Pastry Cook | Part-Time | Palm Beach County Convention Center

About the Role

The Pastry Cook is responsible for preparing a variety of high-quality desserts and baked goods to be served throughout the venue. Working in a fast-paced environment, this role supports the culinary team in delivering beautifully crafted, delicious pastries for events of all sizes. The Pastry Cook may interact directly with guests in settings such as buffet lines or live preparation stations and must maintain excellent attendance while being available to work event-based schedules according to business needs.

About the Venue

The Palm Beach County Convention Center is a multi-purpose facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, managed by the Oak View Group. The Center features a 100,000 square-foot exhibit hall, a 22,000 square-foot ballroom, and 21,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, as well as connecting to the 400-room Hilton West Palm Beach.

Responsibilities

• Prepare a variety of pastries, desserts, breads, and other baked goods according to event menus and production schedules.
• Work independently or with very minimal oversight and instruction from lead cooks, supervisors, sous chefs, or the executive chef.
• Assist with the design and plating of desserts for banquets, buffets, and à la carte service.
• Follow recipes and presentation standards, ensuring consistency and quality.
• Bake cakes, pastries, pies, cookies, tarts, bread, and other baked goods, making a variety of bases like pastry cream, crème anglaise, ganache, curds, mousses, and sabayons.
• Assemble multi-component desserts like entremets, plated restaurant-style desserts, or wedding cakes.
• Operate commercial ovens (convection, deck ovens, etc.).
• Develop new dessert recipes, innovate with flavors, and ensure presentation is appealing.
• Adapt to seasonal ingredients and create themed or special event desserts.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the pastry station and storage areas.
• Monitor inventory levels and assist with ordering supplies as needed.
• Communicate with employees, co-workers, volunteers, management staff, and guests in a clear, business-like, and respectful manner that focuses on generating a positive, enthusiastic, and cooperative work environment.
• Seek continued growth and initiative to improve upon culinary skills on a day-to-day basis by seeking knowledge from those in higher positions.
• Wash culinary and service dishes and utensils; clean tables, walls, and floors, maintain the general cleanliness of the kitchen, and stock food and other items using correctly written date labels.
• Responsible for other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Previous pastry experience in a high-volume kitchen, hotel, or catering environment preferred.
• Culinary degree or pastry certification preferred, but not required.
• Must obtain and maintain a Food Handlers Card from ServeSafe.
• Possesses intermediate culinary understanding of plating techniques and standards.
• Previous experience assisting with the design and plating of desserts for banquets, buffets, and à la carte service is preferred.
• Ability to work weekdays and weekends, with availability for some morning, noon, and evening shifts on an on-call/event-based schedule.
• Knowledge of food safety and sanitation regulations.
• Ability to work effectively in a team-oriented, fast-paced, event-driven environment.
• Strong communication skills to interact with employees, management, and guests in a professional and respectful manner.
• Physical ability to lift and move heavy objects, such as boxes and equipment.
• Possesses a strong understanding of the Temperature Danger Zone and cooking temperatures of different meats and produce items to ensure Food Safety Standards.

Pay

This role pays an hourly rate of $26.00 - $29.00.

Benefits

• 401(k) Savings Plan and 401(k) matching (for Part-Time roles).