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Pastry Chef

  • Career
  • Pastry Chef

About Us: Ceremony

Ceremony is a non-alcoholic bottle shop and lounge in Norfolk, VA, created to celebrate community, experimentation, and the ritual of gathering. Our bar and kitchen are intimate by design: a 15-seat dining room, a small. bar, and a highly intentional approach to hospitality.

Our food and beverage programs are ingredient-driven, seasonal, and grounded in care. We operate with a deep commitment to sustainability, zero-waste thinking, and thoughtful pacing. Craft takes time here—and that time is respected.

Our pastry program is designed to serve two distinct but connected experiences:

  • Refined pastries and desserts available throughout the day
  • Composed plated desserts that complete the dinner service experience

The Role: Pastry Chef

We are seeking a skilled, curious, and detail-driven Pastry Chef to own and shape Ceremony’s pastry and dessert program. This role blends display-case pastries with a seasonal plated dessert menu, designed to function cohesively within a small, high-intentionality kitchen.

The Pastry Chef works closely with the Executive Chef and Proprietor to create desserts that are modern, globally inspired, fruit-forward, and clearly distinct from traditional French pastry. This is a hands-on role suited for someone who enjoys component-based preparation, thoughtful restraint, and elegant assembly, rather than volume production.

The Vision

Dual-Format Pastry Program

A curated selection of pastries available throughout the day, paired with plated desserts designed specifically for dinner service.

Plated Desserts as a Finale

Desserts that finish the meal with balance, texture, and visual clarity—never heavy or excessive.

Seasonal & Ingredient-Driven

Menus shift with the seasons, emphasizing produce, natural sweetness, and clean finishes.

Modern, Non-French Perspective

Familiar flavors interpreted through global techniques, alternative grains, and contemporary formats.

Small Footprint, High Intention

Desserts designed to thrive in a compact, hoodless kitchen through precision rather than scale.

Zero-Waste Thinking

Components are designed for overlap between formats where appropriate, reducing waste and duplication without compromising experience.

You are the steward of this vision from prep through plate.

Scope of the Pastry Program

I. Display-Case Pastries (All-Day Availability)
Purpose:
  • Offer refined desserts throughout operating hours
  • Provide visual hospitality and retail appeal
  • Generate consistent daytime revenue
Format:
  • Served chilled or gently reheated
  • Designed for clean holding and consistent quality
  • Minimal à la minute labor
Examples May Include:
  • Mini loaf cakes, tea cakes, or Bundt-style desserts
  • Cheesecake squares or custard-based desserts (budino, panna cotta)
  • Brownies, blondies, and bar desserts
  • Layered dessert cups or jars
  • Small confections (granola bars, chocolate bark, candied nuts)
II. Hybrid Desserts (Case → Plate)
Where appropriate, certain pastries may be designed to function in both formats.
Examples:
  • Olive oil cake (case) → plated with seasonal fruit, cream, and crunch
  • Chocolate custard cup (case) → plated with textural elements and sauce
  • Cheesecake square (case) → plated with compote, gel, or crumble
This approach supports efficiency, consistency, and zero-waste execution.
III. Plated Desserts (Dinner Service Only)
Purpose:
  • Complete the dining experience
  • Showcase technique, composition, and seasonality
Design Principles:
  • Component-based desserts prepped in advance
  • Fast, calm assembly during service
  • Emphasis on contrast (temperature, texture, acidity, richness)
Examples May Include:
  • Deconstructed or reimagined classics
  • Fruit-forward compositions
  • Custards, mousses, and chilled desserts
  • Cake or sponge components used as part of a composed plate

Core Responsibilities

Creative & Technical Work
  • Develop and execute both display-case pastries and plated desserts.
  • Design desserts as systems of components, not single baked items.
  • Collaborate on seasonal menu planning with the Executive Chef.
  • Balance creativity with consistency and service practicality.
Prep, Service & Organization
  • Plan and execute pastry prep independently within weekly production rhythms.
  • Maintain a clean, organized workstation in a shared, compact kitchen.
  • Label, date, store, and rotate all components using FIFO standards.
  • Execute dessert service with precision, calm, and attention to detail.
  • Participate in nightly breakdown, cleaning, and reset.

Equipment & Resources

Current equipment includes:
  • Convection oven
  • Sous vide equipment
  • Refrigerated prep table
  • Steam table and commercial microwave
In addition: We are open to bringing in or investing in additional small-scale pastry equipment as needed to support a thoughtful, efficient pastry program. This may include items such as specialty molds, mixers, dehydrators, ice cream equipment, or other tools appropriate for our space and service style. Equipment decisions are collaborative and driven by menu needs, feasibility, and sustainability.

Boundaries & Exclusions

To maintain a clear identity and respect neighboring businesses, the pastry program does not include:

  • Traditional French pastry or viennoiserie
  • Croissants, éclairs, macarons, mille-feuille, opera-style cakes
  • Classic French tarts or entremets presented in traditional form

Interpretation, deconstruction, or global reinterpretation of familiar flavors is welcome, provided the result is clearly distinct.

What You Must Bring

Technical Skill
  • Strong foundation in pastry technique and flavor balance.
  • Comfort with custards, gels, creams, sponges, crumbles, and plated composition.
  • Ability to work autonomously and with intention in a small kitchen.
Personal Qualities
  • Calm, organized, and focused under service pressure.
  • Curious and open to experimentation within constraints.
  • High standards for cleanliness and mise en place.
  • Collaborative communicator who respects shared space and workflow.

Schedule & Growth

  • Primary Service: Thursday–Saturday dinner service
  • Prep Shifts: Scheduled based on production needs
  • Growth Opportunities
  • Expanded creative ownership
  • Seasonal leadership of the pastry program
  • Collaboration on special events and pairings

Compensation

  • Compensation is negotiable based on experience, skill, and scope of contribution.
  • Pay field on application.
  • Opportunity for increased hours and responsibility as the program evolves.
To Apply

Visit enjoyceremony.com/career and complete the application. 

Apply Now