pâtissiers

Pâtissiers are culinary specialists who prepare pastries, desserts, and confections in patisseries and in the pastry sections of restaurants, hotels, and other food establishments. In professional kitchens, the pastry section is typically led by a chef pâtissier, who designs menus, develops recipes, coordinates production, and ensures consistency and quality across products.

Pâtissiers produce a wide range of items, including viennoiseries such as croissants and pain au chocolat, pastries like éclairs, mille-feuilles, and chaussons, as well as tarts, cakes, macarons, mousse desserts, creams, and fillings. They also perform decorating and finishing work, and may specialize in chocolate or sugar work.

Training and qualifications vary by country. In France, the CAP Pâtissier is a common entry certificate, with higher qualifications such as the Brevet Professionnel Pâtissier (BP) or BTS Pâtisserie. Apprenticeships are frequently combined with formal schooling, and many chefs gain additional specialization through courses on chocolate, sugar work, or cake design.

Work environments include patisseries, hotels, restaurants, and industrial bakeries. Pâtissiers typically work long or irregular hours, starting early to prepare products for the day. Careers may involve moving into product development, pastry supervision, or chocolate and sugar artistry, and some practitioners operate their own businesses.