Profession confectioner

The skill of preparing delicious delicacies - confectionery - has been valued at all times, and the secrets of the exquisite taste of cakes, sweets and other sweets are always kept in strict confidence. A confectioner is a specialist who has knowledge, skills in the preparation of confectionery products and the technology of this process. The confectioner must have exquisite taste, imagination and have a penchant for creativity. The best creations of specialists of this profile are rightfully compared with works of art.

It is difficult to reliably establish the time of the emergence of the confectionery craft. Perhaps the first confectioners were the Mayans, who discovered the amazing properties of chocolate, or the inhabitants of ancient India, who knew the taste of cane sugar and prepared sweet sticks from it. It is known that during archaeological excavations in Egypt, "candies" made by hand from dates were found. In more recent times, at the courts of royalty and the highest nobility in Europe, confectioners were among the privileged servants.
Nowadays, the confectionery industry is experiencing a period of growth, actively mastering new technologies and developments from related areas of culinary. Russian specialists, based on the achievements of the Soviet period, are reviving national traditions.…

The profession of a confectioner is in demand at all times. It is interesting to note that consumption and love for "sweet" practically does not depend on the state of the economy. In times of rising incomes, sales of exclusive products increase, and in times of economic recession, confectioners' products are no less popular, helping to cope with depression. Confectioners are sometimes compared to psychotherapists or healers of human souls.
The demand for confectioners is stable and sustainable. In addition to large private and public companies, masters of the "sweet craft" are in demand in small restaurants, cafes and pastry shops.

If almost everyone can get an education by profession as a confectioner, then not everyone can become a real Master of their craft. Artistic taste, the desire for continuous improvement and education are the necessary features for those who want to reach the top. It is in such cases that opportunities open up to become a professional and create your own masterpiece, which will go down in the annals of culinary art.

Despite the seeming ease and attractiveness of the profession, confectioners have to work in conditions of high humidity and temperature, experience emotional and physical stress. It is not recommended to work in the confectionery industry for people suffering from allergies or having insufficient sense of smell. However, for those who are not afraid of these complexities and difficulties, attractive prospects for personal and professional growth open up.

You can get the profession of a confectioner in specialized vocational schools, after which ranks are assigned. There is an opportunity to continue education at a university, specializing in confectionery production technologist. In addition to the state education system, private educational institutions operate in Russia, master classes and training seminars for confectioners are held.

It is difficult to reliably establish the time of the emergence of the confectionery craft. Perhaps the first confectioners were the Mayans, who discovered the amazing properties of chocolate, or the inhabitants of ancient India, who knew the taste of cane sugar and prepared sweet sticks from it. It is known that during archaeological excavations in Egypt, "candies" made by hand from dates were found. In more recent times, at the courts of royalty and the highest nobility in Europe, confectioners were among the privileged servants.

Nowadays, the confectionery industry is experiencing a period of growth, actively mastering new technologies and developments from related areas of culinary. Russian specialists, based on the achievements of the Soviet period, are reviving national traditions.…

The skill of preparing delicious delicacies - confectionery - has been valued at all times, and the secrets of the exquisite taste of cakes, sweets and other sweets are always kept in strict confidence. A confectioner is a specialist with knowledge, skills in the preparation of confectionery products and the technology of this process. The confectioner must have exquisite taste, imagination and have a penchant for creativity. The best creations of specialists of this profile are rightfully compared with works of art.

Characteristics of the profession

Occupation groups.

The profession of confectioner belongs to the realistic type. Realistic type. Professionals of this type tend to engage in specific things and their use, prefer activities that require the use of physical strength and dexterity. Focused mainly on practical work, a quick result of activity. The ability to communicate with people, formulate and present thoughts is less developed.

More often, people of this type choose the professions of a mechanic, electrician, engineer, agronomist, gardener, confectioner, cook and other professions that involve the solution of specific problems, the presence of mobility, perseverance, and communication with technology. Communication is not leading in the structure of activity.

According to working conditions, four groups of professions can be distinguished:

Labor in normal living conditions (b). In such conditions, for example, a draftsman, an accountant, a confectioner, a cook, a radio equipment controller work;

Labor in the open air in the mode of a sharp drop in temperature, humidity (o). These conditions are typical for field farmers, tractor-mechanic operators of a wide profile, etc.;

Work in unusual conditions: under water, at height, underground, as well as in conditions of elevated temperature, etc. (n). Examples of professions: divers, miners, painters, high-altitude fitters.

Labor with increased moral responsibility (for the health and life of a person or for large material social values) (m). This group includes the professions of a teacher, judge, seller, etc.

The profession of a confectioner belongs to the group of professions "B" - work in ordinary living conditions (b).

Occupations related to her are a baker, a cook, a bartender, a manufacturer of semi-finished food products, a culinary specialist of fish and seafood dishes.

General characteristics of the profession

Prepares confectionery products at confectionery factories and in specialized shops of bakeries. Prepares various types of dough, fillings, creams according to a given recipe. Bakes and decorates products. Checks the weight of finished products. Uses hand tools, mechanical and electromechanical equipment.

Basic character traits. Requirements for the individual characteristics of a specialist: fine taste and olfactory sensitivity, fine color discrimination, good visual-motor coordination (at the level of hand movements) are necessary for the activity.

Amazing sweets, never-before-seen confectionery products with an excellent and unforgettable taste, amazing cakes with unique decorations and a sea of ​​taste and visual pleasure - these are the creations of people of a special profession. We are talking about confectioners, or pastry chefs. This is a profession, the representatives of which seem to the kids to be wizards and magicians. But few people know how much work, skills, knowledge and practice it takes to be called a confectioner and create delicious beauty and wonderful products.

Profession pastry chef

There is an opinion that in order to master this specialty, you need to have certain inclinations, talents from birth. And it has a right to exist. If a person feels proportions, memorizes recipes, has excellent taste, then with the help of the necessary education, he will only bring his skills to perfection. And the most important quality of such a person is that he must love to cook and create masterpieces. A pastry chef must be in perfect health. The workplace is a very hot room with high humidity. You constantly have to work at a frantic pace and be on your feet all the time. The confectioner should not suffer from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, respiratory organs, and he should not be allergic to food products. That is why he has to undergo a medical examination every year.

Education and ranks

As in all professions, performing various training and practical programs during educational courses or refresher courses, a pastry chef has the opportunity to increase his rating up to six digits. What is it for? With the help of categories, you can determine the qualifications and level of skills of a representative of this profession. After graduating from an educational institution (school), a person receives an initial vocational education and the qualification of a “confectioner-technologist” (third or fourth category). But to get a diploma, a knowledge test is required. This opportunity gives industrial practice. The pastry chef must demonstrate what he has achieved during his studies. Levels can be increased in the course of work or qualification courses. For example, if you graduate from the University of Food Technology, you can get the highest grade.

Skills and abilities

Cooking sweet desserts is part of such a field of human activity as cooking. The pastry chef is obliged to competently, correctly and quickly handle working devices at a professional level: microwave ovens, dough mixers, food processors, electric meat grinders. But still, such a specialist does most of the things manually, for example, he designs confectionery products, creates certain ingredients. In addition, a representative of this profession must have a taste and visual memory, be neat, punctual, responsible and pragmatic, and also have physical endurance, because, as already mentioned, you need to work and make decisions in hot rooms (the pace is very high).

Studying helps to develop these qualities, and after completing an educational institution, practice. A pastry chef must learn many techniques while working, including improvisation. But this skill comes with age and experience. With all the above skills, the confectioner has every chance to take an excellent position in some enterprise for the production of dessert dishes. If there is also a higher education, for example, a graduated university of food production, then it’s generally wonderful!

What knowledge should a representative of this profession have?

The pastry chef must be proficient in the production technology of products and finished products, thoroughly know the recipe of the produced delicacies, their calorie content, biological value, the terms and conditions of storage of ingredients and finished products, hygiene standards, signs and organoleptic methods for determining the good quality of products, techniques, methods and sequence of execution heat treatment, rules for the sale and release of finished products, rules for the operation of technological equipment, production equipment, tools, utensils, etc.

Where can you work?

Everywhere! The profession of a pastry chef is very much in demand today. You can get a job in a factory or factory for the manufacture of sweets or other confectionery. It is also possible to work in private restaurants, cafeterias, sweet shops. But there are cases, and in our time it happens quite often, that bakers-confectioners open their own cafes, restaurants or shops and run a business for the production and sale of confectionery. In such a profession, the main thing is not only to cook correctly and competently, but also to decorate the manufactured products beautifully and harmoniously. After all, it is this element (design and decoration) that is important for buyers and customers.

What exactly does a chef create?

With his own hands, he makes confectionery, which, depending on his imagination and skills, can take the form of masterpieces of art. Ordinary people do not distinguish between different types of sweets. But these are ordinary people, and every pastry chef knows what types of desserts are divided into. These are products that contain a huge amount of sugar in their composition, have a very pleasant taste and smell. At the same time, they have a very high rate of absorption by the human body. In the manufacture of desserts, flour of various origins, eggs, milk, yeast, sugar, honey, nuts, cocoa and other components are used. Depending on what is used to prepare sweet foods, confectionery products are divided into flour (wheat, corn, rice, oat flour, etc.) and sugary. And even if the product consists of components of both types, all the same, given their role, it is attributed to one or another type. The group of flour sweets includes such as cakes, waffles, cookies, pies, gingerbread and more. The group of sugary delicacies includes a variety of jellies, jams, mousses, creams, grilled meats, marshmallows, soufflés, halva, chocolate and more.

Finally

So, from the article you learned that a pastry chef is a person with physical stamina and excellent health, he knows and knows how to create a sweet or dessert according to the recipe (having previously determined the taste and type of the product), and if you have the necessary practice, add its zest in a confectionery product or even correct, improve the recipe for its preparation.

Fragrant strudel, unsurpassed tiramisu, airy meringue, delicate muffins, exquisite biscuit, various oriental sweets, sweets, cake, jam, marmalade... At the mere mention of one of these culinary masterpieces, any person starts involuntary salivation. And all because all these confectionery products are not only delicious, but also give people happiness. And we must thank the pastry chefs for them.

Viennese strudel, Spanish paella, German marzipan, French-style meat, Hungarian goulash, various oriental sweets, Italian pizza, Polish bigos, cake, jam, confiture... At the mere mention of one of these culinary masterpieces, any person begins to involuntarily salivation. And all because all these dishes are not only delicious, but also give people happiness. And we should be thankful for them. pastry chefs, which from the most common products can prepare a wide variety of delicacies.

Of course, any hostess who loves and knows how to please her friends and loved ones with delicious dishes can rightfully be considered a skilled pastry chef. However, as practice shows, the menu of such pastry chefs is quite limited, and the technology for preparing complex recipes at home does not always allow achieving impeccable taste and aesthetically attractive appearance. Becoming a professional pastry chef, who turns the most ordinary cake or borscht into a masterpiece, and who can flawlessly reproduce any recipe and develop his own, is possible only after graduating from a specialized educational institution.

What is a Pastry Chef?

A pastry chef is a qualified universal specialist who creates both confectionery and desserts (ice cream, halva, jam, cakes, waffles, cookies, sweets, etc.), as well as snacks, first and second courses. In other words, if a chef specializes in preparing main courses and appetizers, and a pastry chef specializes in preparing confectionery and desserts, then a pastry chef can cook everything.

The name of the profession comes from the Old Slavonic var (heat) and Arabic kandi (sweetness). Story pastry chef profession is more than one century old. It is authentically known that back in the 850s, various sweets were prepared using sugar in the Arab countries. And at the court of each king or khan, there was a confectioner whose recipes were kept as secret as the most important state secrets. Well, mankind learned to cook meat, fish, soups or salads back in those days when a way to make fire was found.

It should be noted that the work of a pastry chef is akin to the work of an artist - in the same way, you need to show creative imagination, experiment, look for new solutions, embody your ideas and realize the wishes of customers. At the same time, a creative approach must be taken regardless of whether the confectionery or main dish is prepared according to a given recipe or according to the author's recipe of a specialist. That is why a good pastry chef performs all the stages of preparing his culinary masterpiece on his own: from cutting blanks to making decorative elements.

In addition to everything else in duties of a pastry chef includes:

• preparation of the workplace, tools and equipment (scales, food processors, ovens, etc.);
• checking the availability and quality of products, as well as preparing raw materials for work;
• preparation and processing of finished products;
• cooling, freezing and storage of semi-finished products;
• packaging and labeling of finished products.

But, as a rule, a specialist prepares a dish "from and to" on his own only if this is an author's recipe or a culinary masterpiece intended for a special guest. Most often, the preparation of dishes and confectionery products is put on stream, therefore, a whole team of pastry chefs “conjures” their preparation, each member of which is responsible for a specific process.

What personal qualities should a pastry chef have?

As pastry chef job involves direct contact with the products, the specialist must be clean, tidy and responsible. In addition, the presence of such personal qualities as:

It is not difficult to guess that a professional pastry chef must know a huge number of different recipes and technologies for preparing main dishes, snacks and confectionery. In addition, a true professional knows the calorie content and biological value of products, the conditions and terms of their storage, the device and rules for using special equipment, and the sanitary and hygienic standards of food production.

Benefits of being a Pastry Chef

Since pastry chefs are fluent in the technology of preparing both dishes from the cuisines of different peoples of the world and a wide variety of confectionery products, such specialists will always be in demand at any catering establishments, regardless of whether it is a confectionery factory or a pizzeria. And this is the main advantage of being a pastry chef. At the same time, they are in demand in a variety of industries: from canteens in kindergartens and schools, to kitchens in elite restaurants.

The undoubted advantage of this profession can also be called great opportunities for the realization of creative potential. After all, thanks to modern technologies, pastry chefs can reproduce any object in their products or give them the most unexpected taste and color shades.

Pastry chefs, who have already achieved professional success, call a decent level of payment for their services one of the advantages of their profession. According to statistics, the average monthly salary of a pastry chef in Russia is 30-40 thousand rubles. But this is far from the limit, since the fee of eminent masters amounts to hundreds of thousands (and not always rubles).

Disadvantages of being a Pastry Chef

Speaking of Disadvantages of being a Pastry Chef, first of all, it is necessary to note the fact that work in any kitchen involves direct contact with hot surfaces. And this invariably entails frequent burns. Well, working with knives quite often leads to cuts and stab wounds (especially if the specialist neglects safety precautions).

You should also not forget that the pastry chef is directly responsible for the quality of the dish or confectionery prepared by him. Moreover, this applies both to its compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards, and to taste and aesthetic qualities.

The disadvantages can also be attributed to the fact that without the appropriate talent in this profession there is nothing to do. Yes, you can learn how to cook dishes and desserts according to classic recipes. However, it is impossible to achieve professional success with only basic knowledge and skills.

Where can you get a job as a Pastry Chef?

Become a Pastry Chef it is possible in culinary technical schools or colleges, which are available in almost every Russian city. You can also learn the wisdom of this profession in special courses. However, the latter option is more suitable for those who already have a diploma of a chef or pastry chef in their pocket, and just want to expand the scope of their activities. It should be noted that such courses are very popular, since among the culinary specializations, the profession of a pastry chef is considered the most prestigious, in demand and interesting.

Those who feel the vocation to create real culinary masterpieces need to prepare not only for the fact that they will have to learn a huge number of different recipes and cooking technologies, but also for the constant improvement of their skills. And this is regular attendance at master classes, seminars, courses, etc.

If we talk about choosing a particular educational institution, then, of course, it is recommended to choose the best culinary technical schools and colleges in Russia, since it is their diploma that allows you to count on successful employment and great prospects for professional growth. These schools today include:

• Samara College of Culinary Arts;
• Tomsk College of Food Industry, Trade and Services;
• Yekaterinburg College of Food and Services Industry "Culinar";
• St. Petersburg College of Culinary Excellence;
• Novosibirsk College of Public Catering and Services.

Suitable educational specialties: Baker; Baker-confectioner; Confectioner; Catering technologist.
Key items: Technology of catering products; Designing public catering establishments; restaurant business management; Management and marketing in public catering; Organization of production and service at public catering enterprises

Tuition fee (average in Russia): 216,000 rubles

Job description:

*tuition fee is indicated for 4 years of full-time bachelor's degree.

"A good cook is a lot of character,

fantasies and feelingsEMIL YUN, chef

Strasbourg restaurant "Au Crocodile"

"Even culinary masterpieces cannot be preserved in any museums.

They are eaten the faster, the more beautiful they are" -V. Pokhlebkin.

Gluttony is the worst of sinsbut the sweetest.

This is a food preparation specialist. A good cook is sometimes called a magician, because he can cook a real masterpiece from the most ordinary products, which will bring joy and delight to people.

Short description

The chef prepares dishes according to special recipes, but can modify them to his liking, that is, approach the process creatively.

The specifics of the profession

The work of a cook consists of several stages:

• receiving initial products;
• maintenance of technology and recipes for cooking;
• ensuring the cooking process: preparation of the necessary equipment, preparation of semi-finished products;
• proper operation of kitchen equipment;
• ensuring proper accounting and storage of products in accordance with sanitary and hygienic standards;
• product sales.

In Russia there is a classification chef profession, which differs from European and American:

• Chef - top level in the profession. He draws up applications for the necessary products, ensures their timely receipt from the warehouse, controls the timing, assortment, quantity and quality of their receipt and sale. Studying the demand of customers, forms an assortment of dishes and culinary products, composes a daily menu. Controls the technology of cooking and compliance with sanitary requirements and hygiene rules by employees. Organizes accounting and reporting on the activities of the enterprise.
• pastry chef specializes in the manufacture of confectionery, which requires exquisite taste, imagination and ingenuity.
• Cook technologist organizes the food preparation process. Determines the quality of raw materials, calculates its quantity to obtain portions of finished products, the calorie content of the daily diet. Develops recipes for new specialties and draws up flow charts on them. Prepares necessary documentation, instructs cooks.
• Chef calculates the raw materials and the yield of finished products, prepares dishes, performs straining, kneading, grinding, shaping, stuffing, stuffing products, regulates the temperature, determines the readiness of dishes, products by instrumentation, as well as by appearance, smell, color taste, makes decoration of dishes and confectionery products, divides them into portions.

Pros of the profession

The profession of a cook is in demand and creative, it has a place for fantasy and ingenuity. Good chefs have high wages.

Cons of the profession

The job requires great physical endurance and responsibility. Standing at a hot stove full-time is not for everyone. At the same time, there is a constant tension of attention, when you need to monitor the preparation of many dishes and there is no way to relax or be distracted.

Place of work

The profession of a cook is in demand in any industry: in schools, hospitals, kindergartens, canteens at plants and factories, modern offices, chic restaurants, in the army and navy. In good hotels, the profession of a cook is considered a key one in the hotel business. In hotels, chefs cook themselves and at the same time control the process of creating almost all dishes - from standard breakfasts to desserts. They also participate in the purchase of equipment, compose the menu, make sure that the restaurant's products are fresh and immediately go to processing.

The chef can also open his own restaurant or cafe. Wealthy people hire cooks for their homes.

Personal qualities

• olfactory and tactile sensitivity, olfactory memory;
• good taste and color perception, taste memory;
• good eye;
• exquisite taste, fantasy, a penchant for creativity;
• the ability to recognize small deviations of the parameters of technological processes from the set values ​​by visual signs;
• the ability to simultaneously perceive several objects;
• well-developed sense of timing;
• dynamic thinking;
• knowledge of measures, the ability to quickly and accurately determine the right amount of liquid, bulk products, spices by eye
• ability to understand the quality and freshness of meat, fish, vegetables and fruits
• knowledge of fast food technologies, how to rationally allocate time
• good coordination of movements of both hands, firmness of the hand, stability of the hands;
• ability to perform small precise movements;
• efficiency;
• physical endurance: the ability to work intensively for a long time without reducing performance;
• energy;
• the ability to improvise;
• responsibility;
• forethought;
• punctuality, pedantry;
• the ability to switch from one activity to another;
• striving for professional excellence.

Career

The work of the cook takes place in the kitchen, in conditions of high temperature and humidity. The professional activity of a cook begins at an educational institution. Many culinary schools and colleges provide students with permanent practice during the entire period of study. For a subsequent successful job search, a novice chef should make a portfolio with photographs of the dishes he has cooked. This is a modern approach to job search, which is perceived positively by a potential employer. In the profession of a cook, career growth is possible from an assistant cook to a chef in a prestigious institution.