A pastry chef or patissier is a specialized chef in a professional kitchen skilled in the making of pastries, slices , and other (usually fancy) baked goods. Pastry chefs usually work in shifts starting early in the morning. They are employed in large hotels and restaurants, bakeries, great houses and cake houses.
The pastry chef is part of an apprentice system in professional cooking and ranks above a line cook.
The profession is a dying art in some areas due to the growth in convenience products and to people's increasing preference to employ bakers instead for their fresh breads. Due to this a reduced number of pastry jobs are advertised.
