Company description

In French, anyone may greet another with “bonjour,” while loved ones and best of friends say “coucou.”

Cou Cou Rachou is our way of sharing a warm hello and welcoming you into our world of butter-laden goods.

The vision for Cou Cou Rachou began, as does many a good thing, around a table. Raised in a large family whose door was always open for hospitality, pastry chef Rachel De Jong grew up prizing the power of food to delight and draw people together. After receiving her certificate in pastry from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Rachel spent a decade honing her art in restaurant kitchens on both American coasts, serving as pastry chef alongside such internationally acclaimed chef restaurateurs as Patrick O’Connell (The Inn at Little Washington) and Ludo Lefevbre (Los Angeles’ Petit Trois).

Now, she’s returned to her roots in the Blue Ridge, sifting the best of her recipes crafted and lessons gleaned to open a bakery that makes people feel good. Cou Cou Rachou breads and pastries knead the traditional with the whimsical, the indulgent with the wholesome, creating an inviting environment where palates are pleased, guests become amis, and bonjours turn to coucous.

Job description

Assistant Pastry Chef

This position is responsible for assisting in the execution and development of pastry production for Cou Cou Rachou, with support to bread production and retail service. This position reports directly to the Executive Pastry Chef and works closely with the Retail Manager and Lead Baker. Duties and responsibilities of the Assistant Baker include:

Communication and managerial duties:

• Briefing with Pastry Chef upon arrival and prior to departure
• Assessing needs, pars, and inventories to help determine and execute daily prep/task list
• Communication with co-workers on daily & weekly task organization/delegation
• Assisting in product and vendor ordering and inventory tracking
  • Ordering daily produce/dairy needs
  • Sharing ordering + inventory responsibilities with Exec. Pastry Chef + Retail manager
• Synchronizing with management on scheduling needs or changes
• Assisting Pastry Chef in execution of product quality control
  • Understanding expectations of product taste, appearance, and quantity
  • Performing tasting + quality checks in the absence of the Pastry Chef
  • Assisting retail staff in set-up and display of product throughout service hours
• Teaching and cultivating proper kitchen conduct, pastry technique + methods
• Cultivating (with Pastry Chef) a positive atmosphere for employees, guests, and vendors
• Presenting a respectful, clean, and focused self and workspace at all times

Daily production of breads, breakfast pastries and dessert menu items: performed in conjunction with the Pastry Chef and pastry cooks. Tasks will be handled & delegated according to priority and training.

Assisting in the continued development of:

• Bread/pastry menu + recipes
• Standard operating procedures

Overseeing daily cleaning and organization of pastry area; delegation of cleaning tasks:

• Execution of daily + weekly cleaning checklists
• Detailing of sheeter, tabletop mixers, induction burners, and large stand mixer after each use
• Assisting Pastry Chef in schedule of large cleaning projects
• Obtaining food safety requirement

The Assistant Pastry Chef needs to be able to handle high-skill tasks in the absence of the Executive Pastry chef.

This is a full-time (minimum 45 hours per work week) position. It is offered as a schedule of 4 days per week, approximately 10 hours per day. Weekend and holiday availability is necessary. The ability to lift 50 pounds and stand for long periods of time are requirements of this position. This position is eligible for all offered full-time salaried benefits. Compensation offered as an hourly wage of $18, plus tip share.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline