Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
•   Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
•   Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
•   Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•   Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
•   Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
•   Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
•   Coaching and Developing Others Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Working Life

The expression ‘you eat with your eyes first’ is probably most true when it comes to desserts. We don’t eat desserts primarily to satiate our hunger, that’s what the starters and the main courses are for! So a dessert really has to look beautiful and appetising.

Making desserts often requires several components that must be assembled individually and then brought together to create the final product. Every ingredient has to be measured precisely and added in the correct way and in the correct order.

In addition to making and presenting beautiful desserts, you may be responsible for testing, tasting and developing new recipes, menu planning, food safety, budgeting, purchasing of fresh ingredients and supervising commis chefs in the kitchen.

A pastry chef is a baker, but a baker isn't necessarily a pastry chef. Confusing? Well the first difference is in the title, as "chef" literally means "boss". The second difference is that Pastry chefs are not limited to baking bread and making cakes, they also create a range of desserts to complement other courses on a menu.

In some restaurants, the Pastry chef is known as a ‘Pâtissier’. You may also see positions advertised as ‘commis pastry chef’, ‘pastry chef de partie’ or ‘head pastry chef’ and that would give you an indication of your ranking in that particular kitchen.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods.
• Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking.
• Combine measured ingredients in bowls of mixing, blending, or cooking machinery.
• Place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills.
• Set time and speed controls for mixing machines, blending machines, or steam kettles so that ingredients will be mixed or cooked according to instructions.
• Measure or weigh flour or other ingredients to prepare batters, doughs, fillings, or icings, using scales or graduated containers.
• Observe color of products being baked, and adjust oven temperatures, humidity, or conveyor speeds accordingly.
• Check the quality of raw materials to ensure that standards and specifications are met.
• Check equipment to ensure that it meets health and safety regulations, and perform maintenance or cleaning, as necessary.
• Adapt the quantity of ingredients to match the amount of items to be baked.

Further Information

• Pastry Chef- from: Get a Life in Tourism

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Naturalist

Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.

Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.

 Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

 Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Some of the training for a career as a pastry chef comes through experience. Getting a culinary education will help to give you the confidence and the skills to advance more quickly than you would otherwise in this field.

Although some current chefs work their way up the ranks in a Kitchen, formal training is typically required to progress to Executive Chef pathway. You can build you initial skills and experience via education and training.

To develop your career as a pastry chef, you often need to build a professional reputation over time by working hard and using your creativity to challenge yourself and develop your skills.

Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research. 

Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.

Example search terms include: food and beverage service, hospitality, patisserie and confectionery.

Search for FET Courses

PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.

Example search terms include: culinary arts, pre-apprenticeship, professional cookery, baking.

Search for PLC Courses

Apprenticeships: 
Apprenticeships are structured work-based training programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. They run from 2 – 4 years and are open to individuals of all ages, including school leavers, those seeking a career change, and existing employees who wish to upskill.

Examples: Culinary Skill.

Apprenticeship programmes have the benefits of allowing you to earn a wage while you learn. To find information chef apprenticeship programmes:

Commis Chef Apprenticeship NFQ level 6

Chef de Partie Apprenticeship NFQ level 7

Sous Chef Apprenticeship NFQ level 8

Executive Chef NFQ level 9.

Search for Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate) 
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.

Example search terms include: culinary arts, food science.

Search for courses in Culinary Arts (offered in technology universities around the country) where you combine practical Cookery tuition with academic subjects such as food science, product development, and entrepreneurial studies.

Search for CAO Courses

Higher Education (Postgraduate)
Postgraduate courses are courses at Levels 9 and 10 on the NFQ and usually last 1 – 2 years full time, or longer if a PhD or part time. Entrants typically require an undergraduate award (Level 8).

Example search terms include: culinary arts.

Search for Postgraduate Courses

Professional Development 

Professional development (CPD) courses are specialised training, formal education, or advanced professional learning that improves skills, professional knowledge, competency, and overall effectiveness in the professional world.

Private cookery schools may also offer courses in this field, in line with industry lead Skillnet, enterprise, and continuous professional development search RAI.

Check the Useful Contacts tab on this page to see if there are any professional bodies listed who may provide training related to this career.

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €35k - €55k

Salaries vary by employer, location, duties, role, experience, and sessional shift pattern & conditions. 

Data Source(s):
Excel Recruitment/ Indeed

Last Updated: July, 2024

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Chefs; Cooks.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The five-year employment growth rate was negative for chefs; despite a growth of over 5,000 persons employed since 2021, employment levels in 2022 remained below pre-COVID-19 levels. One half of those employed as chefs were non-Irish citizens, far exceeding the national average of 19%. The number of employment permits issued grew from an average of approximately 500 per annum between 2019 and 2021 to over 2,100 in 2022; this is in line with the overall increase in employment permits issued in 2022.

A high volume of vacancies advertised through DSP Jobs Ireland (primarily for chef de partie roles), and the increased volume of advertised vacancies in the OVATE data, indicate that demand was strong for chefs in 2022. However, it should also be noted that there was a relatively high share of jobseekers registered with the DSP in December 2022 who indicated that they had previously been employed in food preparation trades. Despite an increase between 2020 and 2021, output from the further and higher education and training system has been, in the main, declining in recent years. As such, skill shortages persist.

• Bord Bia

  • Clanwilliam Court Lower Mount Street. Dublin 2
  • (01) 668 5155
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Fáilte Ireland

  • Amiens Street, Dublin 1
  • (01) 884 7700
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Restaurant's Association of Ireland

  • 11 Bridge Court, Citygate, St Augustine Street, Dublin 8
  • 01 6779901
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here