Become a Bakery Owner

A bakery owner manages the daily operations of a bakery. The business may be a freestanding retail operation that caters to walk-in customers, or a business that produces the baked goods for restaurants and other food service providers, such as caterers. Some bakeries also specialize in making wedding cakes. The majority of bakery owners are trained pastry chefs who have attended culinary school to learn their baking skills. Bakery owners must ensure that they make high quality products that people want to buy, and they must be prepared to complete any size order placed in their establishment.

Salary

The salary of a bakery owner can vary according to the location of the bakery, what the bakery specializes in, and the experience of the bakery owner. According to CareerBliss.com, the average salary of a bakery owner is $46,000, while SimplyHired.com reports the figure is $60,000 per year. The actual amount of money that a baker takes home may be higher if he pays himself a salary and then collects the profits of his business as compensation.

Responsibilities

A bakery owner is responsible for both the culinary and administrative aspects of a bakery. Depending on the size of the bakery the owner may also have employees to oversee. On a daily basis products must be baked; if the bakery is operated out of a storefront this may begin in the early morning hours before the shop is open for business. The owner may be the baker and pastry chef, or he may manage one that he hired. Quality control is required to ensure that the products being baked are up to the standards set by the business. In addition to the food side, a bakery owner is in charge of ordering supplies, keeping track of profits and expenses, marketing his bakery, and providing customer service. The amount of supplies ordered must be done carefully to keep overhead low, and the marketing and advertisement methods used must be cost effective. Providing excellent customer service is an important aspect of running a bakery, and the bakery owner know how to interact with customers, and solve any customer complaints that may arise.

Requirements

A bakery owner should know how to bake items which taste delicious and people are willing to pay money for. Most bakery owners attend culinary school to learn how to be a pastry chef, but many self-taught bakers have opened successful bakeries. Many state and local governments do require that a bakery owner who works with the food he is selling have a food handler’s card. It is very helpful for a bakery owner to have some training in how to run a business. While a degree is not required, it is a good idea for a bakery owner to at least take a few online courses in business management to learn business basics. Business courses will help a bakery owner with tasks such as preparing a business budget and practicing effective management techniques.

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