Declan Sloan, a young bartender from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, has been crowned Front of House Champion at Nestlé Professional's prestigious Toque d'Or competition, one of the UK's top contests for hospitality students. The 2026 award recognizes his exceptional skills in customer service, mixology, leadership, and sustainability.
Journey into Hospitality
Sloan's path to success began during the pandemic after years of searching for a fulfilling career. After leaving school, he explored sports, fitness, and mechanical engineering before a short-term role through the Kickstart scheme left him uncertain about his future. A conversation with his cousin Frazer, a graduate of Diageo's Learning for Life programme, convinced him to give hospitality a chance.
“My mum said to me, ‘What have you got to lose?’ Looking back now, that was probably the best advice I could have had,” said Sloan.
Rapid Rise Through Training
From his first Learning for Life session, Sloan realized hospitality was his calling. With no prior experience, he embraced the opportunity to learn new skills and build confidence in a customer-facing environment. Within weeks, he secured his first role as a bar back, learning the industry from the ground up. Since graduating from the programme in 2020, he has combined work at The Howard Arms in Kilmarnock with studies at Ayrshire College while building an impressive competition record.
After winning bronze and silver medals in previous contests, Sloan claimed gold at the 2026 TUCO Competitions before his Toque d'Or victory. The finals took place over a week in London, testing competitors on wine pairing, sustainability, customer service, coffee, mixology, and leadership under pressure.
Shock Victory and Personal Transformation
“When they called my name, it took a second to register. I was absolutely shocked,” Sloan said. Beyond the awards, he credits the programme with transforming his personality: “I wasn't really a people person before. Learning for Life and working in hospitality pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me build confidence.”
Gillian Dalziel, Programme Manager for Diageo's Learning for Life, commented: “Declan's story is exactly why Learning for Life exists. Like many participants, he joined the programme unsure what came next. Through practical training, industry experience and ongoing support from industry experts, he discovered a career that matched his interests, built his confidence and opened doors he never imagined.”
Future Ambitions and Advice
Sloan aims to continue developing his career in hospitality and eventually open his own bar. He encourages other young people to consider the sector: “Just do it. Hospitality is so much more than people think it is. Every day is different, and you learn so many transferable skills. What you put into hospitality is what you get out of it. If I hadn't taken that leap and joined Learning for Life, I definitely wouldn't be where I am today.”
