Requirement: A pastry chef needs to be open-minded, patient and creative. You also need to be interested in arts and read magazines regularly to get inspiration to create and new desserts.

When Narae Kim brainstorms desserts for the Park Hyatt hotel in Paris, she begins with fruits like apricots, melons and cherries, and instinctually builds on her ideas using her French pastry skills.

Pastry chef Jaye Smith has worked at some of the best places in Atlanta, and now she's showing off her culinary skills on the 11th season of Food Network's ''Spring Baking Championship.'' ...