How to Use the Baker Performance Review Template
Recording your performance reviews in Pilla means every assessment, objective, and development conversation is captured in one place. Instead of paper forms that get filed and forgotten, you build a continuous record that connects to one-to-one notes, tracks progress against objectives, and gives both you and your baker a clear reference point. When pay or progression decisions come up, the evidence is already documented.
Key Takeaways
- Metrics to Review checklist ensures you gather production completion, wastage rate, consistency score, and recipe accuracy data before writing anything
- Previous Objectives Review documents what was achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked since the last review
- Technical Competencies assessment covers bread production, pastry execution, timing and scheduling, consistency, and recipe development with Exceeds/Meets/Below descriptors
- Behavioural Competencies assessment covers teamwork, reliability, initiative, and organisation
- Compliance and Standards confirms food safety, temperature control, HACCP, and hygiene
- Key Achievements and Development Areas use specific evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes
- Objectives for Next Period sets SMART targets covering operational performance and career development
- Overall Assessment selects Exceeds, Meets, or Below expectations as a holistic rating
- Meeting Notes and Review Summary capture the review conversation and agreed next steps
Article Content
Why structured baker performance reviews matter
Your baker produces some of the first things guests experience — the bread basket, the morning pastries, the dessert components. Consistency and craft define the role, and a well-written performance review helps them understand exactly where they stand, what they're doing well, and what they need to work on. Unlike casual comments about product quality, a formal review creates a record, sets clear expectations, and connects their performance to career progression.
This template walks you through a complete performance review: gathering evidence, assessing competencies, documenting achievements and development areas, setting objectives, and recording the review meeting. Each section is designed to produce a fair, evidence-based assessment that both you and your baker can reference throughout the next review period.
Metrics to Review
Metrics to Review
Review objectives set at the last performance review. Note which were achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked.
Before writing any assessment, gather data on each of these metrics. Tick each one as you collect the information. Having the numbers in front of you prevents vague feedback and ensures your assessment is grounded in evidence.
Production completion — Review production records to determine what percentage of the scheduled output was completed on time across the review period. A baker who consistently delivers 100% of the production list before service has the technical skill and time management to handle the workload. One who regularly falls short may need schedule adjustments, equipment improvements, or skill development.
Wastage rate — Track waste across the period: dough that didn't prove correctly, products that failed during baking, items that weren't used before going stale. Some waste is inevitable in baking, but persistent high wastage indicates either recipe problems, timing issues, or overproduction. Compare against previous periods and industry benchmarks.
Consistency score — Assess product consistency across the review period using your own observations and feedback from chefs and front of house. Is the sourdough crumb the same quality every day? Are the croissants uniform in size and lamination? Consistency is the hardest thing to maintain in baking and the most important — it's the difference between craft and guesswork.
Recipe accuracy — Review how closely they follow established recipes versus improvising. While experienced bakers make adjustments for conditions (flour batches, humidity, temperature), deviations should be intentional and documented. Unexplained variations in recipes lead to unpredictable products.
Customisation tips:
- For artisan bakeries, add fermentation management and flavour development as additional metrics
- For high-volume production bakeries, add output per hour and equipment utilisation
- For bakers who also handle pastry, add pastry-specific metrics like decoration precision and component accuracy
- Don't rely on a single metric — a baker with high production completion but significant wastage might be overproducing to avoid shortfalls
Previous Objectives Review
Review objectives set at the last performance review. Note which were achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked.
Pull up the objectives from the last performance review. For each one, document whether it was:
- Achieved: They met or exceeded the target — note the evidence
- Partially achieved: Progress made but not complete — note what was done and what remains
- Not achieved: No meaningful progress — understand why before judging
- Blocked: External factors prevented progress — equipment not repaired, training not funded, flour supplier changed
Be honest about blocked objectives. If you promised to fix the prover or fund a sourdough course and didn't, that's not their failure. Acknowledging your own gaps builds trust and makes the review feel fair.
If this is their first review and no previous objectives exist, note that and use this section to document the baseline you're measuring from going forward.
Technical Competencies
Technical Competencies
Record your rating and evidence for each technical competency. Use specific examples and data.
Assess each competency based on observed behaviour over the full review period — not just the last two weeks. Tick each competency as you assess it.
| Competency | Exceeds expectations | Meets expectations | Below expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread production | Produces exceptional bread consistently, manages fermentation intuitively, adjusts for conditions without prompting, products are restaurant-defining | Produces good quality bread reliably, follows recipes accurately, manages standard fermentation schedules | Inconsistent bread quality, struggles with fermentation timing, products vary significantly day to day |
| Pastry execution | Creates refined pastries with precision, lamination is consistently excellent, decorative work is meticulous and creative | Produces pastries to an acceptable standard, follows recipes accurately, lamination generally consistent | Pastry quality inconsistent, lamination frequently fails, decorative work lacks precision |
| Timing and scheduling | Manages complex production schedules flawlessly, products always ready on time, adjusts schedule proactively for special events | Meets production deadlines for standard schedules, occasional timing pressure during busy periods | Regularly misses production deadlines, products not ready for service, poor time management |
| Consistency | Products are identical day to day, adjusts for ingredient variations, maintains quality regardless of conditions | Generally consistent products, occasional minor variations, maintains acceptable quality | Significant variation between batches, products unpredictable, quality depends on conditions |
| Recipe development | Creates exceptional new recipes, understands flavour development deeply, contributes meaningfully to menu development | Follows and executes recipes accurately, can make minor recipe adjustments, contributes ideas when asked | Struggles with recipe interpretation, cannot adjust recipes for conditions, no creative contribution |
Avoiding common rating errors:
- Recency bias: Check your notes from three months ago. Did they produce exceptional Christmas stollen that's now forgotten?
- Halo effect: Brilliant bread doesn't mean excellent pastry. Rate each competency separately.
- Central tendency: Not everyone "meets expectations." If they're exceptional at consistency, say so. If they're struggling with timing, say that too.
Customisation tips:
- For artisan bakeries, weight bread production and consistency more heavily — craft quality defines the role
- For hotel bakeries, add breakfast service readiness and buffet presentation
- For bakeries with retail elements, add customer-facing product presentation
Record your rating and evidence for each technical competency. Use specific examples and data.
For each competency, record your rating (Exceeds, Meets, or Below) with specific evidence. Use dates, numbers, and examples rather than general impressions.
Example phrases:
"[Name] produced sourdough of consistently excellent quality throughout the review period, with the crumb structure and crust colour matching the target standard on 95% of production days."
"[Name]'s pastry lamination needs improvement — observed three batches of croissants with uneven layers during February, likely caused by inconsistent butter temperature management."
"[Name] managed the Christmas production schedule flawlessly, delivering 14 different products across the festive period with zero missed deadlines."
"[Name] struggled with timing during the review period, with bread not ready for service on four occasions, requiring the kitchen to use emergency-purchased alternatives."
Behavioural Competencies
Behavioural Competencies
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency. Use specific examples.
Assess each behavioural competency across the full review period.
| Competency | Exceeds expectations | Meets expectations | Below expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teamwork | Proactively coordinates with kitchen team, communicates production changes, helps with non-bakery tasks when needed, positive presence despite early-start isolation | Works cooperatively with kitchen team, communicates necessary information, handles handover professionally | Works in isolation by choice, poor communication with kitchen team, creates friction during handovers |
| Reliability | Never late despite early starts, always completes full production, stays when needed, covers shifts without complaint | Punctual and consistent, completes assigned production, reasonable flexibility | Frequently late, production incomplete, unreliable attendance, calls in sick regularly |
| Initiative | Identifies improvements proactively, develops new recipes, flags equipment issues early, suggests product innovations | Completes assigned work well, raises issues when noticed, follows improvement suggestions | Waits to be told, misses obvious problems, needs constant direction, no creative contribution |
| Organisation | Production area spotlessly organised, ingredients prepped and stored perfectly, waste minimised through planning | Maintains acceptable workspace, organises production adequately, manages ingredients properly | Disorganised production area, poor ingredient management, significant preventable waste |
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency. Use specific examples.
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency using specific examples.
Example phrases:
"[Name] achieved 100% attendance during the review period despite the 4am starts, covering two additional shifts at short notice during the December peak."
"[Name] proactively developed three new seasonal bread recipes during the review period, two of which have been added to the permanent menu."
"[Name] tends to work in complete isolation, with minimal communication to the morning kitchen team — observed three occasions where production changes weren't communicated, causing confusion at service."
Compliance and Standards
Compliance and Standards
Record any compliance concerns, training needs, or positive observations.
Confirm each compliance area has been assessed. Any gaps must be addressed immediately — compliance is pass/fail, not a development area to work on gradually.
Food safety — Do they understand and follow food safety protocols throughout the baking process? Are ingredients stored correctly, at the right temperatures, with proper labelling? Do they manage allergen cross-contamination risks, particularly with nuts, gluten, dairy, and eggs? Food safety in a bakery affects every product that leaves the section.
Temperature control — Do they monitor prover, oven, and storage temperatures correctly? Are cooling procedures followed for finished products? Do they understand the relationship between temperature control and both food safety and product quality? Temperature management is fundamental to both safety and craft in baking.
HACCP — Do they understand the critical control points in their baking processes? Can they identify hazards at each production stage? Do they document temperature checks and production records as required? HACCP compliance in baking covers everything from ingredient receipt to final product storage.
Hygiene — Is their production area clean throughout the shift? Do they follow personal hygiene protocols — handwashing, hair covering, clean uniform? Do they manage cleaning between allergen and non-allergen products? A clean bakery is a safe bakery.
Record any compliance concerns, training needs, or positive observations.
Record any compliance concerns, training gaps, or positive observations. If any area is below standard, document the required action and timeline for resolution. Note any compliance training completed during the review period.
Key Achievements
Document 3-5 specific achievements with evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes.
Document 3-5 specific achievements with evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes. Achievements should be things that went beyond basic job requirements — moments where this baker created particular value.
How to write strong achievement statements:
- Be specific: dates, numbers, names, outcomes
- Show impact: quality improved, waste reduced, menu enhanced
- Use their contribution, not the team's: what did they do?
Example phrases:
"[Name] developed the signature sourdough recipe that has become the restaurant's defining bread product, with guests regularly commenting on it in reviews."
"[Name] reduced bakery waste from 12% to 4% over the review period by implementing a production planning system that matches output to forecasted covers."
"[Name] managed the entire Christmas pastry production independently, delivering 14 different products over the festive period with zero quality complaints."
"[Name] achieved 100% attendance across the review period, arriving at 4am every scheduled shift without a single late start."
"[Name] trained the new kitchen porter on bakery cleaning and ingredient storage procedures, resulting in a consistently clean production area."
Customisation tips:
- For artisan bakeries, achievements might include new recipe development, craft competition entries, or supplier relationship improvements
- For hotel bakeries, focus on breakfast service consistency, special event delivery, and buffet innovation
- For new bakers in their first review, acknowledge the learning curve and highlight improvement trajectory
Development Areas
Document 2-3 development areas with specific evidence and improvement actions.
Document 2-3 development areas with specific evidence. Each development area should link to a concrete improvement action — not just a label.
How to write constructive development feedback:
- Focus on behaviour and outcomes, not personality
- Use specific evidence: dates, observations, data
- Connect each area to an action or opportunity
- Be direct but fair — vague feedback helps nobody
Example phrases:
"[Name]'s croissant lamination needs improvement — observed five batches with uneven layers during the review period, affecting both appearance and texture."
"[Name] struggled with timing during busy periods, with bread not ready for Saturday lunch service on three occasions."
"[Name] tends to work in isolation without communicating production changes — the kitchen was unaware of the sourdough substitution on two occasions."
"[Name]'s waste management needs attention — 8% wastage rate is above the 5% target, primarily from overproduction on quieter days."
Objectives for Next Period
Write SMART objectives for the next review period. Include both operational targets and development goals.
Set 3-5 SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) that connect to both the development areas above and their career interests.
Operational target examples:
"Reduce wastage rate from 8% to 5% by end of Q2 by implementing daily production forecasting based on booking data."
"Achieve 100% production completion rate across the review period by refining the production schedule and flagging timing conflicts early."
"Develop two new seasonal bread recipes for the summer menu by end of May, with head chef approval and successful service trial."
Development goal examples:
"Complete the advanced sourdough fermentation course by end of June to improve fermentation management and recipe development skills."
"Visit at least two artisan bakeries during the review period to observe techniques and bring ideas back to the kitchen."
"Take responsibility for training one new team member on bakery procedures during their first month."
Connecting objectives to career progression:
| Current role | Typical next step | What to assess |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | Head Baker / Pastry Chef | Recipe development ability, production management, team leadership, menu contribution, technical breadth |
If they want to become a head baker, include production management and team leadership objectives. If they want to specialise in artisan bread, focus on fermentation mastery and technique development. Set targets that stretch but don't break — if current wastage is 12%, aiming for 2% in three months is unrealistic; 7% is challenging but achievable.
Overall Assessment
Select the overall performance rating based on the full assessment.
Record the discussion from the review meeting, including their response and any context they provide.
Select the overall performance rating based on the full assessment. This is a holistic judgement, not a simple average of individual competency ratings.
Exceeds expectations — Consistently performs above the standard required. Demonstrates excellence across most competencies, makes a measurable positive impact on product quality and kitchen operations, and is developing skills beyond their current role. This baker is a genuine asset whose products define the restaurant.
Meets expectations — Reliably performs the role to the required standard. Produces quality products consistently, manages production schedules competently, and contributes positively to the kitchen. Development areas exist but don't undermine overall effectiveness. This is solid, dependable performance.
Below expectations — Performance falls short of the required standard in one or more significant areas. Development areas are affecting product quality, production reliability, or kitchen operations. Improvement is needed with clear support and timelines.
Be honest. Rating everyone as "Meets expectations" helps nobody. If they're exceptional, recognise it. If they're struggling, name it — with the support plan to address it.
Meeting Notes
Record the discussion from the review meeting, including their response and any context they provide.
Schedule at least 45 minutes for the review conversation — 30 for discussion, 15 for buffer. Meet after the morning production is complete, in a private space away from the kitchen.
How to conduct the meeting:
Give them the written review to read for 5-10 minutes. Don't hover — get them a drink and let them absorb it privately. When they've read it, ask: "What are your thoughts? Does this feel fair?" Then listen. Don't defend immediately — understand their perspective first.
If they raise valid points, amend the document. If you noted "consistency needs improvement" but they explain the prover was faulty for three weeks during the period, that context matters — add it. If you disagree, explain your reasoning calmly with data.
The goal is a document both parties consider fair and accurate — not necessarily one they're delighted about.
What to record: Their response to each section, any context they provided that changes your assessment, points of agreement and disagreement, and their reaction to the objectives set.
Review Summary
Summarise agreed actions, amendments made during the meeting, and next steps.
Summarise the agreed outcome: amendments made during the meeting, final objectives confirmed, next steps, and when objective check-ins will happen.
Both parties should sign and date the final document. Give them a copy. The signature means "I have read and understood this review" — not necessarily "I agree with everything."
Follow-through matters: Schedule brief objective check-ins in your regular one-to-ones. "How's the sourdough course going?" and "I noticed the wastage is down — what's changed?" keep objectives alive rather than letting them gather dust until the next formal review.
Be transparent about how this review connects to pay and progression decisions. If performance reviews influence pay rises, say so — now, not at the next review.
What's next
Performance reviews are most effective when they connect to ongoing one-to-one conversations. The evidence you need for a fair review should already exist in your one-to-one notes.
- Read our Baker one-to-one guide for how to run the weekly conversations that feed into this review
- Check out our Baker job description for the full scope of responsibilities
- See our Baker onboarding guide if you're reviewing someone still in their first 90 days