Karen Yang
Falls Church,VA
Summary
Professional pastry chef with strong foundation in pastry arts and 6+ years of luxury hospitality experience specializing in creating innovative desserts, menu development, and kitchen leadership. Known for fostering team collaboration, adapting to changing needs, and consistently delivering high-standard results. Skilled in baking techniques, flavor pairing, and maintaining quality control under pressure.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Pastry Chef
The St. Regis Hotel
02.2023 - Current
- Awarded "Quarterly Manager of the Year" (2024) for outstanding leadership
- Increased afternoon tea revenue by 30% through premium dessert pairings
- Reduced food waste by 20% via precision production systems
- Created attractive dessert trays for catering events.
- Developed creative plated desserts that complemented entrée dishes designed by the executive chef, enhancing overall dining experiences for guests.
- Developed seasonal dessert offerings that incorporated fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, supporting sustainability efforts and showcasing regional flavors.
- Introduced allergen-friendly options within the dessert menu to accommodate guests with dietary restrictions or preferences.
Assistant Pastry Chef
Salamander Resort & Spa
11.2021 - 02.2023
- The Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond Resort.
- Tempered chocolate to fabricate shiny, durable and delicious candies and toppings.
- Trained new staff members on proper techniques, elevating overall team performance.
- Led 14-member pastry team specializing in banquet and wedding productions
- Designed 100+ custom wedding/birthday cakes for high-profile clientele
- Implemented standardized decorating protocols improving cake production efficiency by 25%
- Coordinated with events team to execute desserts for galas up to 600 guests
- Oversaw purchasing, storage, and use of kitchen supplies.
Pastry Chef
Chateau de Chantilly Café
07.2021 - 10.2021
- Develop new recipes.
- Baked goods with ingredient limitations to make pastries meeting dietary restrictions, including gluten-free.
Pastry Cook
Trump International Hotel
09.2019 - 10.2021
- The Forbes Five-Star Hotel.
- Carried out daily kitchen prep and closing duties with station setup, breakdown and organization.
- Tempered chocolate to fabricate shiny, durable and delicious candies and toppings.
- Answered customer product-related questions by providing ingredients and preparation information.
- Filled special orders by packaging items.
- Maintained kitchen order and cleanliness by moving stock between storage and station in addition to sanitizing surfaces.
- Rotated and organized stock in refrigerator and freezer to minimize waste.
- Followed recipes to create various goods, including cake, cookies and bread.
- Created attractive dessert trays for catering events.
- Collaborated with Chef to plan and develop new recipes.
Pastry Cook
Prestonwood Country Club
05.2018 - 08.2019
- Carried out daily kitchen prep and closing duties with station setup, breakdown and organization.
- Rotated and organized stock in refrigerator and freezer to minimize waste.
- Maintained kitchen order and cleanliness by moving stock between storage and station in addition to sanitizing surfaces.
- Collaborated with Chef to plan and develop new recipes.
- Baked goods with ingredient limitations to make pastries meeting dietary restrictions, including gluten-free.
Head Cake Decorator
Tous Les Jours
01.2017 - 04.2018
- Worked with common cake decorating and baking tools, such as mixers and carving tools.
- Assisted other decorators in specialized designs.
- Designed cakes and cake decorations.
- Took custom orders from clients and provided accurate quotes.
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Baking And Pastry Arts
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, NC05.2018
Skills
- Leadership & Operations
- Team Management (up to 14 staff)
- Banquet & Wedding Pastry Production
- Cross-Department Collaboration
- Budgeting & Cost Control Technical Mastery
- Luxury Wedding Cake Design
- Large-Scale Dessert Production
- Plated Dessert Presentation
- Specialty Dietary Accommodations Business Impact
- Revenue Growth Strategies
- Vendor & Inventory Management
- Staff Training & Development
Certification
- ServSafe certified through 2029
- Certificate of completion an advanced pastry demonstration conducted by AUI Fine Food on 2017-10-16
Awards
ACF Gold Medal for Chocolate Showpiece, WTCC Culinary Art Showcase, Spring 2017, ACF Silver Medal for Artisan Bread, WTCC Culinary Art Showcase, Spring 2017, ACF Bronze Medal for Cake Decoration, WTCC Culinary Art Showcase, Spring 2017, ACF Silver Medal for Sugar Showpiece, Raleigh-Durham Area Chefs Association, Fall 2017, First Premium for Cake Decoration on North Carolina State Fair, Fall 2018
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeWork Location
On-SiteImportant To Me
Work-life balanceFlexible work hoursPersonal development programsPaid time offHealthcare benefits4-day work week401k matchTimeline
Executive Pastry Chef
The St. Regis Hotel
02.2023 - Current
Assistant Pastry Chef
Salamander Resort & Spa
11.2021 - 02.2023
Pastry Chef
Chateau de Chantilly Café
07.2021 - 10.2021
Pastry Cook
Trump International Hotel
09.2019 - 10.2021
Pastry Cook
Prestonwood Country Club
05.2018 - 08.2019
Head Cake Decorator
Tous Les Jours
01.2017 - 04.2018
Associate of Applied Science - Baking And Pastry Arts
Wake Technical Community College
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