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Head Chef – Arboretum Café

Role Summary:

The Head Chef is responsible for leading all kitchen operations at the Arboretum Café, ensuring exceptional food quality, operational consistency, and seamless coordination between the café and the two commissary kitchens. This role oversees inventory management, ordering, staff training, and daily execution of service, setting the standard for excellence, efficiency, and hospitality in the kitchen.

Key Responsibilities:

Kitchen Leadership & Service Execution

• Lead daily kitchen operations for pastries, quiches, salads, sandwiches, and desserts

• Ensure impeccable execution during service, maintaining consistency, speed, and presentation standards

• Set the tone for calm, professional, and efficient service during peak periods

• Actively work the line as needed while overseeing flow, timing, and quality

Inventory, Ordering & Commissary Coordination

• Oversee inventory tracking, par levels, and product usage for all menu items

• Place and manage orders with the two commissary kitchens, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and clear communication

• Monitor incoming product quality and quantities; address discrepancies or issues promptly

• Adjust pars and ordering based on sales trends, seasonality, and event volume

• Minimize waste through disciplined planning, rotation, and production oversight

Systems, Recipes & Operational Excellence

• Ensure all menu items are executed according to standardized recipes and procedures

• Maintain clear prep systems, labeling, FIFO rotation, and holding standards

• Identify inefficiencies and collaborate with leadership to improve workflows and systems

• Uphold food safety, sanitation, and health department compliance at all times

Training & Team Development

• Train, coach, and support kitchen and front staff on recipes, systems, station setup, and service expectations

• Lead onboarding for new kitchen team members, ensuring clarity and confidence from day one

• Reinforce accountability, consistency, and pride in craft through hands-on leadership

• Provide feedback, guidance, and performance input to Bistro manager and leadership team

Communication & Collaboration

• Serve as the primary kitchen point of contact between the café and commissary kitchens

• Communicate clearly with front-of-house to align service flow and guest experience

• Flag operational challenges early and propose solutions

• Foster a collaborative, respectful team culture across all kitchen environments

Kitchen Standards & Expectations

• Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, organization, and food safety

• Ensure all products meet quality and presentation standards before reaching guests

• Model professionalism, punctuality, and composure under pressure

• Take full ownership of kitchen readiness, from prep through close

Qualifications:

Required

• Proven kitchen leadership experience in a café, bakery, or restaurant environment

• Strong understanding of inventory management, par levels, and ordering systems

• Experience coordinating with commissary or production kitchens

• Ability to train, lead, and motivate kitchen teams

• Solid knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and operational best practices

Preferred

• Experience with pastry, quiche, or bakery-adjacent production

• Background in high-volume or multi-location operations

• Food safety certification (or willingness to obtain)

• Interest in systems-building, operational efficiency, and team development

Job Title: Head Baker Location: French Broad Pastry – Asheville, NC

Job Type: Full-Time

Reports To: Bakery Manager / Owner

Job Summary

French Broad Pastry is seeking an experienced, disciplined, and values-driven Head Baker to lead daily bread and pastry production while upholding the highest standards of quality, consistency, and efficiency. This role is hands-on and leadership-focused, responsible for executing production schedules, mentoring the baking team, and ensuring all products reflect our French-inspired techniques and fully local ethos. The ideal candidate brings strong technical skill, calm leadership, and accountability in a fast-paced, early-morning bakery environment.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership & Execution

Lead daily baking and pastry production to meet farmers market, wholesale, and special order needs.

Execute production schedules accurately and efficiently, adjusting as needed based on volume, staffing, or ingredient availability.

Ensure all baked goods consistently meet French Broad Pastry standards for flavor, texture, appearance, and freshness.

Dough Production & Baking

Responsible for détrempe mixing for croissants dough for the pastry department

Maintain precise control of dough temperatures, fermentation timing, and bake profiles.

Troubleshoot dough or bake issues proactively to maintain consistency across batches.

Oversee and actively participate in mixing, fermentation, shaping, proofing, and baking processes of all baked goods.

Team Leadership & Training

Lead, coach, and support bakers and pastry staff during production shifts, ensuring proper staffing levels through thoughtful scheduling and coverage planning.

Train new hires on recipes, techniques, equipment use, and bakery standards.

Create documentation about recipes, standard operations procedures, and bakery standards for training onsite and a potential second location.

Drive the development, processes, and production of new products (like pan de cristal, hamburger bun, fougasse, muffins etc..

Quality Control & Standards

Enforce recipe adherence, portion control, and presentation standards.

Conduct regular quality checks throughout production, cooling, and packing stages.

Maintain written or visual production guides as needed to support consistency.

Organization, Sanitation & Safety

Maintain a clean, organized, and food-safe bakery environment in compliance with health regulations.

Ensure proper storage, labeling, and rotation of ingredients and finished products.

Monitor equipment condition and report maintenance needs promptly.

Inventory & Operational Support

Assist with ingredient inventory, ordering needs, and waste reduction efforts.

Support packing, labeling, and preparation for farmers markets and wholesale deliveries.

Collaborate with the Pastry Manager on workflow improvements and production planning and distribution (wholesale and markets)

Qualifications & Skills

Proven professional baking experience, preferably in artisan or French-style production.

Strong understanding of fermentation, dough handling, proofing, and baking fundamentals.

Demonstrated ability to lead a team in a fast-paced, production-driven environment.

Excellent attention to detail, timing, and consistency.

Strong organizational and time-management skills.

Ability to lift heavy bags of flour, trays, and equipment as required.

Stand for 8-10 hours

Culinary or baking certification is a plus but not required.

Availability for early mornings, weekends, and farmers market schedules.

Coming soon

Who We Are

The French Broad Pantry offers authentic, French pastries and pantry items to Asheville’s surrounding Farmers Markets. 

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for a part-time, motivated, accountable, and responsible Market Manager to oversee and lead a team of market sellers for the busy Spring - Fall market season. You aren’t scared of numbers or doing math on the spot. You are a problem-solver, solution-oriented, and can adapt to surprise situations. You are proud of the work you do and the products you sell!

Hours

Must work weekends. The hours range from 6:30am - 2pm on Saturdays and or Sundays (dependent on Market start time). 

Responsibilities

• Engage with customers, answer questions, and provide product recommendations

• Delegate tasks and offer feedback to market sellers

• Oversee and participate in the loading/unloading of market van and market set up/breakdown

• Track product sales in market sheet 

• Handle cash and card transactions efficiently and accurately.

• Ensure all cash sales and tips are accounted for at the end of the market shift

• Set up and organize the bakery stand at the farmers market to ensure a consistently attractive display of products

• Ensure all pastries are properly labeled and stored according to food safety guidelines.

• Ensure all equipment is clean and returned in good condition after each market

• Ensure restocking of market vehicle after each market

• Consolidate and handle leftovers according to company’s guidelines

• Report issues with equipment and systems to Market Manager

Qualifications

• Valid Driver's License

• Able to lift up to 50lbs

• Ability to stand for long hours

• Retail/Sales Experience 

• Excellent communication skills

• French speaker a plus, but not required

• Mileage compensation for use of your personal/qualifying vehicle (not a requirement)