Shifting to a Baking Career? You Should Get a Diploma in Pastry Arts

“Choose a job that you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”
We’ve all heard that quote at least once in our lives and many of the most successful entrepreneurs have built their “empires” based on their passions. One of the industries you often see this quote being put to practice is the food industry. Many of the successful restaurateurs in Manila have a strong passion for food and providing customers with a quality experience. That said, you may be wondering if you can turn your passion for baking into a fulfilling career.
The quick answer? Of course you can! A good number of celebrated pastry chefs used their passion for baked goods to attain a Diploma in Pastry Arts into a lifelong career. There are also inspiring stories of bakery owners, such as Johnlu Koa, owner of The French Baker, whose passions have helped them make a career shift.
If you are interested in turning your passion for the pastry arts into a budding career or business, here are a few tips to help you make that jump.

Go Back to School, Even for Just a Few Months

It’s never too late to go back and learn new skills. Your passion for baking may mean you already know how to make this and that, but what about other types of pastries? Studying in baking and pastry schools is more than just learning recipes. It’s about learning and refining your technique, going from pretty to beautiful to stunning. The entire process is akin to an entire season of Masterchef. Contestants start out making pretty home-cooked dishes, but the finalists start plating restaurant-quality masterpieces by the season finale.

Take Advantage of Mentors and Internships

Of course, going back to school isn’t just about learning from the curriculum itself. Attending baking classes, like Enderun Extension’s Diploma in Pastry Arts, helps connect you with educators who are also accomplished pastry chefs. The top baking and pastry schools also help you land internships in successful bakeries. Take as many notes as you can at this stage. Learn from masters of the trade and see how you can apply their experience to your own future career.

Come Up with a Business or Career Plan

As you’re honing your craft by attending baking classes, you should also start thinking about what you’ll do after you’ve received your diploma. After all, a few months will pass by quickly and you’ll need to be ready for the next step. If you plan to get a year of experience under your belt, you’ll want to start applying in various pastry kitchens, preferably ones that are similar to the kind of bakery you plan to open. If you plan to open a bakery as soon as you get your Pastry certification, you should have a business plan ready. You may also want to take the time to consult your instructors to get their thoughts on your business plan and any advice they can give you.
If you are interested in earning a Diploma in Pastry Arts to help fuel your career change, make sure you go over the entire curriculum of the course. This is to make sure you are learning the techniques that you want to learn. Good luck!