Head Pastry Chef

About The Exchange

The Exchange is an upscale fine-dining concept preparing to open in Boston, with a focus on exceptional hospitality, thoughtful food and beverage, and a refined guest experience.

We are seeking a talented and driven Head Pastry Chef to join the culinary team during the pre-opening phase and help build a distinctive pastry and bread program from the ground up.

This is an opportunity for a pastry professional with exceptional technical ability, creativity, precision, and leadership to play a meaningful role in shaping the culinary identity of the restaurant. The ideal candidate brings expertise in both composed desserts and restaurant-driven bread production, along with a commitment to consistency, craftsmanship, and an exceptional guest experience.

The Role

The Head Pastry Chef will work closely with the Executive Chef and culinary leadership team to develop, refine, and execute The Exchange’s pastry, dessert, and bread programs.

This is a hands-on leadership position requiring strong pastry and baking technique, creativity, organization, and the ability to maintain exacting standards in a fast-paced fine-dining environment. The Head Pastry Chef will oversee daily production and service while helping establish the systems, recipes, and standards necessary to support a consistently high-level program.

Responsibilities

· Lead daily pastry and bread production and service execution to fine-dining standards

· Prepare and oversee plated desserts, components, garnishes, confections, and other pastry items with consistency and precision

· Develop and maintain a sophisticated in-house bread program that complements the restaurant’s culinary identity

· Produce and oversee naturally leavened breads, enriched doughs, rolls, laminated doughs, and specialty bread offerings as appropriate to the menu

· Manage starters, preferments, fermentation schedules, proofing, shaping, baking, and overall bread production with technical precision

· Collaborate with culinary leadership on the development, testing, costing, and refinement of seasonal desserts and bread offerings

· Maintain exceptional standards for flavor, texture, presentation, fermentation, consistency, and portioning

· Develop and manage production schedules, prep lists, station setup, and service execution across pastry and bread production

· Train, coach, and develop pastry team members while fostering a professional, collaborative, and accountable kitchen culture

· Maintain accurate recipes, specifications, and production standards to ensure consistent execution

· Manage inventory, ordering, product rotation, storage, and waste within the pastry department

· Partner closely with the Executive Chef and culinary team to ensure the pastry and bread programs complement the broader menu and guest experience

· Maintain exceptionally clean, organized, and efficient workspaces

· Uphold all food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards

· Participate actively in pre-service preparation, service, and post-service review

· Help establish scalable systems and standards that allow the pastry and bread programs to operate consistently at the highest level

What We’re Looking For

· 4 years of experience in a leadership role within a high-volume, fine-dining pastry kitchen

· Demonstrated expertise in baking, pastry production, artisan breads, plated desserts, confections, and modern pastry techniques

· Strong foundation in both classical and contemporary pastry methods, including fermentation, naturally leavened doughs, laminated doughs, and professional bread production

· Proven experience leading, training, scheduling, coaching, and developing pastry teams

· Strong culinary instincts with a passion for creativity, seasonal ingredients, flavor development, texture, balance, and exceptional presentation

· Experience executing plated desserts and pastry production within a high-level restaurant service environment

· Thorough understanding of food safety and sanitation standards, inventory management, product rotation, waste control, and kitchen organization

· Excellent organizational, communication, and time-management skills with exceptional attention to detail

· Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment while maintaining consistency, composure, organization, and precision

· Collaborative leadership style with a strong sense of professionalism, accountability, and a genuine interest in developing others

· Culinary or Pastry Arts degree, or equivalent professional training and experience, preferred

Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by restaurant operations

Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $70,000 - $80,000