Overview Pastry Chef / Baker — Dolce + Porch+Vine Luray, Virginia | Full-Time Dolce and Porch+Vine are seeking a talented Pastry Chef or Baker to join our growing culinary and hospitality company in beautiful Luray, Virginia, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. This is an unusual opportunity because the position can extend across two very different culinary concepts. Porch+Vine is our intimate, approximately 36-seat scratch restaurant, now entering its second year and quickly becoming one of the area's standout dining destinations. Our pastry program gives the right candidate the opportunity to create thoughtful seasonal desserts that complete the dining experience and evolve throughout the year. Next door, Dolce is our new Italian-inspired bakery, café and gelateria opening this fall. Dolce will feature beautiful pastries, cakes, baked goods, gelato, chocolates, espresso and coffee along with prepared foods in a playful, stylish setting inspired by mid-century Italy. We are looking for talent. That may be an experienced Pastry Chef who is excited by developing plated desserts for Porch+Vine while helping establish the pastry and baking program at Dolce. It may also be an accomplished Baker whose passion is croissants, breads, cakes, cookies, morning pastries and production baking and who would primarily make Dolce their culinary home. For the right candidate, the position can be shaped around your strengths. The opportunity This is a chance to help build something from the beginning. At Dolce, you will have the opportunity to help establish recipes, production systems, presentation standards and the identity of a brand-new bakery and café. At Porch+Vine, our pastry chef will have creative freedom to develop seasonal desserts that complement the restaurant's changing menus and give guests a memorable finish to their meal. We want someone who takes tremendous pride in craft and presentation but also understands that hospitality is ultimately about making people happy. Depending on experience and interests, responsibilities may include: Developing seasonal plated desserts for Porch+Vine Producing pastries and baked goods for Dolce Developing cakes, cookies, tarts, breads, breakfast pastries and other bakery items Helping create signature Dolce products Creating and documenting recipes and production standards Establishing production schedules and pars Maintaining consistency, quality and presentation Training other team members to execute products correctly Managing ingredient ordering, inventory and waste Maintaining excellent sanitation and food-safety practices Collaborating with our Executive Chef, ownership and operations team Developing desserts and baked goods for weddings, private dining and special events Contributing ideas for holidays, seasonal menus and special offerings Helping us build a positive, organized and collaborative culinary culture Two businesses. Many creative possibilities. Dolce is being created as more than a traditional bakery. Guests will be able to stop in for espresso and a pastry, enjoy gelato, pick up something beautiful to take home or meet friends in an environment inspired by the romance and playfulness of mid-century Italy. Next door, Porch+Vine offers an entirely different creative canvas. Our restaurant welcomes discerning local diners as well as guests who routinely travel an hour or more specifically to dine with us. Because Luray and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley attract visitors from throughout the country, our dining room regularly welcomes guests from Washington, New York, Florida, California and beyond. For a pastry professional, that creates a wonderful combination: the creativity and visibility of a destination restaurant alongside the production possibilities and everyday energy of a bakery and café. And our culinary opportunities continue beyond both businesses. Our hospitality collection also includes two successful destination farm stays, Madeline Farms and Carriage Stone Farm, along with The Garden at Porch+Vine, our outdoor event venue accommodating approximately 130 guests. That creates opportunities for weddings, celebrations, farm dinners, special events and other culinary experiences throughout the year. Who we're looking for We are open to candidates from several backgrounds.

You may be:

An experienced Pastry Chef looking for greater creative freedom An Assistant Pastry Chef ready for your next step A professional Baker with strong production experience A talented bakery professional with particular expertise in breads or laminated pastry A culinary-school graduate with a strong portfolio and meaningful hands-on experience A self-taught pastry or baking professional whose work demonstrates exceptional skill Formal culinary education is welcome, but talent, experience, reliability and attitude matter more to us than a particular credential. We are looking for someone who is creative without being precious, organized without losing imagination and proud enough of their work to want it executed beautifully even when they are not personally standing in the kitchen. We value collaboration, curiosity, professionalism, positive energy and a genuine love of hospitality. Life in Luray For candidates considering relocation, Luray offers the opportunity to build a serious culinary career while enjoying a very different quality of life. We are surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and minutes from Shenandoah National Park and Luray Caverns. The region attracts visitors from around the country while retaining the character and pace of a beautiful Virginia mountain community. For a pastry chef or baker currently working in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Richmond, Baltimore or another larger market, this may be an opportunity to continue ambitious culinary work while creating a life with a little more room to breathe. Get to know us Before applying, we encourage you to explore Porch+Vine and Dolce through our website, Instagram and social channels, and to read what our guests have said about their experiences with us. We care deeply about food, design, personality and hospitality. Dolce is being built with that same attention to detail, and the person who joins us will have the rare opportunity to help define its culinary identity from the beginning. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Please submit your résumé along with a brief introduction telling us about your pastry or baking background, the areas in which you feel strongest, and what you would be most excited to create at Dolce and Porch+Vine.

Pay:

$18.00 - $26.00 per hour

Experience:

Kitchen:

5 years (Preferred)

Work Location:

In person