Is it necessary to have a lot of artistic talent in order to be a baker or pastry chef?

Answer 1

You just need a basic understanding of art, but you can learn. Of course, a restaurant or upscale bakery will probably want you to have a degree. But I started working in a grocery store bakery and watched the cake decorator and then after awhile, I asked if I could try it. They said, "Sure". So as I did more and more, I got better. The store also sent me to a Wilton Cake Decorating class when they saw how much I enjoyed it. (You might go on the Wilton site and see where they're holding classes. It used to cost about $50.) When I left there after 3 years, I opened my own little bakery and did pretty well. I don't know how many wedding cakes I've done over the last 20 years, but I had the pleasure of making my daughter's last March, a five-tiered cake which served 500 people. So anyway, if you can't go back to school, try to get a job in a bakery and learn all you can "on the job".

Answer 2

You don't need to be as artistic as you think you do, especially when it comes to baking. Baking is a very precise kind of work--- you must measure your recipes exactly because a lot of the end result (texture of the goods, leavening/rising, etc) is a product of chemistry. Too much or too little of one ingredient can impact the entire cake or bread, not just the flavor. There is hardly ever any "improvisation" when it comes to the recipe itself!

Cooking is a little more artistic but if you have a good culinary education, you will learn how to go about it in a scientific manner. For example, there's 5 basic sauces (called the "mother" sauces) and if you master those, you can prepare any sauce you want with just a few substitutions. Once you learn the technique and the families of the ingredients (fats, acids, thickeners, etc) you'll learn how to substitute one for the other and create new dishes.

I'm not saying you don't need to be artistic at all--- it really helps, especially when it comes to plate presentation--- but if you don't consider yourself an artistic person, you can still excel at this kind of work. I would recommend, though, taking formal training in the culinary arts. On-the-job training may teach you to make specific dishes but won't teach you the technique nor the categories of food. You'll be able to mimic someone else's plates without formal training but you'll have a harder time coming up with new ones on your own.

Answer 3

Being artistic isn't just something that you are born with. You can learn how to be artistic. Check out Monart.com. I tell you that b/c it's not the natural ability that will make you an excellent baker or pastry chef. It will be your desire and passion for making those things.

Answer 4

Definitely. Not just anyone can make all those little flowers and stuff out of sugar. It's more of an art form than it is just cooking. Even if it tastes delicious, no one will want to eat something ugly.