Head Pastry Chef & Production Manager Full-time | Artarmon, Sydney

Lead the kitchen behind some of Sydney’s sweetest celebrations

The Cupcake Factory and Daily Dough Co are proudly part of

Giftd Collective —an Australian-owned group of premium gifting and dessert brands that also includes Gourmet Basket.

From our purpose-built production facility in Artarmon, we create thousands of cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, cookies, brownies and other baked treats for celebrations, corporate events and major seasonal campaigns across Sydney.

Backed by more than 20 years in gifting and celebrations, Giftd Collective is entering an exciting new stage of growth. We’re expanding our ranges, strengthening our production capabilities and exploring new opportunities to grow.

We’re now looking for an experienced, energetic and hands‑on

Head Pastry Chef & Production Manager

to lead our kitchen, inspire our team and help take our products and production standards to the next level.

About the role This is a rare opportunity to combine your creativity and pastry skills with genuine production leadership.

You’ll take ownership of the kitchen’s day‑to‑day performance, ensuring every order is produced accurately, efficiently, safely and to an exceptional standard. You’ll lead from the front—working alongside the team, solving problems and stepping into production and decorating whenever required.

You’ll also have the opportunity to influence how the kitchen operates, improve systems and standards, and collaborate on exciting new recipes, ranges and seasonal collections.

What you’ll be responsible for

Leading the daily operation of our busy pastry production kitchen

Creating clear production schedules around order volumes and delivery deadlines

Coordinating bakers, pastry chefs, cake decorators and kitchen assistants

Working hands‑on across baking, production, decorating and finishing





Ensuring every order is completed accurately, on time and to specification

Raising standards across product quality, consistency, presentation and portion control

Creating a clean, organised and highly efficient kitchen environment

Introducing effective cleaning schedules, checklists and operating procedures

Managing rosters, workflow, productivity and labour efficiency

Training, supporting and developing a capable, high‑performing team

Identifying opportunities to improve equipment, processes and production capacity

Working with our product team to develop and test new cakes, recipes, flavours and seasonal products

Scaling recipes successfully for commercial production

Maintaining strong food‑safety, hygiene and allergen‑management practices

Leading the kitchen confidently through large orders and seasonal peaks

About you You’re an experienced pastry professional who takes enormous pride in both the finished product and the way a kitchen operates.

You’re creative but commercially minded, highly organised and comfortable making decisions. You enjoy developing people, improving processes and creating an environment where everyone knows what is expected of them.

Most importantly, you’re a leader who is willing to roll up your sleeves and work alongside the team.

You will ideally bring:

A relevant pastry, baking or commercial cookery qualification

Extensive professional pastry or bakery experience





Experience leading a pastry kitchen or high‑volume production team

Strong practical skills across cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, brownies and other baked products

Confident cake‑decorating and finishing skills

Experience planning and managing high‑volume production

Strong people‑management, training and communication skills

Excellent organisational and problem‑solving abilities

A thorough understanding of kitchen hygiene, food safety and allergen management

Experience developing, testing and commercially scaling new recipes

An understanding of labour efficiency, product yields and waste reduction

Strong attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to quality

Experience in a central production kitchen, celebration‑cake business, wholesale bakery or multi‑brand food operation would be highly regarded.

Why join Giftd Collective? Make a visible impact This is a role where your ideas and leadership will matter. You’ll have the prospect to improve the kitchen’s systems, standards, quality and performance—and see the results of your work every day.

Combine creativity with leadership Continue doing what you love while stepping into a meaningful leadership position. You’ll remain connected to the products while developing your team and helping create exciting new recipes and ranges.

Join us at an exciting time Become part of an established Australian group with more than 20 years of experience, much‑loved brands and ambitious plans.

Ready to create what comes next? If you’re a talented pastry leader who loves creating exceptional products, building great teams and making busy kitchens run brilliantly, this could be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

Bring your ideas, experience and energy—and help shape the next chapter of The Cupcake Factory, Daily Dough Co and Giftd Collective.

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📌 Head Pastry Chef & Production Manager (Sydney)
🏢 Gourmet Basket
📍 Sydney