Amanda Rockman on the Real Pastry Chef Life: Pressure, Craft, and Survival Ep. 179

Chef Amanda Rockman joins Chef’s PSA to break down the real pastry chef life—high pressure, long hours, technical discipline, and the mental toll that comes with it. With 20 years in Chicago’s top kitchens and a new bakery and coffee shop in Austin, she shares the truth about pastry work, insomnia, ingredient quality, modern management, and the realities of building a bakery from nothing. This episode is direct, unfiltered insight for pastry cooks, chefs, and anyone considering pastry as a career. Links & Resources Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/ Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/ Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/ Chef Works (Sponsor) → https://www.chefworks.com/ — Promo code chefspsa20 Follow Amanda Rockman → https://www.instagram.com/arockman/