Westminster Kingsway College has taken home the highly coveted Toque d’Or Trophy for a record third time.
The team of three front and back of house students took their prize at the Awards Dinner at London’s Dorchester Hotel, where Nestlé Professional Managing Director, George Vezza, described the finalist teams as ‘inspirational’, and said that “…if this is the future of our industry – then we are in good hands”.
The 2015 Toque d’Or journey and Grand Finals challenge was witnessed by many of the most respected names in Hospitality who turned out en masse for this annual celebration of young talent and achievement.
“Incredible, life-changing, awe-inspiring…” were just some of the words the Finalist teams (comprising back and front of house students), used to describe their experience, which saw them beat off five other colleges (chosen from a record number of 120-plus team entries in 2015), and representing the crème de la crème of the next generation of Hospitality stars.
The Finals’ challenges
Following a paper entry and six regional Heats, Westminster Kingsway College competed under the watchful eye of Vince Cottam – Chef Lecturer at Westminster Kingsway – in a series of Finals’ challenges, which tested the mettle of each individual, putting them through their paces in a unique learning and development programme.
The judges were tasked with assessing the teams not only on their practical and theoretical knowledge and skill, but also on their ability to think on their feet, back each other up as a team and improvise solutions when necessary.
In the end the judging panel – which included celebrity chef and Head of Judges James Tanner and former lecturer Andy Stacey, who previously guided two teams to Toque d’Or victory – picked Westminster Kingsway for their “overall professionalism, wonderful flexibility, highly developed skillsets and their clear passion for the industry”.
Tanner commented: “Every team performed incredibly – you’d never have known that some were just 18 or only had one or two years of experience under their belts – but in the end Westminster Kingsway proved they really had what it takes to go the whole way. We are all sure that they can look forward to very bright futures.”
The prizes
The team from Westminster Kingsway College will all receive a ‘money can’t buy’ prize which will include a range of experiences that will further enhance their CV’s, delivered over the coming year. The team will be cooking, and be presented to guests, at the upcoming Footprint Awards, enjoy works experience at the Dorchester under Henri Brossi, share in a master-class at Billingsgate as well as cook and serve for the renowned Sovereigns Parade 3 course lunch for 1,000 guests at Sandhurst. That’s in addition to joining Nestlé Professional as guests in its VIP box at the 02 and enjoying a celebratory dinner hosted by Anton Mosimann at the world-renowned, Mosimanns of Belgravia.
Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or® awards prizes at all stage of the competition from a fund of over £25,000 per year supported by long-standing partners, The Savoy Educational Trust. Prizes from the Fund are presented to all teams who reach the Regional Heats and Grand Finals (the winning team’s prize is doubled), to purchase equipment in order to benefit their students.
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