What Does Having a CAP Pastry Diploma Really Mean?

The CAP results are in and congratulations to everyone who passed (and courage to the rest — chin up, try again next year!). The scores are starting to arrive in mailboxes. So I thought it was the perfect time to share what having a CAP pastry diploma means to me!

The CAP Pastry Diploma: Is It All About the Score?

The idea for this article came to me when members of the Facebook groups I belong to became aware of the first failures of candidates who scored below 10 on the practical exam (but with an overall average above 10). What followed was a long debate about what it means to “deserve” the CAP pastry diploma. Personally, I didn’t get an excellent practical score (11 out of 20) and I would have felt I didn’t deserve my diploma if I’d scored below 10.

I’m probably not going to make friends with this, but I think you shouldn’t be awarded the CAP with less than 10 on the practical. Let’s not forget that it’s a national exam that represents professional expertise and indicates a certain level of skills. Getting it because you crammed and scored 17 on the theory isn’t right, in my opinion. It’s a bit like giving a driving license to someone who scored perfectly on the written test but ran a stop sign during the road test!

Especially since getting the CAP is the “easy” part of a career change. Finding a job afterwards is the real challenge in my view. Someone who enters the job market with a very low practical level completely discredits self-study candidates (who already don’t have an easy time finding work!).

Having a CAP means you’re capable of joining a team, holding a position, and being profitable for an employer. Even though it’s obvious that with just a CAP, you’re not a “pastry chef.” You’ll become one with time, humility, and the training provided by the chefs around you (I certainly don’t consider myself a pastry chef). And I find it unfortunate that some people cry scandal because they think they deserve a diploma without achieving a passing grade in the main subject.

Injustice, When You Hold Us Tight…

That said, we once again encounter the injustice of the CAP pastry exam because whether or not the diploma is awarded based on the practical average depends on the academy! And clearly the rule should be the same for everyone. Another point of debate: it appears that in some academies, self-study candidates are clearly “marked down.” Some very good students received very average scores on the exam.

Personally, I think my 11 was completely deserved (having completed everything but without real flair). But too many self-study candidates are disappointed with their scores to not seriously question whether there’s injustice toward them. Sure, exam conditions and missing techniques can explain a lower score. But people whose work I’d seen all year through Facebook groups and whose exam went well were clearly underscored.

Once again, we end up with an exam that, through all its inconsistencies and injustices, has been emptied of its meaning. It makes you wonder if the CAP pastry diploma isn’t becoming a cracker-jack prize! In any case, I think it’s urgent to reform it and restore its full meaning.

I’d also like to remind you that even with a CAP pastry diploma, it’s illegal to sell cakes from home. Having your CAP also means complying with professional standards and a certain number of hygiene regulations. To sell cakes legally, you need a certified kitchen. Yes it’s complicated, yes it’s expensive, but many professionals comply every day with the rules regarding kitchen rental and costs. I think it’s a shame that some people bypass this (even more so when these people make it their main activity).

And for me, if you’re one of those people who get up in the morning to make the world a more beautiful place by creating pastries, who learn from others every day (and share your knowledge in return), if you create with respect for hygiene rules, then you deserve your CAP and I have immense respect for your work!