What does a Baker do?
Bakers can be employed at restaurants, bakeries, hotels, catering companies, grocers, manufacturing facilities and cafes to manage or assist in filling customer orders and providing fresh inventory. They assess the quality and freshness of ingredients each morning and follow recipes to measure ingredients, mix dough, mold it into attractive shapes, bake it at the correct temperature, remove it from heat at the appropriate time, let it cool, add glazes and place each type of bread and pastry in the correct display or package. Bakers may also decorate cakes and cookies, wash dishes and sanitize the kitchen each day.
Baker skills and qualifications
A good Baker should have basic math, technological and practical skills. The right candidate will typically possess time management, communication, organizational and resource management skills. You may find this list of skills to be helpful when writing a job description:
- Detail-oriented
- Flexibility to work around customer demand
- Ability to work with team members to solve problems
- Good planning skills
- Ability to lift heavy items for an extended time
- Ability to read and follow recipes
Baker salary expectations
On average, a Baker earns $12.24 per hour. Their exact salary can vary depending on factors like their experience level and location in the U.S. Having a food science degree or catering experience can greatly increase a Baker’s salary. Common benefits include a flexible schedule, employee discount and paid time off.
Baker salary expectations
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Common salary:
16.79 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
7.25 -32.60 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Baker education and training requirements
Even though baking requires no formal education, a candidate should have at least a high school diploma. Candidates who have trained at technical or culinary schools tend to be at a competitive advantage. Such training lasts for one to two years and covers basic math, food safety and nutrition. Once in the system, the new hire may need on-the-job training to gain any additional needed skills. A new hire may, therefore, start as an apprentice or trainee and learn the basics of decoration, icing and baking.
Baker experience requirements
Candidates should have some experience with cake decoration techniques and have expertise as a Baker. They should also be familiar with professional kitchen equipment, such as dough sheeters, blenders and mixers. Many job duties can be learned on-the-job, and some kitchen tasks can be practiced at home.
Baker Job Description Template
We are looking for a Baker to prepare different types of bread and a wide range of pastries, like cookies, cakes and pies. Baker responsibilities include opening the bakery early in the morning, mixing dough, preparing fillings and glazing pastries. To be successful in this role, you should have work experience as a Baker and be able to decorate cakes using creative techniques. Ultimately, you will make sure we offer fresh and delicious goods to our customers on a daily basis.
Responsibilities
- Open the bakery early in the morning
- Clean kitchen equipment and tools before use
- Weigh flour and other ingredients to prepare dough
- Bake different bread types, like pretzels, baguettes and multigrain breads
- Adjust oven temperatures to ensure proper baking
- Mix various ingredients to create fillings for cakes and pies (e.g. chocolate ganache, caramel sauce and fruits)
- Decorate cakes with glazes, icings, buttercream and edible toppings, like flowers
- Shape dough to prepare different types of pastries, including croissants, cookies and sweet rolls
- Prepare custom-made pastries based on customers’ preferences (e.g. birthday cakes)
- Recommend recipes to renew our menu and attract more customers (e.g. gluten-free or vegan desserts)
- Track food supplies and place orders, as needed
Requirements
- Experience as a Baker, Pastry Chef or similar role
- Familiarity with all professional kitchen equipment, including mixers, blenders and dough sheeters
- Understanding of food safety practices (Insert State/City Qualification Needed)
- Experience with cake decoration techniques
- Excellent time-management skills
- Ability to remain calm and focused in a fast-paced environment
- Team spirit, with a customer-focused attitude
- Flexibility to work in early morning shifts
- Certification or degree from a culinary school is a plus
Job description samples for similar positions
If you’re looking for candidates for similar roles to a Baker, see our job description template for a related position:
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
