Not every country club has its own pastry chef on staff. It’s not uncommon for clubs to outsource their pastry needs from vendors or local bakeries. However, when a club is fortunate enough to have the staff to maintain their own pastry program then they have the expertise to create unique, scratch-made pastries and desserts and need the necessary equipment to do so. When you give your members fresh-made desserts that are visibly different from other local restaurants, you give them another reason to come back.
Pastries and desserts require their own unique set of tools and equipment in the kitchen that simplify and streamline creating desserts for every member. Some major equipment pieces needed for making pastries are mixers, proofing and holding cases, dough sheeters and dividers, specialized ovens (convection, deck, or roll-in), refrigerators, and freezers. There are also an endless amount of pastry tools needed that do not take up as much room in a kitchen such as spatulas, mixing spoons, zesters, pastry knives, icing bags, pastry cutters, and sifters.
When choosing pastry equipment the most important factors to consider are budget, the menu, the amount of space available, and efficiency. It is expensive, but investing in modern equipment with advanced technology can speed up baking times while increasing production and most importantly member satisfaction. Because of the price, purchasing older and cheaper equipment seems like a budget-friendly option. However, between the cost of repairs or needing to be replaced more often, it can be more cost-effective to immediately invest in new and more efficient equipment instead.
Pastries and desserts are responsible for ending a meal the right way and can be the exclamation point on an amazing dining experience for members. Pastry chefs are expected to be perfect with measurements, timing, and ingredients while also having the ability to create innovative desserts, so it is crucial for chefs to invest in the right pastry equipment for a club in the same way they do for a kitchen’s cooking equipment.
