Executive Pastry Chef
Sumter, South Carolina
Monday - Friday (Early start)
Relocation assistance available
Blue Harlan is the recruitment partner to a fantastic hospitality organization in Sumter, SC. We are seeking a talented, creative, and experienced Executive Pastry Chef to lead all pastry, bakery, and dessert production operations. This leadership role is responsible for overseeing daily bakery production, maintaining a fully stocked and visually appealing bakery case, creating desserts for restaurant concepts, and designing custom wedding cakes and specialty desserts for catered events.
This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate pastry professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys artistic expression through desserts, and has the leadership skills to build and develop a high-performing team.
Key Responsibilities
Bakery & Dessert Production
- Prepare and produce a wide variety of pastries, cakes, cookies, breads, desserts, and specialty confections.
- Maintain a fresh, visually appealing, and fully stocked bakery display throughout daily operations.
- Develop seasonal offerings and innovative dessert features.
- Ensure consistency, quality, and presentation standards across all products.
- Monitor inventory levels and production schedules to meet demand.
Restaurant Dessert Program
- Lead dessert production for restaurant concepts.
- Coordinate daily and weekly production schedules to support restaurant and catering operations.
- Partner with culinary leadership on menu development and specialty dessert features.
- Maintain efficient prep systems and workflow for high-volume production environments.
Wedding Cakes & Special Events
- Design, bake, decorate, and execute custom wedding cakes and specialty event desserts.
- Conduct consultations and tastings with clients to discuss design concepts and event expectations.
- Ensure all wedding and event orders are completed accurately and delivered on schedule.
- Create visually stunning, high-quality dessert presentations for upscale events and celebrations.
Leadership & Operations
- Lead, train, coach, and mentor pastry and bakery team members.
- Manage daily kitchen operations, production timelines, and workflow.
- Foster a positive, professional, and collaborative team culture.
- Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and health regulations.
- Assist with purchasing, inventory management, and cost control initiatives.
- Maintain high operational and product-quality standards across all areas of the department.
Key Requirements
- 3+ years of leadership experience in a bakery, pastry, or culinary environment preferred.
- Strong knowledge of baking techniques, pastry production, cake decorating, and dessert execution.
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced setting.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to work early mornings, weekends, and during peak event seasons.
- Passion for creativity, hospitality, and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced cake decorating, fondant, and piping skills.
- Experience in high-volume bakery, restaurant, or catering operations.
- Menu development and seasonal product creation experience.
- Demonstrated success training and developing culinary team members.
- Exceptional attention to detail, presentation, and craftsmanship.
What You'll Bring
- A creative vision for pastry and dessert innovation.
- Strong operational and production management skills.
- A commitment to quality, consistency, and guest satisfaction.
- The ability to inspire and lead a talented pastry team.
Engaging culture and excellent benefits!