Pastry Chef

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!