A Taste of Britain, a beloved tea house and café open for over 30 years in Wayne, PA, is seeking a highly skilled and creative Executive Pastry Chef to lead our pastry program. We are known for our Afternoon Tea service, signature scones, and exquisite desserts, and we’re looking for a culinary leader who can honor our British-inspired traditions while elevating our offerings with innovation, discipline, and business acumen.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Seeking seasoned professional with a minimum of 8 years of professional pastry experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Formal training in pastry arts or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong background in scones, fresh baked goods, and plated desserts.
• Demonstrated success in managing, training, and developing a team.
• Experience with staffing, scheduling platforms, and labor management.
• Knowledge of food costing, recipe management, and inventory control (Meez experience a plus).
• Proven ability to design and implement systems (checklists, training tools, visual aids) that drive consistency and accuracy.
• Creative and proactive planner with the ability to prepare menus and recipes well in advance of seasonal needs.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, guest-focused environment.
• Preferred: experience with scones, Afternoon Tea pastries, and British-inspired desserts.

• Lead, manage, and mentor the pastry department, overseeing pastry chefs, bakers, and prep staff.
• Proactively manage staff through coaching, training, and, when necessary, professional progressive discipline.
• Coach and develop support staff into positions with greater responsibility.
• Oversee staffing needs, scheduling, and labor management, with a strong understanding of labor percentages and budgetary goals.
• Effectively use scheduling platforms and reporting tools to manage labor and productivity.
• Collaborate with the Executive Chef and Kitchen Manager to align pastry production with overall menu strategy.
• Develop and execute menus for scones, desserts, catering, retail, and seasonal specials—especially the dessert trio centerpiece of Afternoon Tea.
• Build and maintain systems for recipe consistency, including checklists, training tools, and visual aids to ensure accuracy whether present on-site or not.
• Plan proactively, developing recipes, systems, and production schedules for upcoming months and seasonal shifts.
• Utilize the program Meez for recipe costing and cost control.
• Conduct monthly inventory, manage ordering, and maintain proper food cost and waste control.
• Uphold strict standards of cleanliness, sanitation, and food safety at all times.
• Support special events, holidays, and catering with creative pastry offerings.
• Position the pastry department for long-term growth and scalability, including potential multi-unit management.