Bakery Lead

About the organization:Dear Grain Baking is not just a job, it's a Way of Living.Dear Grain Toronto Pastry Commissary is an Everything Sourdough Bakery that specializes in artisanal sourdough pastries. We aim to inspire, nourish and fulfill our team and the community we serve. We offer a respectful open work environment, friendly work culture, and a chance to learn, be playful and creative.

About the role:Dear Grain is seeking a Full-Time Lead Baker with hands-on baking experience to join our Toronto pastry commissary team. This position is for an existing vacancy.We are looking for someone caring, passionate, and dynamic an individual committed to the craft of sourdough pastry making who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative, and creative environment. The ideal candidate will balance leadership and teamwork, guiding daily production while remaining deeply involved in the baking process.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain daily and weekly production schedules to ensure timely preparation of all bakery items, including cookies, scones, cakes, muffins, croissants, and other specialty products.
• Participate in hands-on, high-volume production, including mixing and scaling large batch recipes.
• Monitor finished product inventory and plan production to minimize shortages, overproduction, and waste.
• Coordinate with purchasing, warehouse, and other departments to ensure ingredients, packaging, and equipment are prepared and available as needed.
• Supervise bakers and team leaders, providing clear direction, training, coaching, and constructive feedback.
• Train staff across the full bakery menu, ensuring cross-training for schedule flexibility and consistent production standards.
• Monitor product quality and consistency taste, test, and refine baking methods to align with company standards.
• Ensure compliance with workplace safety, food safety, sanitation, and cleanliness standards at all times.
• Track production pace and labor efficiency; manage breaks, shift transitions, and end-of-day completion of production goals.
• Support product development by creating, testing, and documenting new recipes, including seasonal and promotional items.
• Maintain accurate production records, including inventory usage and waste logs, to support reporting and cost control.
• Act as a liaison between bakery staff, management, and other departments to ensure smooth workflow and effective problem-solving.
• Communicate daily priorities, changes, and updates to staff; escalate issues to management when needed.
• Participate in weekly meetings with the Bakery Manager to share performance reports, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Assist with scheduling, payroll input, and staffing coordination to ensure adequate coverage for production operations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year experience in a high-volume production kitchen or food manufacturing environment
• Minimum 1 year experience in pastry production or baking ( excluding home baking)
• Culinary or Baking & Pastry education from a recognized institution (preferred but not required)
• Ability to follow detailed recipes and execute consistent results
• Experience with building production plans
• Proficient with industrial kitchen skills and equipment, including large volume mixers, bowl lifts, extruders etc.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality control
• Physically agile, able to stand for long periods, and lift up to 25kg as needed

Please note: This position does not involve cake decorating

Pay and Schedule

• Salary Yearly: $50,000 to $54,000 (including tips)
• Monday to Saturday (4 days week)
• Shift: 10 hours, starting 7:00 AM

While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Artificial intelligence may be used to assist with resume screening.

Big League Food Company is the next generation of beloved food brands. Our current brand portfolio includes Village Juicery, Dark Horse Espresso, Detour Coffee, Dear Grain Bakery, and Tori's Bakeshop.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity and respect, value and welcome diversity in our workplace. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, accommodation will be provided to candidates with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process. If you are invited to participate in the process and require an accommodation, please let us know in advance.