Pastry Chef / Baker

Monona Bakery & Eatery – Monona, WI
Full-Time | $50,000/year Custom Order Tips

Monona Bakery & Eatery is entering an exciting new chapter under new local ownership, and we’re looking for an experienced Pastry Chef / Baker to join our team.

Since 2017, Monona Bakery & Eatery has built a loyal following in the Monona and greater Madison community with scratch-made baked goods and an all-day menu featuring breakfast, lunch, and Honduran and Mexican-inspired dishes.

With new ownership comes an opportunity to honor what has made Monona Bakery special while bringing new energy, ideas, and opportunities for growth. We have exciting changes ahead, including expanding our bakery and custom-order offerings, growing catering, refreshing our space and brand, and finding new ways to serve our community.

This position is a unique opportunity to learn directly from Monona Bakery’s original baker and founder during the ownership transition. Our new Pastry Chef/Baker will receive hands-on training in the recipes, techniques, and products our customers already know and love before taking ownership of day-to-day bakery production. From there, we want someone who can preserve those favorites while bringing their own skills, creativity, and ideas to what comes next.

What You’ll Do

• Prepare pastries, cakes, breads, custards, desserts, and other bakery items from scratch
• Train directly with Monona Bakery’s original baker and founder during the transition period
• Learn and maintain established recipes, techniques, and quality standards
• Take ownership of daily bakery production following the training period
• Decorate and finish cakes and specialty bakery items
• Complete custom bakery orders with attention to quality, presentation, and customer requests
• Help develop seasonal specials and new bakery offerings
• Monitor ingredients and communicate inventory and ordering needs
• Maintain a clean, organized, and food-safe bakery workspace
• Work collaboratively with our kitchen, front-of-house, and leadership teams
• Help us identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and reduce waste
• Bring your own creativity and expertise as we grow the bakery program

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone with professional baking or pastry experience who is excited about both preserving an established bakery tradition and helping shape its future.

Our ideal candidate is:

• Experienced in scratch baking and pastry production
• Comfortable with cakes, pastries, breads, custards, desserts, and/or similar products
• Dependable, organized, and able to manage production independently
• Consistent and detail-oriented
• Comfortable working early mornings
• Collaborative and respectful
• Interested in learning established recipes before making thoughtful improvements
• Excited to contribute ideas and grow with a locally owned business

Formal culinary or pastry education is welcome but not required. We care more about your experience, skill, reliability, and willingness to learn.

Schedule & Compensation

This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position, with bakery production primarily taking place in the mornings. Early-morning availability is required: 5am-1pm. Monona Bakery & Eatery is currently closed on Tuesdays.

Salary: $50,000/year

The Pastry Chef/Baker also receives 100% of service fees from their custom bakery orders, as well as tip-out from sales of all bakery goods sold in store, providing additional earning potential as we grow that part of the business.

Why Join Monona Bakery Now?

This is a particularly exciting time to join us. You won’t be walking into a brand-new bakery and being asked to build everything from scratch. Monona Bakery already has an established customer base, recipes, equipment, and a bakery program that represents roughly one-third of the business's historical sales.

At the same time, new ownership means there is room for new ideas.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn from the person who built the original bakery program, preserve the things our customers love, and then help us decide where we go next.

We believe the best transitions honor the people and traditions that came before while making room for new people to leave their own mark.

Good Food. Good Coffee. Good People.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and a short introduction telling us about your baking experience and what you love to make. Photos or a portfolio of your pastry, cake, bread, or other bakery work are encouraged.

Monona Bakery & Eatery is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful workplace.

Pay: From $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Paid time off

Application Question(s):

• Please describe your experience with professional baking, laminated dough, breads, cakes, etc.

Experience:

• Pastry Chef: 2 years (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $50,000