Baking Foundations

Our Baking Foundations certificate program provides job skills to work in entry-level positions such as baker, pastry chef, patisserie, or bakery assistant. 

Bakers prepare bread, rolls, muffins, pies, pastries, cakes and cookies in retail and wholesale bakeries and dining establishments. They are employed in bakeries, supermarkets, catering companies, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and other institutions, or they may be self-employed.

This program includes 13 weeks of Baking Foundations preparatory courses for international students. For domestic students, the program is nine to ten months in length.

Program Learning Outcomes 

• Identify the workings and the effects of ingredients on one another and predict how the end product will be affected.
• Perform problem-solving and troubleshooting recipes.
• Perform basic techniques involved in the daily production of a bakery and pastry shop.
• Recognize and produce both classical and modern baked goods.
• Apply food safety principles and practices as identified by health regulations.
• Apply basic mathematical principles and recipe conversions, bakery formulations, and percentages.
• Demonstrate an understanding of kitchen etiquette and professionalism.
• Apply proper sanitation and safety techniques while demonstrating proper safe work procedures on equipment
• Apply purchasing principles to the operation of a bakery, and/or pastry shop.
• Demonstrate baking theory and principles in the production of quality desserts.
• Demonstrate an understanding of baking and pastry foundations.
• Practice skills used in the daily operation of a bakery, including cost controls, food costs, percentages, labour costs, and inventory controls. 

Examples of what bakers can do: 

• Prepare dough for pies, bread, rolls and sweet goods, batters for muffins, cookies and cakes and icings and frostings according to recipes or special customer orders.
• Operate equipment.
• Bake mixed doughs and batters.
• Frost and decorate cakes or other baked goods.
• Ensure quality of products meets established standards.
• Draw up production schedule to determine type and quantity of goods to produce.
• Purchase baking supplies.
• May oversee sales and merchandising of baked goods.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified bakers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination. 

Success Factors 

You are a good fit for this program if you enjoy: 

• Developing your baking skills to a professional level.
• Using your creativity, your keen sense of taste and smell, and a good aptitude for details.
• Precision work, including measurements, preparation and organization.
• A fast-paced, dynamic environment with a focus on team work, high quality production and customer service.  
• A physically demanding work environment, with attention to detail, concentration and repetitive production work. 

The industry and program environment require individuals to: 

• Work hospitality industry hours, which can range from early morning to late in the evening and often include weekends and holidays.
• Have physical strength and stamina as well as the mobility and motor skills to undertake the required tasks.
• Handle stressful situations appropriately, including dealing with the public.
• Maintain a cooperative spirit while working in a hot, crowded environment.
• Groom and dress according to industry expectations.  
• Develop good habits and discipline, arrive on time, in a clean uniform, ready to work.