In association with Nestle Professional
Entries are open for the Nestle Professional Toque d’Or Apprentice competition
The renowned competition has been running for catering and hospitality students for 30 years, with previous entrants including Jamie Oliver and Anton Mosimann, and the specialist apprentice contest launched in 2016.
Employers can enter as many apprentices as they like, and have until 30 November to register candidates.
The contest is open to all hospitality apprentices at commis chef level and is designed to drive skills development across the industry.
Young chefs will have the chance to interact with senior industry figures and face real-life challenges to test their knowledge.
Competition timeline
Once registered apprentices must develop a signature dish based on the theme ‘Good Food, Good Life’ using a set list of ingredients.
They will also need to create a two minute video, 90 seconds of which will be used to present the finished dish, and 30 seconds explaining why they want to be a part of Toque d’Or 2018.
On 10 January the Toque d’Or will email employers the link to an online form for apprentices to complete. Candidates will have to respond to a creative brief on the theme ‘Good Food, Good Life’, provide details of their recipe, and a link to their video within a set timeframe.
Successful entrants will go through to the National Heats, where they will be asked to recreate their signature dish for four covers.
The judging team, led by Michelin Starred Chef Simon Hulstone, will then choose just six apprentices to proceed to the Grand Finals on 24-29 April 2018.
The winner will be announced alongside the champion of the student contest at a ceremony at The Dorchester on 8 June.
The prize includes a week’s stage at a high-end restaurant, dinner for the apprentice and a guest at the same restaurant, and a £300 voucher to spend on equipment at Russums.
“I've done a few cooking competitions before, but I've never been involved in one so fundamentally focused on the participants’ development,” says John Howarth, Mansion House apprentice finalist 2017.
“Every part of the competition itself has given us an opportunity to develop not just as chefs but also as individuals with a love of food and an opinion.”
For more information and to register click here.
