Welcome to the home of the Toque d’Or® hospitality competition
Nestlé Professional’s Toque d’Or® competition paves the way for the next generation of hospitality pioneers. The competition is an opportunity for ambitious hospitality students, both front of house and back of house, to showcase their creativity in front of a panel of leading industry experts.
In 2025, Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or® celebrated 37 years of culinary excellence and innovation! During the competition our competitors could sharpen their skills, explore new trends, and learn about regenerative farming for a more sustainable future.
As either a back or front-of-house college student, competitors crafted sustainably-sourced, pioneering menus at every stage of the competition, from farm to fork to bean to cup. In June 2025 we announced the winners and finished our culinary celebration with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy.
Stay tuned for updates surrounding the 2026 competition.
Why enter the Toque d'Or® hospitality competition?
After 38 years, the Toque d’Or® competition still receives recognition for its influential training and focus on sustainability, and hospitality trends, as well as practical and soft skills
The history of Toque d'Or® food service
Launched for the first time in 1989, Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or® remains one of the UK’s most prestigious hospitality competitions. Aiming to inspire and educate ambitious college students in the food service industry, Toque d’Or® was born out of a passion for innovation in hospitality.
Since then, the competition has been providing industry-leading training for both Back and Front of House students alongside influential supporters and judges. The challenges differ from year to year, adapting to the latest trends to keep the experience fresh and relevant and allow competitors to develop skills to cover a range of styles. The competition emphasises teamwork and often uses role reversal to give participants a taste of each other’s responsibilities, and foster understanding between Back and Front of House. With a focus on providing up-to-the-minute industry expertise and experience, Toque d’Or® offers practical and business focused tasks to help participants learn the key skills they need to succeed while working alongside industry experts and businesses.
