This occupation is found in the craft and production bakery sector or the new product development departments of bakery ingredient suppliers. The occupation may also be found in certain hospitality sectors eg large fine dining kitchens. Work may be carried out in craft bakeries, large and small, factory-scale production bakeries, hotels, hospitals, and prison kitchens where bakery products are made on site, in ingredient supplier and commercial test bakeries.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to plan, prepare and produce a significant range of refined products such as sour dough, complex pastry and biscuit products, fried products, and cake and sponge products. They will have knowledge of the recipe makeup, complex processing methods and processing equipment as well as a strong knowledge of specialised ingredients, and the principles of product improvement or new product development. Depending on the size and scope of operation a Lead Baker may have responsibility for a section or department. Within an NPD role may be Lead Test Baker.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with their bakery team including senior managers and internal auditors. They would report to a section/department head, production manager, bakery manager or even an external proprietor depending on scale. In NPD the Lead Baker would be responsible to the department manager. External contacts may include suppliers, auditors and customers.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for ensuring products are food and hygiene safe and of the required quality. They would also need to ensure compliance in all areas of health and safety, food safety and business rules. A Lead Baker will have knowledge and skills associated with team leadership and a full understanding of the principles of product costing and productivity measurement. They must work to deadlines and financial targets. Their expertise would see them contribute to NPD, line and process improvements and team development. Progression pathway could lead through to production management, NPD test bakery leader, bakery technologist or bakery management.
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Duty 1 Plan, manage, produce and finish bakery products to quality and product specifications. |
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Duty 2 Train and develop bakery team. |
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Duty 3 Monitor quality assurance. |
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Duty 4 Manage the safe, responsible, accurate, and productive use of bakery equipment and technology. |
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Duty 5 Ensure that the correct ingredients and materials are available in line with production demand. |
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Duty 6 Ensure adherence to bakery operations compliance systems. |
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Duty 7 Contribute to investigation and resolution of internal and external feedback and complaints. |
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Duty 8 Ensure appropriate presentation and packaging of bakery products in line with workplace specifications and labelling legislation. |
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Duty 9 Contribute to decisions about bakery sales and promotion strategies. |
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Duty 10 Undertake comparison testing of bakery ingredient and processing. |
K1: Technical understanding of cake making methods.
Back to Duty
K2: Technical understanding of biscuit making methods.
Back to Duty
K3: Technical understanding of sweet and savoury pastry making methods.
Back to Duty
K4: Technical understanding of fermented and chemically leavened dough product making methods.
Back to Duty
K5: The purpose of recipe specifications and consequences of non-compliance with recipe specifications.
Back to Duty
K6: Bakery Equipment appropriate to different processes and products.
Back to Duty
K7: Principles of Bakery production planning and scheduling.
Back to Duty
K8: Key performance indicators and how they are used to manage production and bakery performance.
Back to Duty
K9: Production methods and processes: monitoring, checks, equipment setting.
Back to Duty
K10: Principles of continuous improvement.
Back to Duty
K11: Importance of training a bakery team.
Back to Duty
K12: Principles of team working.
Back to Duty
K13: Principles of organoleptic testing to measure the quality of products.
Back to Duty
K14: Principles for benchmarking products.
Back to Duty
K15: Principles of route cause analysis and preventative action.
Back to Duty
K16: Productive use, care and preventative maintenance of bakery equipment and technology.
Back to Duty
K17: The principles of food safety supervision for bakery.
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K18: Principles of stock control and inventory management.
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K19: Health and safety legislation.
Back to Duty
K20: Food safety legislation.
Back to Duty
K21: Environmental legislation, waste management, and pest control principles in bakeries.
Back to Duty
K22: Principles of handling feedback and complaints.
Back to Duty
K23: Packaging types, functionality, sustainability and effects on shelf life and quality, for example; gas flushing, poly propylene, perforated film, paper, waxed paper.
Back to Duty
K24: Scientific principles of the mechanical dough development method, including the Chorleywood Bread Process.
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K25: Scientific principles of fermentation and sourdough microbiology.
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K26: Importance of food labelling legislation, and the legal consequences of non-compliance.
Back to Duty
K27: Bakery trends and implications of seasonality.
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K28: Principles of bakery profitability.
Back to Duty
K29: Sales and promotion models for different media including social and digital.
Back to Duty
K30: Technical understanding of couverture chocolate.
Back to Duty
S1: Produce refined cake products using complex techniques.
Back to Duty
S2: Produce refined biscuit products using complex techniques.
Back to Duty
S3: Produce refined sweet and savoury pastry products using complex techniques.
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S4: Produce refined fermented and chemically leavened dough product using complex techniques.
Back to Duty
S5: Coordinate ingredients, processing aids, equipment/ technology, and production techniques to achieve expected product results.
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S6: Apply refined finishing techniques.
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S7: Contribute to production planning to meet demand.
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S8: Monitor the efficiency of productivity.
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S9: Manage preparation, baking, and finishing techniques.
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S10: Contribute to the development of operating procedures and continual improvement activity.
Back to Duty
S11: Provide guidance or training to colleagues.
Back to Duty
S12: Communicate with colleagues and stakeholders visually and verbally.
Back to Duty
S13: Conduct a test baking protocol to compare bakery ingredients and processes applying techniques to measure quality; physical and organoleptic properties.
Back to Duty
S14: Contribute to the development, improvement and adaptation of products.
Back to Duty
S15: Interpret quality information and data to identify and rectify real time errors during production.
Back to Duty
S16: Identify and resolve issues with bakery equipment and technology.
Back to Duty
S17: Plan the ordering of stock and materials in line with production demand.
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S18: Manage the rotation and safe storage of stock and materials in line with production demand.
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S19: Monitor compliance with food safety, health and safety at work, and environmental legislation.
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S20: Measure and monitor product yield efficiency and waste minimisation.
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S21: Assist in the resolution of feedback and complaints and implement changes for improvement.
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B1: Prioritises and promotes health and safety and food safety.
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B2: Accountable for own actions and actions of team.
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B3: Maintains a customer focus.
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B4: Positive and adaptable in approach to new demands and situations.
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B5: Leads a team effectively.
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B6: Committed to maintaining knowledge of current industry best practices.
Back to Duty
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
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| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 07/11/2023 | Not set |
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