (individual) structural divisions of the Company in solving the tasks assigned to him (if this is provided for by the regulations on structural divisions, if not, with the permission of the head of the Company).

3.6. Require the management of the enterprise to provide assistance in the performance of their official duties and rights.

4. Responsibility and performance evaluation

4.1. A 3rd category confectioner bears administrative, disciplinary and material (and in some cases provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation, criminal) responsibility for:

4.1.1. Failure to carry out or improperly carry out official instructions from the immediate supervisor.

4.1.2. Failure to perform or improper performance of one's job functions and assigned tasks.

4.1.3. Illegal use of granted official powers, as well as their use for personal purposes.

4.1.4. Inaccurate information about the status of the work assigned to him.

4.1.5. Failure to take measures to suppress identified violations of safety regulations, fire safety and other rules that pose a threat to the activities of the enterprise and its employees.

4.1.6. Failure to ensure compliance with labor discipline.

4.2. The assessment of the work of a 3rd category confectioner is carried out:

4.2.1. By the immediate supervisor - regularly, in the course of the employee’s daily performance of his labor functions.

4.2.2. The certification commission of the enterprise - periodically, but at least once every two years, based on documented results of work for the evaluation period.

4.3. The main criterion for assessing the work of a 3rd category confectioner is the quality, completeness and timeliness of his performance of the tasks provided for in these instructions.

5. Working conditions

5.1. The working hours of a 3rd category confectioner are determined in accordance with the internal labor regulations established by the Company.

5.2. Due to production needs, a 3rd category confectioner is required to go on business trips (including local ones).

I have read the instructions on ___________/___________/“____” _______ 20__.

Characteristics of the work.

What you should know:

• types of flour and its properties (quality of gluten formed)
• recipes and production modes for simple mass-produced cakes, pastries and other piece confectionery products with the application of a stencil pattern according to the standard in one paint with simple combination of colors
• methods of finishing confectionery products with fondant, marzipan, candied fruit, chocolate, cream
• arrangement of serviced equipment.

§ 44. Confectioner 3rd category

Characteristics of the work. Conducting the process of manufacturing simple mass-produced cakes, pastries and other piece confectionery and bakery products with the application of a stencil pattern according to a standard in one paint or with a simple combination of paints from various types of raw materials: flour dough, curd mass or ice cream. Preparation of various types of dough, creams, fillings. Procurement, weighing, measuring raw materials according to a given recipe. Kneading, kneading the dough, kneading, rolling to a certain thickness, adding flour to the dough. Cutting the resulting semi-finished products. Stamping, forming and depositing products onto sheets. Decorating products with fondant, marzipan, candied fruit, chocolate, cream. Transfer of ice cream products for hardening.
Must know: types of flour and its properties (quality of gluten formed); recipes and production modes for simple mass-produced cakes, pastries and other piece confectionery products with the application of a stencil pattern according to a standard in one paint with simple combination of colors; methods of finishing confectionery products with fondant, marzipan, candied fruit, chocolate, cream; arrangement of serviced equipment.

From July 1, 2016, employers are required to apply professional standards, if the requirements for the qualifications that an employee needs to perform a certain job function are established by the Labor Code, federal laws or other regulations (Federal Law of May 2, 2015 No. 122-FZ).
To search for approved professional standards of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation, use