Overview
Position: Baker Department: Food & Beverage Reports To: Outlet Managers, Supervisors, and senior kitchen staff Chain of Command: Baker → Outlet Manager / Supervisor → Chef de Cuisine → Vice President of F&B Status: Seasonal
POSITION SUMMARY
The Baker / Pastry Cook is responsible for preparing, baking, decorating, and presenting high-quality baked goods, desserts, breakfast pastries, and specialty items for Brighton's food and beverage operations. This position combines baking and pastry production with foundational kitchen responsibilities, helping support daily culinary operations across multiple outlets. Successful candidates thrive in a fast-paced environment, pay close attention to detail, and take pride in producing consistent, visually appealing products. This role is ideal for someone looking to develop professional baking and pastry skills while gaining experience in a full-service mountain resort kitchen. Our kitchens serve the guest, not just the ticket. Bakers and pastry cooks play an important role in creating memorable guest experiences, from fresh pastries and cookies to desserts and specialty baked items that become part of a guest's best day on the mountain.
OUR HOSPITALITY STANDARD
At Brighton, hospitality is not a department; it is how we operate. Every guest, from a first-time skier to a lifelong regular, should leave feeling genuinely cared for. We hold ourselves to Brighton's standard of service and pursue excellence in the details: clean spaces, quality products, warm interactions, and teammates who support each other.
Responsibilities
Baking & Pastry Production
- Prepare and bake a variety of pastries, cookies, muffins, breads, cakes, desserts, and specialty baked goods according to recipes and production schedules.
- Measure, scale, mix, portion, shape, proof, bake, finish, and decorate products while maintaining consistency and quality standards.
- Prepare fillings, frostings, glazes, icings, creams, toppings, and dessert components using established recipes.
- Monitor product quality throughout production and make adjustments as necessary to ensure proper texture, flavor, and appearance.
- Follow recipes, production sheets, portion standards, and baking procedures to minimize waste and ensure consistency.
- Label, date, rotate, and properly store all products using first-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory practices.
Kitchen Prep & General Culinary Support
- Assist culinary teams with basic food preparation tasks, including washing and cutting produce, portioning ingredients, preparing sauces, and assembling menu components.
- Support breakfast, lunch, banquet, and special event production as needed.
- Assist with station setup, service support, and kitchen preparation during high-volume periods.
- Cross-train in other kitchen areas to build culinary skills and support operational flexibility.
Station Setup, Opening & Closing
- Set up and stock bakery and pastry stations with the tools, ingredients, and supplies needed for daily production.
- Complete opening and closing duties, including organization, cleaning, equipment shutdown, and product storage.
- Monitor inventory levels and communicate product needs to supervisors before shortages occur.
- Maintain organized workspaces, storage areas, coolers, and dry storage.
Receiving & Storage
- Assist with receiving deliveries and inspecting products for quality, accuracy, and freshness.
- Verify temperatures of perishable products and report discrepancies.
- Properly store ingredients and finished products in accordance with food safety standards.
Sanitation & Food Safety
- Maintain a clean and organized bakery, pastry, and kitchen work environment.
- Clean and sanitize workstations, mixers, ovens, proofers, racks, utensils, and smallwares throughout the shift.
- Follow proper food handling, temperature control, allergen awareness, and cross-contact prevention procedures.
- Complete required sanitation tasks and scheduled deep-cleaning assignments.
- Wear required uniform, slip-resistant footwear, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Use and store cleaning chemicals safely according to Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements.
- Report injuries, equipment concerns, product quality issues, and unsafe conditions immediately.
- Follow all resort emergency, evacuation, and incident-reporting procedures.
Guest Focus & Teamwork
- Take pride in creating products that contribute to a memorable guest experience.
- Maintain a professional appearance and positive attitude while working in guest-facing areas.
- Support teammates in bakery, kitchen, banquet, and outlet operations as needed.
- Take direction from Pastry Leads, Cook 2s, Cook 3s, Sous Chefs, and Executive Chefs.
- Participate in training and skill-development opportunities to expand baking, pastry, and culinary knowledge.
- Assist front-of-house or other culinary departments during peak business periods as directed.
Qualifications
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Age 18+
- Basic knowledge of baking methods, food safety, and sanitation practices
- Ability to accurately measure, scale, and follow recipes
- Strong attention to detail and quality standards
- Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced production environment
- Willingness to learn and accept direction from senior culinary staff
- Guest-oriented and service-minded
- Current food handler permit or ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire
Preferred
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Baking, pastry, culinary school coursework, or certificate program
- Previous bakery, pastry, food production, or kitchen experience (typically 0-2 years)
- Experience using commercial mixers, ovens, proofers, and bakery equipment
- Cake decorating or pastry finishing experience
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Stand and remain on your feet for extended periods, typically 5 to 8 hours per shift, while performing baking, decorating, production, and kitchen-preparation tasks; regularly lift and carry up to 50 lbs unassisted and use proper lifting techniques when handling ingredient bags, sheet pans, and bakery equipment.
- Frequently lift bags of flour, sugar, baking ingredients, trays, sheet pans, and cases of product.
- Push, pull, bend, reach, squat, and transport bakery racks, ingredient containers, and equipment throughout the shift.
- Work in a range of temperatures, including warm baking environments, walk-in coolers, freezers, and outdoor winter conditions.
- Perform repetitive hand and wrist movements associated with mixing, piping, decorating, cutting, shaping, and portioning.
- Work safely around ovens, mixers, slicers, hot equipment, and cleaning chemicals while using required PPE.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS
- Work in both bakery production and general kitchen environments, supporting winter and summer resort operations.
- Be comfortable working in high-volume conditions during holidays, powder days, weekends, and special events.
- Adapt quickly to changing business demands, production schedules, and outlet needs.
- Walk and carry product across snow- and ice-covered surfaces when transporting items between outlets or storage areas.
- Seasonal operations include winter ski season and summer activities, events, and catering functions, and duties may vary throughout the year.
Commute & Transportation Working at Brighton takes commitment and planning. The resort sits at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon, and winter travel can be affected by snow, avalanche-control closures, road restrictions, and traction requirements. Employees are expected to plan ahead and arrive on time and ready to work, with reliable transportation that meets canyon requirements or by using the free UTA winter bus. Prepare for delays and build in extra time.
PERKS & BENEFITS
- Free all-access Brighton Resort season pass
- Free UTA winter bus access
- Discounted Brighton lift tickets for friends and family
- Access to discounted lift tickets at multiple ski areas
- Employee discounts at all Brighton outlets
- Discounted or complimentary meals during shifts
- Discounted membership at Momentum Indoor Climbing gym
- Access to ExpertVoice, Liberty Mountain, and Outdoor Prolink retail sites
- Health and wellness benefits (for eligible full-time employees)
- Career growth opportunities in a unique mountain setting (Baker → Sous Chef → Chef de Cuisine → Vice President of F&B. Advancement is based on demonstrated skill, reliability, and leadership)
