What does a baker do
What is a baker?
A baker is a person who has learned the craft of working with a variety of ingredients to make and bake bread, cakes, and pastries, by hand and with various baking equipment. A baker’s job is performed in the kitchen/bakery of retail or commercial food establishments such as patisseries, bakeries, restaurants, and cafes.
What does a baker do?
A baker’s job is very hands on and manual, workers are required to knead, cut, mould, mix, and shape dough and pastry while also preparing a variety of sweet and savoury, filling, icing, cream, and glaze, to apply the finishing touches to cakes, bread, and pastries. A baker is also required to maintain a clean and hygienic workspace, while wearing appropriate shoes and clothing to meet safety standards. The bakery kitchen is a fast-paced environment requiring a baker to follow a production schedule and baker’s recipes. A baker must also follow instructions and recipes to ensure the correct quantity of ingredients are used to produce the desired product.
What attributes do you need to be a baker?
You must be willing to work hard, and open to learning new skills and techniques in the baking trade. You will need to be energetic and enthusiastic, able, and willing to work weekends and public holidays, possess good maths skills, be punctual and hardworking, be flexible and resilient to overcome challenges that may arise. You will need to work as part of a team, be positive and approachable, and manage your time well. Click here to hear what bakers in the industry are saying.
Do I need previous experience to become a baker?
Although bakers usually don’t require formal education in the trade, employers may prefer or require that a candidate have a high school certificate and a reasonable understanding in maths. A baker typically learns their skills through on-the-job training, which may include enrolling in an apprenticeship that takes three to four years to complete. There are a number of introductory short courses that can be done to attain an entry level skills and an idea of what to expect as a baker.
What are the benefits of working as a baker?
There are many benefits of working as a baker including the ability to work anywhere in the world, with plenty of job openings to choose from. Previous experience isn’t required, and you can learn on the job. A lot of the skills learned are also transferable if you choose to make a career change. The best thing about being a baker is that it is creative and hands-on, and you can eat the yummy food you make!
What is the difference between a baker and pastrycook?
A baker works in a retail bakery or a manufacturing facility using commercial baking equipment to produce a variety of baked products which may include, bread, donuts, pastries, cakes, and cookies each day. A pastrycook will most likely know how to bake a variety of baked goods but may specialise in pastries, cakes, decorating, and desserts.
Do I need a car and licence to be a baker?
It is not a requirement that you have a driver’s licence or your own transport to get to and from your shift. However, if this is the case access to good public transport is essential.
Do bakers work night shift?
The need for night shift in a bakery depends on what products are being produced and whether it is a retail bakery or commercial bakery.
Retail bakeries that produce cakes and pastries can usually operate under fairly normal hours. There may be an exception (4am or 5am) when making muffins or cupcakes to ensure they are fresh when the bakery opens. However, for the most part, cakes and pastries can be prepared in advance and kept refrigerated until needed. While retail bakeries that produce bread require it to be made fresh each morning usually resulting in earlier starts such as 10pm or 1am.
There are various solutions and new technologies that a bakery can implement to minimise the need for shift work. However, these solutions can be costly and may not always be possible due to limited kitchen space. One example of innovation in this area is the use of a Prover Retarder which enables bakers to mix, divide, and shape the dough during the day then leave it in the Prover Retarder allowing them to start as late as 3am to 4am.
Commercial manufacturing facilities produce various bread, pastries, and other baked goods using high volume mixers, ovens, and other equipment. These machines can be automated to produce standardised baked goods; however, these facilities operate 24/7 with varying shift starting times.