Pastry & Bakery Chef

The Pamodzi Zambia – Lusaka – Lusaka Culinary Hourly/Entry Level Employee Full-time Req ID: LUS000040 Summary Position Title: Pastry & Bakery Chef Department: Culinary / Pastry Reports To: Executive Chef Location: Lusaka, Zambia Position Summary The Pastry & Bakery Chef is responsible for overseeing all pastry and bakery operations within the hotel, ensuring exceptional quality, consistency, creativity, and cost control across all outlets. This role leads the pastry team, develops menus and products for restaurants, all‑day dining, banquets, room service, and special events, while maintaining the highest standards of hygiene, presentation, and guest satisfaction. Key Responsibilities Lead all pastry and bakery operations across hotel outlets including restaurants, all‑day dining, banquets, lounges, and room service. Develop, execute, and update dessert, bakery, and pastry menus in line with hotel brand standards and seasonal availability. Ensure consistent quality, flavour, presentation, and portion control for all pastry and bakery products. Create and maintain standardized recipes and technical sheets, ensuring accuracy in yield, cost, and production. Oversee daily production planning to meet operational demands efficiently. Train, mentor, and evaluate pastry, bakers, and commis staff. Maintain strict compliance with food safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards (HACCP). Supervise purchasing, inventory management, storage, and proper handling of raw materials. Monitor and control food cost, labour cost, waste, and productivity. Collaborate with Executive Chef and F&B teams on menu engineering, events, promotions, and guest experiences. Drive innovation in desserts and baked goods while maintaining operational feasibility. Represent the pastry department during tastings, audits, and internal meetings. Qualifications Job Requirements Education Professional degree or diploma in Pastry Arts, Baking, or Culinary Arts. Advanced pastry or bakery certifications preferred. Experience Minimum 7–10 years of professional experience in pastry and bakery operations. At least 2–3 years in a senior pastry leadership role (Pastry Chef, Senior Sous Pastry Chef). Luxury hotel or high‑end restaurant experience strongly preferred. Technical Knowledge Strong expertise in: Classic and modern pastries Viennoiserie and artisan breads Cakes, plated desserts, and entremets Chocolates, pralines, and confections Frozen desserts (ice creams, sorbets) Strong understanding of large‑scale production for banquets and high‑volume outlets. Solid knowledge of food costing, yield management, and portion control. Understanding of dietary requirements (gluten‑free, vegan, reduced sugar, allergen management). Skills & Competencies Strong leadership and team‑development skills. High level of organization and time management. Creative mindset aligned with luxury hospitality standards. Ability to perform under pressure in a multi‑outlet environment. Attention to detail and consistency. Financial awareness and results‑oriented approach. Languages English required (professional working proficiency). Additional languages are an advantage. Additional Requirements Flexibility to work rotating schedules, early mornings, split shifts, weekends, and holidays. Ability to support large‑scale events, banquets, and seasonal peak operations. Passion for pastry innovation balanced with operational discipline. Commitment to continuous learning and team excellence