Executive Pastry Chef
DFW Public Market Collective, LLC
Downtown Fort Worth, TX
About Us
DFW Public Market Collective operates three distinct concepts under one roof in the historic Fort Worth Public Market building at 1400 Henderson Street:
- Madrone a romantic fine dining restaurant celebrating seasonal Texas ingredients
- Bar Willow a luxuriously swanky craft cocktail bar with refined American classics
- Public Market Cafe a vibrant day market and grocery caf featuring coffee, breakfast, lunch, and a full bakery case
All three concepts share one kitchen. We are seeking a department-head level Pastry Chef to build and run a unified pastry and bread program that serves every room.
The Role
This is a senior culinary specialist position reporting to Executive Chef & Owner Jenna Kinard (with day-to-day coordination through the Chef de Cuisine). You will design, cost, and execute the pastry, bread, and dessert programs across fine dining, cocktail bar, and daily caf production. The role requires both high-level creativity and rigorous operational discipline.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and execute pastry, bread, and dessert menus for Madrone (fine dining), Bar Willow (nostalgic sweets), and Public Market Caf (daily bakery case, viennoiserie, laminated product, breads, and grab-and-go)
- Build and manage the daily bakery production schedule so the Caf case is full at open every morning
- Create and enforce standardized recipes, scaling sheets, shelf-life standards, and plating specifications
- Control pastry food cost and waste; track yields, shrink, and end-of-day markdown
- Maintain par levels so the Caf opens full and Madrone never runs short mid-service
- Hire, train, schedule, and lead the pastry team; cross-train line and Caf staff on finishing and plating
- Manage all pastry ordering, receiving, and weekly invoice coding
- Own allergen documentation and labeling for all pastry and packaged items
- Maintain sanitation, temperature logging, and HACCP compliance for all pastry areas
- Develop seasonal changes in step with Madrone s menu calendar and the Caf s daily rhythm
- Support private events, buyouts, and holiday programs with custom pastry and cake production
- Maintain pastry equipment and specify equipment/smallwares needs
What We're Looking For
- Formal training in patisserie preferred
- Proven expertise in lamination/viennoiserie and artisan bread production
- Experience leading a pastry department in a multi-concept, fine-dining, hotel, or high-volume environment
- Strong systems mindset (recipe standardization, costing, production planning, and waste control)
- Leadership ability and a collaborative, positive approach to culture and team development
Compensation & Benefits
- Base salary: $95,000
- Bonus (TBD)
- 10 days (2 work weeks) annual PTO (1 week available every 6 months in the first year)
- 50% coverage of employee insurance premium (up to $500 per month)
How to Apply
Please submit your resume, a short note on why this multi-concept opportunity interests you, and links to your work (Instagram, portfolio, etc.)
We are looking for a long-term partner who wants to help build something special in downtown Fort Worth.