Pastry Sous Chef- Not a Bakery

You know the moment. The croissant comes out, the honeycomb is right, and nobody else noticed the extra five minutes of proof that made it that way. You did.

Not a Bakery is the pastry and bread program behind Prentice Hospitality Group - the bakery that supplies restaurants across the PHG portfolio and is recognized by Eater as one of the best in the country. Laminated dough, seasonal fruit, whole cakes, holiday pies, the bread served across PHG restaurants: it all starts at our bench.

We're looking for a Pastry Sous Chef to be our Executive Pastry Chef's right hand: someone who runs the bench with precision, keeps every product consistent down to the crumb, and teaches the standard to the people around them.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

Not a Bakery is growing in every direction at once: more wholesale for the PHG restaurants, new products, and seasonal programs - Thanksgiving pies, Christmas, Valentine's Day - that multiply production for weeks at a time. Our Executive Pastry Chef sets the creative direction. The Pastry Sous Chef makes sure that direction lands on every tray, every morning, whether the chef is in the building or not.

This is a true second-in-command role, with a clear runway: real ownership of production, a team to develop, and a seat at the table as the program grows.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

You've likely been a pastry sous chef, lead baker, or senior pastry cook in a scratch bakery, hotel, or restaurant pastry program, and you're ready for more responsibility without leaving the bench.

You are the right person if you…

• Lead from the bench. Your team learns by watching you work, not by reading a binder.
• Are obsessive about consistency. The hundredth croissant should look like the first one.
• Teach with patience. You can correct technique clearly and kindly at 5:00 AM.
• Think in production schedules. You can plan a week, a holiday push, and a Tuesday morning - and adjust when the oven goes down.
• Cook with the season. You adapt recipes for Maine fruit and produce without losing the standard.
• Keep a clean, safe, organized kitchen. Food safety and allergen protocol aren't negotiable for you.
• Bring a little joy to the room. Not a Bakery is expert and a little silly. You get that.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

Production & Craft

• Run daily production for viennoiserie, breads, cakes, cookies, breakfast items, and plated pastry components - to recipe, to standard, on time.
• Laminate, shape, proof, bake, and finish to house technique, and own quality checks before anything leaves the kitchen.
• Lead the kitchen in the Executive Pastry Chef's absence, making real-time calls on quality, timing, and priorities.
• Help develop, test, and document recipes and seasonal items, building out standardized recipes and production sheets.

Team & Training

• Train, coach, and check the work of bakers and commissary staff; build skills across the team so production never depends on one person.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and scheduling for the bakery team.
• Model and enforce sanitation, allergen, and food safety standards on every shift.

Planning, Ordering & Cost

• Build daily and weekly production plans that balance wholesale, preorders, and special orders.
• Support ordering, receiving, and inventory with PHG purchasing; track yields and waste to protect food cost.
• Keep equipment running - flag maintenance needs early and coordinate repairs.

Seasonal & Holiday Programs

• Plan and lead production for holiday preorder programs (Thanksgiving pies, Christmas, Valentine's Day), including prep breakdowns, timelines, and temporary support staff.
• Translate sales forecasts into production quantities and labor needs alongside the Executive Pastry Chef and Bakery Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 3+ years of professional pastry or bakery experience, including at least 1 year in a lead, sous, or supervisory role.
• Strong laminated dough skills and broad bakery fundamentals (breads, cakes, cookies, custards, pie).
• Experience running production schedules and directing other bakers.
• Solid food safety, sanitation, and allergen knowledge; ServSafe Manager certification or willingness to obtain.
• Availability for early mornings, weekends, and holiday production peaks.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs and work on your feet in a hot, fast kitchen.

Strongly Preferred

• Culinary or pastry arts training, or equivalent hands-on experience in a respected program.
• Experience in wholesale or high-volume production alongside retail.
• Experience scaling holiday or preorder programs.
• Familiarity with the Portland, Maine food scene and local growers.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base Salary: $70,000–$80,000 per year, based on experience

Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision - details provided at offer stage

Paid Time Off: Competitive PTO package; accrual details provided at offer stage

Meals: Complimentary items during shifts

Professional Growth: Direct mentorship from our Executive Pastry Chef; growth opportunities across PHG's pastry and bread program