Lead Pastry Cook

Café Vivant is a neighborhood restaurant in Menlo Park centered around heritage poultry, seasonal ingredients, and warm, intentional hospitality. Our approach is rooted in a deep respect for sourcing and bringing a level of care and craft to poultry and the whole menu that create a special dining destination. 

We are building a team of professionals who are curious, detail-oriented, and excited to be part of something ingredient-driven and unique.

We are seeking a full-time pastry cook to join the team at Café Vivant. This position will focus primarily on pastry production and dessert service.

The pastry cook will be responsible for producing simple, well-executed desserts during service, with an emphasis on precision, consistency, and clean presentation. This role requires strong fundamentals, organization, and the ability to work quickly and cleanly while maintaining a high level of attention to detail within a small, collaborative team.

Our menu is guided by seasonality and a respect for ingredients, with a focus on elegant, modern interpretations of classic desserts. We are looking for someone who shares an interest in ingredient-driven pastry and a disciplined, thoughtful approach to their craft.

Responsibilities:

• Arrive on time for the scheduled shift and wear clean and appropriate work attire.
• Prepare mise en place both daily and weekly projects
• Set up pastry station with all mise en place and side-work needed to work efficiently.
• Properly care for equipment and all workstations.
• Explore and listen to ideas that will reduce waste and increase sustainability.

• Ensure that the kitchen is always prepared for routine health inspection and following guidelines.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of all kitchen