Job description
Join Fresh Rise Bakery, a premier artisanal bakery in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to craft, consistency, and community. We’re seeking a visionary Head Pastry Chef to lead our pastry program, elevate product quality, and mentor a growing team of bakers and pastry cooks.
In this leadership role, you will design seasonal menus, oversee recipe development, manage production schedules, ensure food safety and quality standards, and collaborate with the head of operations to scale our bakery operations while maintaining artisanal precision.
What you’ll do:
- Direct and inspire a pastry team to produce daily breads, laminated pastries, cakes, and desserts with excellence.
- Lead recipe development, testing, and standardization to ensure consistent quality across all SKUs.
- Oversee production planning, forecasting, inventory control, and waste reduction.
- Maintain HACCP and food safety standards; train staff on safe handling and sanitation.
- Collaborate with leadership on menu strategy, seasonal offerings, and pricing.
- Ensure equipment maintenance, workflow optimization, and safety compliance in the production area.
- Foster a positive, inclusive team culture with ongoing coaching and performance feedback.
Responsibility
- Lead pastry team to deliver daily breads, laminated pastries, cakes, and desserts with excellence.
- Develop and refine recipes; ensure consistent quality and portion control.
- Plan production schedules and manage supply chain for pastry operations.
- Uphold food safety, sanitation, and HACCP compliance at all times.
- Collaborate on seasonal menus, pricing, and new product launches.
- Support equipment maintenance and safety in the production area.
- Coach and mentor junior bakers; drive a culture of continuous learning.
Qualification
- 5+ years pastry or bakery leadership experience in a fast-paced environment.
- Proven track record in artisan bread, laminated pastries, and dessert production.
- Strong knowledge of dough handling, fermentation timings, and sourdough technique.
- Experience with recipe development and cost controls; ability to scale recipes for high-volume production.
- Excellent organizational, communication, and team-management skills.
- Food safety certified and knowledge of HACCP principles.
- Ability to work early mornings, weekends, and holidays as needed.