Tom Tossens, France’s Best Apprentice & Bachelor’s apprentice at Vatel Bordeaux
Originally from Belgium, 19-year-old Tom took part in the prestigious ‘Meilleur apprenti de France’ competition in 2024. This year, he joined Vatel Bordeaux on an apprenticeship for a Bachelor’s degree in International Hotel Management.
Tom Tossens, student at Vatel Bordeaux and gold medallist
An ambitious student
Tom moved to the South-West of France nearly 7 years ago and travelled a lot in his life. However, he has managed to carve out a place for himself in a sector that he is passionate about.
Tom completed a Professional Baccalaureate in Catering Sales and Service. Then, he went on to study for a Bachelor’s degree in International Hotel Management, as an apprentice at Vatel Bordeaux. Tom was motivated to take this decision by the possibility of doing the course in apprenticeship and the reputation of the Vatel school. He wanted to study a sector and a profession that he was passionate about, while working at the same time.
‘When you’ve already started working, it’s hard to stop and ‘just’ study”.
A passionate profession
Passionate about the hospitality and restaurant business, Tom grew up in restaurants and has always wanted to work in this sector, which he enjoys so much. This passion for the restaurant trade is the very essence of the Tossens family, since the family restaurant is run by his parents, his sister and himself as an apprentice. It has guided Tom towards a path that has been mapped out for him, and that fits in with his family’s love of the hospitality and catering business.
‘The best times spent with my family are around the dinner table’.
Several years ago, Tom’s parents converted the Monastère de Saint-Mont into a 4-star hotel, with a gourmet restaurant, a bistro and a Japanese counter. A blend of culture and authenticity in an exceptional setting, allowing Tom to develop his mastery and expertise in service.
A career alongside the best
The only requirement imposed by Tom’s parents was that he did his training in luxury establishments. They wanted him to train alongside the best, to learn the trade from professionals other than his parents themselves. It was thanks to this condition imposed by his parents that Tom was able to work as a trainee in such renowned establishments as Guy Savoy in Paris, Le Flocon de Neige in Megève, and Olivier Nasti’s Chambard in Alsace.
His experiences in such renowned establishments have enabled Tom to learn from and receive advice from the best in the business, on the different jobs in a restaurant, such as wine advice, for example.
The Best Apprentice in France competition
A competition of excellence
The MAF competition was created in 1985 and brings together more than 120 trades, including:
- catering and retail professions
- craft trades
- building and industrial trades
Every year, 6,500 candidates under the age of 21 enter with a view to demonstrating their skills to professionals in the sector. The aim of the competition is to prove to everyone that vocational training is a guarantee of excellence, the future and success, and that every young person can represent a trade brilliantly.
The competition stages
First of all, you have to register online to take part in the departmental competition, and then go on to the regional competition. Each department or region is managed by a Meilleur Ouvrier de France. If candidates win gold medals at regional level, they can then go on to the national finals in the following months. They know the subjects in advance and have time to prepare. However, some information remains secret on the day itself.
For the marking, a points system is used to assess the candidates to select the best for the national event and enable them to claim a medal. No event is eliminatory, but a score above 10 is required to continue in the competition. In addition, a candidate may have shortcomings in one area and be able to compensate for a test he did less well with another in which he is more proficient.
At national level, a total of 58 professionals are present so that each candidate is assessed by three jurors.
His experience of the competition
The course of the tests
When he was in sixth form, Tom decided to take on a new challenge: to enter the coveted Best Apprentice in France competition in the ‘Restaurant: Art de la Table” category.
First of all, he took part in 8 regional events, including:
- cocktail creation
- flambéing
- knowledge of the 46 French PDO cheeses,
- serving a white wine.
Six months later, Tom took part in the final competition to show that he had mastered all aspects of the trade. It was divided into 9 workshops, including a surprise quiz on the profession with photos that the candidate had to recognise from among those of a product, a plate, a legendary dish by a chef or a chef himself.
With scores between 18 and 20 on most of the tests, Tom learned on the day of the final that he was the gold medallist in the competition.
The benefits of the competition
The competition opens many doors and career opportunities for participants. This experience represents a unique opportunity for young professionals in the making to interact with real professionals from the hotel and catering sector.
“On the day of the final, restaurant owners come to approach you and give you their business cards. You have the opportunity to gain other experience, get involved with the Meilleurs Apprentis de France (Best Apprentices of France) association, help set up the competition, become a judge…”
The competition has been a great success to Tom, who has met people he wouldn’t necessarily have met without the competition, and who have helped him in his personal and professional life. What’s more, it’s a distinction that’s valued by employers and a form of recognition. It proves that people are always trying to do their best in this constantly evolving sector, where learning is a daily activity. In terms of interpersonal skills, Tom was able to learn how to manage stress thanks to the competition.
“I never felt ready for any event, even though I was. Sometimes too much training isn’t good either.”
In addition, the former ‘Meilleurs Apprentis de France’ members of the association are on hand to support the candidates during the tests and to help them in case of difficulty (breakage or breakdown of equipment, for example). This mutual support can also make people want to take part in the competition and join the MAF family.
Some time ago, he even had the opportunity to share his experience at the Village des Métiers in Pau, alongside other ‘Meilleurs Apprentis et Ouvriers de France’ (Best Apprentices and Craftsmen in France) that he was able to meet. The aim was to pass on his enthusiasm for the competition and to encourage people to take part too.
Tom’s advice
“Even if you don’t make it to the national finals, you’ve already taken part in a competition. It gives you a foretaste of what the final is really like, and it can make you want to continue.
You can try, even if you don’t always succeed, but it’s still an experience, and you’ve still learnt things.”