How I Became - a pastry chef w/ Maxine Scheckter

Welcome to the ‘How I Became’ series where Billie talks to girls across New Zealand who are killing it in their chosen career and see how they got there!

Trying to decide what you ‘want to be when you grow up’ is hard enough as it is and your careers counsellor probably won’t have all the answers you need.

HIB aims to give you a bit of insight into different career paths and what it takes to get there.

Name: Maxine Scheckter

Age: 26

Job title: Pastry Chef

Current job: Pastry chef and owner of Sugar Flour Pastry School

Firstly, what drew you to being a pastry chef?

My parents own a deli, and I grew up working in it, so food was always a huge part of our lives. I remember going with my dad to do deliveries and getting to see inside the restaurant kitchens, I was always hoping they would give me something sweet to eat!

When I turned 16 my passion for baking became really obvious, and my mum pretty much nagged me into becoming a pastry chef. She could really see how much I loved it and that I did have a bit of a knack for it. From there it was just set that it was what I would do.

What subjects did you take in high school that you think helped?

High school was a bit tricky for me. I was very middle ground at everything, and never felt like I was smart enough to be one of the smart kids, or creative enough to be an artsy kid. I would say I loved art history, and I do often use artworks and their meanings, or the story of artists, as inspiration, so that was quite helpful. I think that one of the great things about being a pastry chef or working in kitchens is that everyone has different backgrounds or skill sets, and you find a way to make that work for you in your career.

What did your pathway towards starting your career look like?

I started work experience at Logan Brown, a fine dining restaurant in Wellington, when I was 16. It was meant to be one day in the school holidays, and I just kept asking if I could come back the next day. After the school holidays were up I emailed them and asked if I could work every Saturday. Those first couple of weeks really pulled me out of a slump I was having in high school, and helped give me a purpose.

What did you study/where/how long did it take?

I studied cookery and patisserie at WelTec, which was a year and a half total. After that I moved to Paris and got a diploma in patisserie from the culinary school Ferrandi. This was 6 months of studying and 6 months of an internship. I know it sounds lame, but as a pastry chef, you never stop learning. Once you have your qualification, that's just the beginning. You start at the very bottom of a kitchen and have to work your way up.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The best thing is creating beautiful pastries that bring joy to people when they eat them.

What’s the hardest part?

It’s a very physical job. I’ve worked roles where I would work 18 hours a day, 5 days a week, constantly on my feet with very little time for a break.

What surprised you most about your job once you started working?

How mentally draining it can be to work in a kitchen. There’s so much going on around you and you have to multitask. Where at home you make one cake at a time, in a professional kitchen you might have 2 cakes in the oven, one in the mixer, bread dough proofing and trying to get the desserts set in time for service. It can be exhausting to keep on top of it all!

What does an average day look like for you?

On a weekday morning I normally stop at my suppliers and pick up ingredients, and then go into the kitchen and work on new recipes for classes, orders or any other events I have coming up. I normally try to leave a few hours in the afternoon free to deal with paperwork, emails and working on our social media. On weekends when I have classes I get to work for 7:30am and spend a few hours setting up for that day’s class. At 11 students arrive and the class starts and runs until 2-3, and then I spend an hour or two cleaning up and getting ready for the next day's class, or packing down my equipment. I like to try set aside a bit of time in the evenings to cook dinner, it helps me relax from the day to cook without the pressure of work.

What advice would you give to those looking to follow a similar career path?

I would say be open to doing the boring and sometimes rubbish jobs in the kitchen. That’s how everyone starts. Have a good attitude, ask lots of questions and practice at home. The more you bake the better you’ll get.

What are the biggest challenges in your opinion to getting into baking professionally?

I think there’s a huge step up from being a great home baker, to doing it professionally. It can be very overwhelming to start with and can put a lot of people off, but with everything really you just have to persevere!

What kind of skills does your job require?

Speed, cleanliness, an eye for detail, creativity, patience. I never manage to possess all of these in one day, but I give it a good go!

What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

Seeing people walk away from a class with a bake that they didn’t think they’d be able to make, and knowing that I've helped create a special food memory for them.

What has been an absolute highlight of your career?

Being on Snack Masters NZ is 100% the highlight. When I decided I wanted to be a pastry chef I would spend my Sunday’s watching shows like Great British Bake off, and found them so inspiring. To think that someone might see me on tv and potentially be inspired the same way I was is mind blowing. 

What’s an unexpected element to your job that people don’t realise you have to do?

People are often surprised that I spend so much time working. They don’t realise how much goes on behind the scenes to put a 3 hour class together and constantly come up with new creations, as well as all the other elements of running a business.

Describe your job in three words

Rewarding, creative, delicious!

You can watch Maxine cook up a storm on Snack Masters NZ Wednesday, 4th May 7.30pm on TVNZ 2.