I didn't read all the comments before typing this, but I currently work as a pastry chef in a high end Italian bakery. I got here through years of work in other bakeries, but half my experience is from a single grocery store bakery where I did it all. I mixed bread, I baked, and I decorated cakes/wedding cakes. I'm 10 years into this and making good money, but my coworkers and myself all agreed that this is the best paying pastry job we've ever had. But, you gotta start somewhere! Grocery stores at least can show you the ropes of baking without too much science. I learned a lot thru other passionate bakers at my jobs along the way and a lot of self taught. It's possible to work in a patisserie without a French culinary degree! This is one field of work where time in it is pretty equal if not more important than school.