A.A.S. in Baking and Pastry

About the A.A.S. in Baking and Pastry

Turn your passion for baking into a creative, fulfilling career at the No. 1 culinary school in Chicago. At Kendall College, you'll learn how to create amazing delicacies under the mentorship of experienced faculty. You'll get hands-on experience working with industrial-grade equipment in state-of-the art kitchens and learn business and foodservice principles that you'll use throughout your career. The A.A.S. can be completed in less than two years* and will prepare you for roles in a professional kitchen or bakery.

*Time to completion may vary and is dependent on the student’s course load and successful completion of the courses.

Program Highlights

Real-World Experience

Gain exposure to the fast-paced food industry with a 300-hour internship at a Chicago restaurant or bakery. You’ll receive guidance and feedback from your supervisor and develop the skills and savvy necessary to excel in a professional foodservice environment.

World-Class Facilities

Master baking and pastry skills in our state-of-the-art pastry kitchens, including a dedicated chocolate and sugar kitchen. You’ll work with industrial scale appliances, marble-topped cooking stations, and your own 1.83-meter wooden pastry and bread counter. Your creations will be served at our campus café and our Michelin Guide-recommended fine dining restaurant, The Dining Room.

Career Development

Not only will you enjoy real-world baking experience during your internship, but you’ll also take part in three Professional Growth and Development courses during which your skills will be assessed against industry standards. You’ll also receive individual career advising to connect you to the right occupational path before you graduate.

Accelerated Option

Kendall College at NLU also offers the Accelerated A.A.S. in Baking and Pastry degree. The program consists of a 5-quarter that mirrors the 7-quarter program content. Because accelerated students must already have a bachelor's degree to qualify, it is possible to waive most or all of the General Education requirements, allowing the accelerated degree to be compressed from 7 to 5 quarters.

Accreditation

The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation accrediting commission accredits Kendall College's A.A.S in Baking and Pastry program.

What You Will Learn

Master fundamental baking techniques and develop your signature style at Kendall College. Under the mentorship of award-winning faculty, you’ll learn everything from the science of baking bread to the art of blowing sugar. You’ll study the artistic principles of dessert decoration, from embellishing cupcakes to designing high-end wedding cakes. In addition, you’ll learn management and business skills that you can apply to a variety of roles within the food industry. Highlights of what you'll learn include:

Foundational Baking and Pastry Skills

Basic food science; Types of cakes; Mixing methods; Piping and decoration; Different branches of pastry; Five fundamental pastry ingredients; Fermentation and bread baking; Specialty flours and grains; Candy making and sugar confection; Chocolate decoration.

Advanced Baking and Pastry Skills

Mousses, custards, petit fours and entremets; Fondant, icings and gum paste; Finishing, plating and garnishing; Sugar artistry; Building custom wedding cakes; Casting, pulling, molding and blowing sugar. 

Business and Management

Restaurant management; Dining service; Foodservice purchasing; Receiving and storing methods; Inventory control; Human resources management; Supervisory skills; Financial management; Accounting concepts; Financial statements.

Nutrition and Sanitation

Nutritional concepts and food industry trends; Food allergies and illnesses; Digestion and common disorders; Vegan and Vegetarian meal planning; Recipe nutrient analysis; Hygiene; Sanitary foodservice preparation; Food contamination and foodborne illness; Pest management.

Career Outlook

A Baking and Pastry degree from Kendall College will make you a competitive candidate for the most sought-after positions in restaurants and bakeries. The business and management skills you’ll learn will also set you up for success if, like many of our graduates, you decide to open your own business.

Nationwide, positions for bakers are projected to increase 5 percent from 2019-2019, which is faster than the average for all occupations.* Moreover, the Chicago metro area has the second highest employment rate for bakers in the country. With over 5,195 restaurants in the city, Chicago is the ideal place to launch your career.

Some of the career opportunities an A.A.S. in Baking and Pastry will prepare you for are:

• Chocolatier - Chocolatiers melt chocolate, then combine it with designer ingredients to make delicious bars, truffles, candies, elixirs and other confectionaries.
• Food Stylist - Food stylists prepare and style food for photography and video shoots. They work closely with art directors and photographers to produce enticing images.
• Pastry Chef - Pastry chefs specialize in making pastries, breads, pies, chocolates and other baked goods. They work for bakeries or restaurants or launch their own businesses.
• Research and Development Pastry Chef - Research and Development pastry chefs are well-versed in baking and food science. They develop new bread and dessert items for restaurant chains, suppliers and retailers.

 *https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/bakers.htm