Do you qualify? Pastry Certification Levels

ACF offers 6 pastry certification levels each requiring specific qualifications.

Candidate Handbooks
  • ACF certifications are based on a candidate’s educational and work experience. The requirements help to determine a candidate’s eligibility for a specific level of certification.

Certified Fundamentals Pastry Cook™ (CFPC™): A cook with fundamental knowledge and no experience within a commercial baking and pastry operation.

Certified Pastry Culinarian® (CPC®): An entry level culinarian within a pastry foodservice operation responsible for the preparation and production of pies, cookies, cakes, breads, rolls, desserts or other baked goods.

Certified Working Pastry Chef® (CWPC®): A pastry chef who supervises a pastry section or a shift within a foodservice operation and has considerable responsibility for preparation and production of all pastry items.

Certified Executive Pastry Chef® (CEPC®): A pastry chef who is a department head, usually responsible to the executive chef of a food operation or to the management of a pastry specialty firm. A CEPC® has supervisory responsibility as well as administrative duties.

Certified Master Pastry Chef® (CMPC®): A CMPC® possesses the highest degree of professional knowledge, skill and mastery of cooking techniques as they apply to baking and pastry. A separate application is required, in addition to successfully completing an 8-day testing process judged by peers. Certification as a CEC® or CEPC® is a prerequisite.

Add an Additional Level

Certified Culinary Administrator® (CCA®): This is an executive-level chef who is responsible for the administrative functions of running a professional foodservice operation. This culinary professional must demonstrate proficiency in culinary knowledge, human resources, operational management and business planning skills.

All applications are available on the Resources page.

Click here to contact the ACF Certification Department.