How to Start a Pastry Chef Business

If you notice a distinct lack of excellent pies in your neighborhood, consider starting a specialty pie shop.

Starting a business as a pastry chef requires a combination of solid business skills and baking and pastry talent. If you do not feel that you are sufficiently gifted in both areas, consider taking on a business partner whose strengths complement your own for your best shot at success. Study the environment in which you intend to open your business, and identify a niche that needs to be filled.

Things You'll Need

• Business license
• Sanitation license
• Binder

Instructions

Legal Requirements

1. Find out whether your local area will allow you run your business from your home kitchen, or whether you must use a commercial kitchen. Then determine whether or not you need a business license. Different cities and states have different requirements regarding both matters.

2. Sign up for the required classroom course to obtain your state sanitation license. Check community colleges with culinary programs for this class. Convince anyone who you know will be working with you in the kitchen to take the class and obtain their license as well.

3. Learn the requirements to file a DBA (Doing Business As) if you will be operating your pastry chef business under a name other than your own. File the necessary fees and paperwork with your county clerk, and file the necessary legal notice with an accepted local newspaper.

4. Keep all your legal paperwork together in a binder for easy reference in the future.

Starting a Pastry Chef Business

1. Find a niche in your local area that is not currently filled by your competition. Think about specialties, such as special occasion cakes, unusual pastries or savory tarts. Do not attempt to do exactly what everyone else is doing, as you will not give customers much incentive to check your business out.

2. Analyze the marketing your competition is using, and whether or not it is working. Take notes on what seems to be working and what does not. Use this information to your advantage.

3. Draw up a thorough business plan that clearly states the range your business will cover. Set defined, measurable goals, and honestly assess every aspect of your business that you can see. If you need to raise capital to open your business, a business plan will especially come in handy.

4. Rent suitable kitchen facilities if you will not be operating your pastry business out of your home kitchen. Buy or rent any professional equipment (such as industrial mixers, ovens and sheeters) you will require as well. Try buying good condition secondhand equipment from reputable sources to save money; you can always upgrade later.

5. Decorate and advertise tastefully, always keeping your target audience in mind. Utilize the marketing notes you took on your competition to help guide your own marketing strategy. Create signage for your business that draws attention and intrigues potential customers.

References

• "The Professional Chef (Eighth Edition)"; Culinary Institute of America; 2006
• "The Professional Personal Chef"; Candy Wallace and Greg Forte; 2008
• "Entrepreneur": 10 Tips for a Strong Start; Brad Sugars; Feb. 12, 2010

Resources

• U.S. Small Business Administration
• Food Safety Guidelines