About the Certificate in Baking and Pastry
Turn your passion for baking into a creative, fulfilling career at the No. 1 culinary school in Chicago. Through the Certificate in Baking and Pastry program at Kendall College, you'll learn how to create professional-quality cakes under the mentorship of experienced faculty. Focusing on the art of cake making and decoration, the certificate program will provide you with hands-on experience in state-of-the art kitchens. In addition to honing your pastry skills, you’ll become familiar with essential business principles and marketing strategies you can use throughout your career.
The certificate can be completed in three consecutive quarters, or about 9 months.* The program is designed for currently enrolled students, graduates and individuals looking to start or promote their cake-decorating business. After completing the certificate program, you may choose to apply these credits toward an A.A.S. or B.A. degree at Kendall College.
*Time to completion may vary and is dependent on the student’s course load and successful completion of the courses.
Program Highlights
World-Class Facilities
Perfect your skills in our state-of-the-art kitchen classrooms, including a dedicated chocolate and sugar kitchen. Each kitchen features the industrial-scale equipment you will encounter in the real world, so you will understand the principles of mass production as well as hands-on design.
Flexible Class Options
Fit your coursework around your busy schedule with our weekend and evening class options. At eight credit hours per quarter, your course load is manageable and will allow you to earn your certificate in less than a year.
Business Skills
Learn how to start and promote your own cake making business with courses in social media marketing and small business entrepreneurship.
Real-World Experience
Gain exposure to professional restaurant and bakery settings through our kitchen classrooms and by serving your creations in our on-campus restaurant and café.
What You Will Learn
Our baking and pastry certificate program focuses on professional cake decorating, giving students the skills they need to create and sell cakes for a variety of occasions. Students take eight credit hours per quarter for three consecutive quarters. Highlights of what you’ll learn include:
Business and Marketing
Starting, managing and growing a small business; Resource management; Legal and financial issues; Start Up trends; Influencer marketing; Building and managing a brand; Social media content; Social media voice.
Foundations of Cakes
Basic mixing and baking methods; Piping and inscriptions; Floral arrangement and color design; Mousses, sponge cakes and torts; Meringues and chocolates; Large-scale celebration cakes.
Advanced Cakes and Decorating
Custom-designed wedding cakes; 3-D cakes; Cake carving and sculpting; Gum paste, modeling chocolate and airbrushing; Fondant; Casting, pulling, molding and blowing sugar.
Career Outlook
Many of our students dream of owning their own bakery, café or chocolate shop. If you’re like them, you’ll appreciate our classes covering marketing and small business entrepreneurship. The job prospects for professional bakers are strong, as opportunities are expected to increase 5 percent from 2019-2029, faster than the average for all occupations.* Moreover, the Chicago metro area has the second highest employment level for professional bakers in the country.
The baking and pastry certificate program at Kendall College immerses its students in the demanding realities of pursuing a career in the baking industry. The delicate balance of craft and business necessary for success in your baking career is developed through rigorous coursework and hands-on practice in our topnotch baking facilities.
Some of the career opportunities for those with a certificate in Baking and Pastry include:
- 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.
