Catering chefs often create wedding cakes for clients.
If you've got an eye for style, a keen sense of design and solid baking skills, you have many career options in the cooking and baking fields. While many people start out baking and decorating cakes in their home kitchens, elite bakers can go on to have careers as cake decorators, catering chefs or instructors. All of these careers keep the cook in the kitchen, working on cakes.
Cake Decorator
A cake decorator applies the final designs to a cake based on a client's wishes. Typically, a cake decorator discusses the style for the cake directly with the client, taking notes on colors, shape, size and design. The cake decorator then blends icing and frosting to create the right colors and consistency, and applies the icing or frosting to a base cake baked by a baker. The decorator also applies finishing touches such as candles, flowers, beads or glitter to give the cake a polished look.
Baker
A baker creates the cake for finished decorated cake projects. The baker will mix and bake different types and textures of cakes and build them in different shapes and sizes to meet the client's wishes. Bakers also create a variety of other breads and deserts such as pies, cupcakes and pastries. Many bakers work in bakeries either attached to grocery stores or independent venues. Some bakers also travel with catering companies.
Catering Chef
A catering chef creates full menus for private clients. Catering chefs focus on a wide range of food and work in a variety of different settings. For example, a catering chef may create a Mexican themed dinner for a corporate function, or design the cake and appetizers for a wedding. Catering chefs travel often, working both inside and outside of the kitchen. For example, the chef may meet a client at his place of business, prep the dishes at a restaurant and set up final preparations at the client's choice of venue.
Cake Decorator Instructor
Experienced cake decorators can teach their craft to students at colleges, continuing education centers or community outreach centers. For example, culinary schools typically higher cake decorator instructors to teach both basic and advanced level courses. Cake decorator instructors typically work in a hands on setting as many classrooms come equipped with baking equipment and supplies. The cake decorator must create lesson plans, give lectures, conduct practice baking with their students and grade student's work.
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