Pastry Chef at Call Your Mother Deli – Washington, District of Columbia

At Call Your Mother we believe that great food is made even better with amazing service and having fun together. CYM is a neighborhood bagel shop and deli with locations in Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, and even more on the way! We're looking for new team members with positive attitudes and an eagerness to learn who are as excited about good food & GOOD VIBES.

We’re hiring a Pastry Chef based in Washington, DC!

The Pastry Chef will be a creative pastry leader with a strong point of view and a passion for building standout products. This role requires someone equally comfortable in R&D, production kitchens, and training environments, with a hands-on approach to translating ideas into scalable execution.

The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, brings a systems-driven mindset, and is deeply committed to consistency across multiple locations. They are adaptable, resourceful, and energized by working in a fast-growing environment. This role will report to our Executive Chef/Chief of Culinary.

Company Core Values & Expectations:

• Vibrant – You are abundantly happy, fun, passionate, playful, and kind
• Integrity – You are honest, caring, real, and always strive to do the right thing and take pride in what you do
• Belonging – You will work as a team to make people feel welcome
• Energy – You are active, proactive, and work hard to make things happen
• Seize the Moment – You make the most of every guest opportunity by saying yes and by trying new things, and by being original

As a CYM leader, you’ll make an impact by:

• Mentoring and developing your team to reach their full potential.
• Creating extraordinary food and moments that delight guests.
• Bringing innovative ideas that drive our business forward.
• Supporting and lifting up our communities and neighborhoods.

Your responsibilities will be:

Product Innovation & R&D

• Develop original pastry concepts that align with Call Your Mother’s vibrant brand identity
• Lead seasonal and core pastry menu development from ideation through rollout
• Test, refine, and scale recipes for consistency across multiple shop and commissary locations
• Balance creativity with operational feasibility, speed of service, and cost targets

• Build precise, scalable recipes with clear yields, methods, and specifications
• Partner with Learning & Development to create best-in-class SOPs, training materials, and production guides
• Ensure all products can be executed consistently across varying skill levels and kitchen environments

• Analyze and improve existing recipes, workflows, and production systems
• Optimize for efficiency, labor, and waste reduction without compromising quality
• Collaborate with Operations and Supply Chain to streamline sourcing and production

• Establish and uphold product quality standards across all locations
• Conduct regular product audits and hands-on evaluations
• Identify and resolve inconsistencies, continuously improving systems and processes

• Travel as needed to train teams on products, techniques, and standards
• Lead pastry onboarding for new commissary openings
• Partner with commissary and shop managers to develop teams through hands-on coaching and clear, repeatable systems

You’ll be a great addition to the CYM team if you have:

• 2+ years of experience as a pastry chef in a high-volume restaurant or production facility
• Proven experience leading pastry menu development and production across multiple locations
• Strong operational and organizational skills
• Proficiency in English and Spanish
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands for this position are seeing, hearing, speaking, reaching, occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds, sitting, standing, bending, and moving intermittently during working hours. These physical requirements may be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodation.

You’ll love working at CYM because:

• Competitive base salary range: $75,000-$85,000/year plus bonus opportunity
• Exciting opportunities for growth and development! With CYM’s continued expansion, this role offers a strong foundation to grow your leadership skills and take the next step in your career.
• Great people, real support, and incredible VIBES. We’re focused on a positive, people-first culture where everyone feels they belong and they’re supported. You’ll find a team that’s welcoming, celebrates wins together, and most importantly, keeps things fun every day!
• Great benefits (our team agrees!) Health, dental, and vision insurance (for full-time staff averaging 30+ hours/week), 4% employer match 401k, paid vacation, and paid parental leave, Employee Assistance Program, free Call Your Mother staff meals, free fitness and wellness classes, free English/Spanish classes and DuoLingo reimbursement, team building activities, and more.
• Never work nights! We open early, wrap up early, and make space for real work-life balance. Our morning and afternoon hours mean you’ll have your nights free to live your life and prioritize what matters most.

We provide equal opportunities to everyone who works for us and every applicant. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We enthusiastically celebrate the diversity of our team and believe that talent, passion, and experience are the only relevant criteria for considering new team members