Toque d'Or hosts pizza and wine challenge with Pizza Pilgrims

The Nestlé Professional 2025 Toque d'Or finalists recently travelled to the heart of the Suffolk countryside for a hands-on farm challenge celebrating two of life's simplest luxuries: pizza and wine. 

Held at Wyken Vineyards in partnership with Pizza Pilgrims, along with Nestlé's partner farm EJ Barker & Sons, the challenge was designed to help 12 rising stars of hospitality – six back-of-house (BOH) and six front-of-house (FOH) – deepen their knowledge of provenance, produce and service. 

The challenge was part of the Toque d'Or grand finals week (11–15 May), comprising a series of industry challenges focused on sustainability and how hospitality plays a vital role in supporting local communities. 

An action-packed day

The challenge started with a farm tour, where farmer Patrick Barker gave competitors a deep dive into sustainable agriculture. 

From there, competitors travelled to Wyken Vineyard – a seven-acre family-run vineyard set within 1,000 acres of farmland – for the main event. Here, BOH finalists stretched, topped and cooked their own signature 'Pizza of the Day' using fresh, seasonal ingredients. 

Meanwhile, FOH competitors toured the vineyard and sampled the estate's wines, before being tasked with recommending the perfect wine pairing for their BOH partner's pizza. 

The finalists were assessed by an expert judging panel including Paul Hawkins, Nestlé Professional development chef; Stacey Spring from the Pizza Pilgrims team; Sam Carlise, Wyken Vineyards owner; and Patrick Barket from Nestlé's partner farm. Last year's Toque d'Or winners, Geraldine Sierra Torres and Jasmine Ferdinando, were also in attendance to support finalists throughout.

Spring, people partner at Pizza Pilgrims, comments: "It was amazing to see the finalists embracing the true art of pizza-making. From stretching their own dough to selecting the best toppings and serving them with pride, they all brought passion and creativity to the table. At Pizza Pilgrims, we believe food has the power to bring people together – and this challenge captured that spirit perfectly."

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