NB: Due to the organisational importance, nature and requirements of this role, and the proximity and interaction with Luminary’s beneficiaries, it is a genuine occupational requirement under the Equality Act 2010 that the applicant for this role is female, in line with Luminary Bakery’s mission, objectives and Articles of Association.
Job Title: Production Baker
Reports to: Head Baker & Apprenticeship Training Lead
Work Location: King's Cross, London NC1 — Luminary Bakery's new café & production kitchen, opening [TBC]
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week, 6:00am-14:00pm, predominantly Monday–Friday, with flexibility for occasional weekends based on business needs.
Salary: £14.00 per hour
Employed by: Luminary Bakery Ltd
About Luminary Bakery
Luminary Bakery is an award-winning social enterprise bakery on a mission to empower women through training and employment, featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Tatler and more. Alongside our Café and Bakery production sites, we're opening a brand new café and kitchen in King's Cross — a small, fast-moving site expected to see very high footfall from day one, located between Coal Drops Yard and King's Cross station.
Overview
We're looking for an experienced Production Baker at our brand new King's Cross site. You'll be the go-to person for production on shift — keeping the fast-paced kitchen moving, solving problems as they come up, and maintaining the standard.
Key Responsibilities
- Daily Production: Bake and finish the full non-pastry production range each day — focaccia and other breads, scones, cookies, traybakes and cakes — to Luminary's standard, working to a tight schedule so the café case is fully stocked for opening.
- Cake Assembly & Decoration: Bake, fill, crumb-coat and simply decorate cakes intended for slicing and selling in the café.
- Sandwich & Lunch Production Support: Support the café team with sandwich, salad and lunch-item prep and assembly during the busy midday service, helping the kitchen keep pace through the lunch rush.
- Shift Leadership: Act as the go-to person on shift for the wider kitchen team — coordinating tasks, resolving day-to-day issues, and keeping production moving.
- Quality Control & Consistency: Maintain Luminary's quality, bake and finish standards across every product, batch after batch, even at high volume and under time pressure.
- Production Planning: Help plan and pace daily production against likely demand at a site expected to sell out most days — flagging shortfalls early and adjusting batch sizes accordingly.
- Stock & Ingredient Management: Monitor day-to-day ingredient stock for production, flag replenishment needs early, and minimise waste through accurate batch planning.
- Health & Safety Compliance: Uphold food hygiene, health and safety standards throughout a fast-paced working day, keeping the kitchen clean and organised.
- Hosting Work Experience: Support Luminary's social mission by hosting occasional work experience placements for women on the Luminary Women training programme, offering insight into bakery and kitchen life.
- Collaboration: Work closely with the Head Baker and the onsite Bread & Pastry Chef and wider Luminary team so the café's full offering — pastry, bakery and lunch — runs as one smooth operation.
Person Specification
Essential
- Experience: Minimum 3 years' professional baking experience, ideally in a production or artisan bakery, covering breads, scones, cakes, cookies and traybakes.
- Cake Skills: Confident, clean cake decorating skills for simple slice-and-sell cakes — crumb coats, smooth finishes, simple piping/decoration.
- Leadership: Previous experience supervising or leading a shift or small team, and comfortable acting as the go-to person for day-to-day problem-solving.
- Independence: Able to work independently and keep production moving to Luminary's standard with minimal supervision
- Pace: Proven ability to work quickly, cleanly and accurately under real time pressure, in a genuinely fast-paced kitchen.
- Organisation: Well organised, able to manage multiple priorities and a tight production schedule at once.
- Physical Requirements: Physically able to lift and handle items weighing up to 50lbs (approx 23kg).
- Right to Work: Proof of right to work in the UK.
Desirable
- Willingness to work varied hours or occasional weekends depending on business needs.
- Experience baking to supply a high-footfall, grab-and-go café.
- Experience supporting or hosting work experience/training placements.
- Background in, or genuine alignment with, social enterprise.
Benefits
- Daily Perks: Free barista coffee daily and 50% off all Luminary food & cold drinks.
- Discounts: 20% discount on online purchases (celebration cakes & merchandise), plus discounts for friends and family.
- Professional Development: Regular training opportunities and involvement in press coverage.
Become part of a team dedicated to creating memorable, delicious experiences while making a positive impact — and help shape our brand new King's Cross site from day one.