Lead Pastry Cook - Regent Santa Monica Beach

Regent Santa Monica Beach, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ prestigious luxury and lifestyle portfolio, introduces a new era of coastal indulgence in Los Angeles. This flagship beachfront resort features 167 expansive guest rooms and suites—among the largest in Santa Monica—starting at a generous 720 square feet and designed for elevated comfort. Each room offers spa-inspired bathrooms with soaking tubs, walk-in rain showers, double vanities, and Perricone MD amenities, alongside thoughtful Regent hallmarks that create a refined residential feel. Set along a coveted stretch of Pacific coastline, the hotel blends timeless elegance with contemporary design, delivering a truly immersive luxury experience. As the Americas flagship for Regent, the property also features a 10,000-square-foot Guerlain Wellness spa, an oceanfront pool experience, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and curated retail at The Regent Boutique. 

At the heart of Regent Santa Monica Beach’s food and beverage program is Orla and Orla Bar, created by James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Michael Mina. Showcasing vibrant Mediterranean and Middle Eastern–inspired cuisine, Orla brings bold flavors, fresh seafood, and elevated hospitality to the Southern California dining scene, drawing inspiration from Mina’s Egyptian heritage and the spirit of coastal markets.  Orla Bar complements the restaurant with a refined social atmosphere, featuring expertly crafted cocktails and light bites in an elegant setting at the center of the hotel.  Additional dining experiences include Azure Bar, offering sophisticated poolside dining and oceanfront cocktails, and Sweet July Café, developed in collaboration with Ayesha Curry, serving thoughtfully curated coffee, tea, and casual fare.  Together, these concepts establish Regent Santa Monica Beach as one of Los Angeles’ premier culinary destinations.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a talented and detail-oriented Lead Pastry Cook to support the daily operations of the Pastry Kitchen. The ideal candidate will possess strong technical pastry skills, a passion for creating exceptional desserts and baked goods, and the ability to lead by example in a luxury hospitality environment. The Lead Pastry Cook will assist in supervising pastry team members, ensuring consistency, quality, and presentation standards while delivering memorable culinary experiences for our guests.

A little bit about your day:

Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef, every day is different, but you’ll mostly:

• Prepare, produce, and present a wide variety of pastries, desserts, breads, cakes, amenities, and confections to established luxury standards.

• Assist with daily pastry kitchen operations, ensuring all products meet quality, consistency, and presentation expectations.

• Support the Executive Sous Chef in coordinating production schedules and prioritizing workloads based on business demands.

• Lead and motivate pastry team members during assigned shifts, providing guidance and support as needed.

• Train new and existing team members on recipes, techniques, food safety standards, and departmental procedures.

• Maintain appropriate inventory levels and assist with ordering, receiving, and storage of pastry ingredients and supplies.

• Monitor product freshness, quality, and waste control to support departmental cost management goals.

• Ensure compliance with HACCP standards, food safety regulations, sanitation requirements, and hotel policies.

• Collaborate with culinary leadership on seasonal offerings, special events, banquets, and holiday programming.

• Assist with menu development and recipe testing while maintaining consistency with Regent brand standards.

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment while ensuring all equipment is properly handled and maintained.

• Support other culinary areas as needed to ensure exceptional guest experiences and operational success.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 3 years of pastry experience in a luxury hotel, resort, fine dining restaurant, or high-volume pastry operation.

• Previous lead, supervisory, or trainer experience preferred.

• Culinary degree or professional pastry certification preferred.

• Strong knowledge of classical and contemporary pastry techniques, baking methods, chocolate work, and dessert presentation.

• Ability to read, follow, and execute standardized recipes with precision and consistency.

• Knowledge of food safety regulations, sanitation practices, and HACCP guidelines.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

• Ability to stand for extended periods and safely lift, push, or pull up to 50 pounds.

• Flexible schedule with the ability to work mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as business needs require.

What you can expect from us: 

The hourly pay rate for this role is $38.05. This range is only applicable for jobs to be performed at Regent Santa Monica Beach. This is the lowest to highest pay scale we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. A team member’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors including, but limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs.

IHG is an equal opportunity employer: Minorities / Females / Veterans / Disabled.