pâtissière

A pâtissière is a pastry chef, a professional who specializes in pastries, desserts, and chocolate and sugar work. The term is the feminine form of pâtissier in French and denotes a person who works in a patisserie, bakery, hotel, or restaurant to prepare desserts and related confections.

Duties include designing and preparing doughs, fillings, creams, glazes, and decorations; baking pastries, cakes, tarts, and biscuits; making chocolate, sugar work, and other confectionery elements; planning production schedules and ensuring consistency of quality. A pâtissière may supervise assistants, manage inventory, and maintain hygiene and safety standards, while sometimes contributing to menu planning and seasonal offerings.

Training and career pathways often begin with specialized culinary education. In France, the CAP Pâtisserie is a common certificate, with more advanced diplomas such as the BP Pâtissier and BTS Pâtisserie enabling progression to head pastry chef or executive roles. Programs in other countries follow similar patterns, emphasizing pastry techniques, decoration, sugar and chocolate work, and plating.

In usage, pâtissière denotes the feminine form of the profession; the masculine form is pâtissier. Depending on context and language, the role is translated as pastry chef or pastry cook. The term encompasses professionals in patisseries, hotels, restaurants, and pâtisserie departments, as well as entrepreneurs who run their own pastry businesses.