Pastry Chef - Team Leader

Lead Our Pastry & Bakery Production Team

F2F Foods is looking for an experienced and passionate Pastry Chef – Team Leader to oversee the Pastry & Bakery section of our Central Production Kitchen (CPK). This role is ideal for a creative and disciplined pastry professional with strong leadership skills and experience in high-volume food production environments.

You will be responsible for the production, quality control, innovation, and food safety compliance of all pastry, bakery, and dessert products supplied across ready-to-eat chilled and frozen meal packs, banqueting and conference functions, retail lines, and halaal-certified offerings.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Culinary Execution

• Lead the planning and production of pastries, baked goods, and desserts for retail, banqueting, conference, and RTE meal lines.
• Develop and standardise recipes with accurate yields and costing.
• Oversee halaal-certified pastry production and special dietary products (gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, allergen-free).
• Manage blast-chilling, freezing, and shelf-life extension processes.
• Drive seasonal menu development and product innovation.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with FSSC 22000, ISO 22000:2018, HACCP, and R638 requirements.
• Maintain allergen matrices, ingredient declarations, and traceability records.
• Verify correct labelling of batch codes, shelf life, and allergen information.
• Support internal and external food safety and halaal audits.

Team Leadership

• Supervise and train pastry chefs, bakers, and assistants.
• Allocate shifts and resources to meet production deadlines.
• Conduct team briefings for major functions and events.
• Manage performance, attendance, and discipline within the pastry section.

Planning & Cost Management

• Monitor recipe costing, portion control, and waste.
• Forecast ingredient requirements and coordinate with procurement.
• Ensure effective use of ovens, mixers, provers, and blast chillers.
• Report equipment issues promptly to minimise downtime.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• Professional pastry or bakery qualification (City & Guilds Pastry, Diploma in Patisserie, or equivalent NQF Level 4+).
• Valid food handler’s or health certificate where required.

Experience

• 5–7 years of pastry or bakery experience.
• 2–3 years in a senior pastry supervisory or Head Pastry Chef role.
• Experience in high-volume central production kitchens, contract catering, or commercial bakery operations.
• Exposure to halaal production, allergen-free baking, or chilled/frozen dessert manufacturing will be advantageous.

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced pastry and baking techniques
• Recipe development and costing
• Allergen management and food safety documentation
• Leadership and staff development
• Production planning and organisation
• MS Excel and Word proficiency
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple deadlines

Why Join F2F Foods?

At F2F Foods, you’ll lead a skilled pastry and bakery team within a growing Central Production Kitchen that supplies multiple food service channels. This role offers the opportunity to combine culinary creativity, leadership, and food manufacturing expertise while contributing to innovative, high-quality products for a diverse client base.

Work Schedule

Shift-Based

This is a shift-based role that includes early mornings, weekends, and public holidays according to production and function requirements.

Apply Now

If you are a qualified pastry professional with strong leadership experience and a passion for quality, innovation, and food safety, we would love to hear from you.

Submit your updated CV today on [email protected]. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person