Registrations open for Nestle Professional Toque d'Or 2020

The 2020 Nestle Professional Toque d'Or competition is now open for entries.

The competition enters its 32nd year in 2020 and will be more inclusive than ever, offering equal opportunities to front and back of house competitors to reflect the equally important roles within the industry.

Colleges are invited to enter individual chefs and front of house students rather than teams, and front of house apprentices can apply for the first time alongside their chef counterparts.

Katya Simmons, managing director, Nestlé Professional UK and Ireland, commented: "Toque d'Or is constantly evolving and this year is no exception. The competition is committed to helping to build a sustainable future for the hospitality industry and that's why we're so passionate about driving skills development both back and front of house."

The 2019 Toque d'Or winners have just returned from their prize trip to Bilbao and San Sebastián with four days on a gastronomic tour that included an evening at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Arzak, with Elena Arzak, pintxos tours and a masterclass in Basque cider sampling and pouring.

Simmons continued: "The trip provided a fantastic opportunity for the winners to get to know some truly amazing businesses, showcasing the very best the hospitality sector has to offer. Innovation and creativity are exciting prospects to aspiring talent and we want to inspire the future stars of foodservice by opening their minds to the possibilities that are available to them."

2019 Toque d'Or apprentice winner, Drew Dawson, added: "It was an absolutely superb trip. I learnt so much. We explored the culture and got to see lots of different sides of the hospitality industry."

Yasmine Selwood, from University College Birmingham's 2019 winning team, said: "If there was somebody who wanted to enter the competition, I would say to them absolutely go for it…it's fantastic! You're going to have the most incredible experience from start to finish."

To enter visit the Nestlé site

Entrants are encouraged to register digitally via the new website, a new platform allowing users to complete the registration process in stages. Registration closes on the 22 November 2019.