TOQUE D’OR 2027 ASKS FUTURE HOSPITALITY STARS TO SHAPE TOMORROW’S MENU
Registrations are now open for Nestlé Professional’s Toque d’Or 2027 competition! This year’s theme, Tomorrow’s Table, invites aspiring hospitality stars to get creative and reimagine the food and drink experiences of the future. With a brand-new Rising Star Award celebrating under-18 talent and a culinary trip to the Netherlands up for grabs for two overall champions, there’s plenty to get excited about. Lecturers have until 14th January 2027 to register their students.
Find out more about Toque d’Or 2027 here
What does the menu of tomorrow look like? That’s the question Nestlé Professional is asking the next generation of hospitality talent as registrations open for the Toque d’Or 2027 competition.
Lecturers are being invited to register their college and put forward budding front-of-house and back-of-house superstars for this year’s competition from today (Monday 2nd November).
The theme for 2027, ‘Tomorrow's Table’, challenges students to look at the food and drink trends shaping the industry today and use them to imagine what customers might want next.
This year there’s an added twist – to progress to the National Heats, rather than simply developing a dish or drink, students will be asked to devise their own street-food concept. Both front-of-house and back-of-house entrants will need to think beyond what's on the plate or in the glass, creating a concept that could capture the attention of tomorrow's customers and, more importantly, keep them coming back for more.
This year, Toque d’Or will also introduce a ‘Rising Star Award’, recognising the strongest front-of-house and back-of-house students aged under 18 years old who take part in the entry challenge. The award creates an opportunity to celebrate emerging talent at an earlier stage of their hospitality journey.
The two winning students will be invited, alongside their lecturers, to attend the Toque d’Or Awards and celebrate their achievements with the wider competition community.
Now in its 39th year, Toque d’Or gives students an opportunity to explore their ideas in a practical setting, develop new skills and give them a unique platform to launch their careers, following in the footsteps of Toque d’Or alumni such as Lily Stock and Antonia Macfarlane. It’s also a fantastic opportunity for lecturers to celebrate their students and showcase the incredible talent at their college.
Ready to put your students forward?
Lorenzo Vigano, Managing Director at Nestlé Professional, said:
"Toque d’Or has always been about looking to the future, harnessing the next generation of talent and encouraging them to explore the trends that will shape the industry in the years to come. With ‘Tomorrow's Table’, we're encouraging students to think differently about what hospitality could look like in the future.
"This is a truly unique chance for students to get creative, challenge themselves and gain experience that goes beyond the classroom. We know how much potential there is in young people entering the industry, and we're excited to see what they bring to this year's competition."
For those progressing through the competition, the excitement continues at the National Heats in March, hosted in Nestlé Professional's newly built state-of-the-art kitchen at its Gatwick head office. Up to 48 students will compete for one of 12 places in the Grand Finals in May, where they'll have the chance to put their skills to the test before two overall champions are crowned.
And the reward for going all the way? A culinary trip to the Netherlands in July, where the winners will get to discover new food experiences and take inspiration from a different hospitality scene.
It's an experience last year's champions, Nathan Derek Short and Declan Sloan, know well. The pair recently returned from their own prize trip to Scandinavia, having explored the region's food culture and gained fresh inspiration for their careers.
Nathan Derek Short, Back-of-House Toque d’Or winner 2026:
"Toque d’Or gave me the chance to do things I wouldn't normally get to experience in a classroom. I learnt so much throughout the competition, and the trip to Scandinavia was an incredible way to finish it. If you're thinking about entering, I'd say go for it! You'll meet some brilliant people and come away with so much more confidence in what you can do."
Lecturers have until 14th January 2027 to register their students for this year's competition.
Registrations are open to front and back-of-house students studying at Levels 2, 3 or 4,
or equivalent Scottish qualifications, at eligible further education colleges across the UK and Ireland.