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Graham-Hornigold
For judge Graham Hornigold, who himself competed in Toque d’Or as a student, providing young chefs and managers with this kind of guidance and inspiration at the start of their careers, is invaluable.
“In a climate where you can’t move for talk of the skills shortage, there is no doubt that competitions like Toque d’Or are hugely valuable to the Industry. Not only do they encourage and inspire students at the very start of their journey, but they help to hone the skills of the new generation of hospitality talent coming up through the ranks," he said.
For Hornigold, developing talent is about so much more than producing great food, it’s also about introducing students to the pressures and issues affecting chefs out there in the real world.
He added: “The young chefs do need to accept from day one that this job isn’t going to be a picnic; it’s hard work in a professional kitchen. This is what’s so unique about the competition – it forces students to consider the bigger picture; not only the cooking but all the ancillary elements like ordering, budgeting and time management."