Remember last week when I posted about the 6th Ajinomoto® Umami Culinary Challenge (UCC)? Deserving winners had been chosen. Read on to see the talent of these young future chefs.
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) won the Umami Bowl Award (for the 2nd year) and the Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao Showdown for My Own Umami Creation during the recently concluded Ajinomoto® Umami Culinary Challenge (UCC) 2015. Sharing the spotlight with UST is Hercor College from Roxas City, who won the Best Filipino Umami Dish Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao Showdown. The event attracted thousands of HRM and Nutrition students in 54 schools from NCR, Ilocos, CALABARZON, Central Luzon and Bicol Regions and regional winners from Visayas and Mindanao.
UST is the back-to-back Umami Bowl Champion and the winner of the National Cooking Showdown for the My Own Umami Creation Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao Showdown.
Roxas City’s Hercor College is the National winner for the Best Filipino Umami Dish Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao Showdown.
Mr. Taro Fujie, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation President
On its 6th year, UCC organizer, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC), put together the best culinary teams from Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao in one (1) cooking arena to showcase their masterful culinary creations. UCC remains to be the biggest, intercollegiate, multi-category culinary competition that focuses on the delicious potential of umami, the 5th basic taste. Mr. Taro Fujie, APC President was present during the awarding ceremony. He happily remarked, “I thank all partner Chefs, Medical and Nutrition experts, who loyally support and give credibility to UCC and to all the students, who poured their hearts to deliver their best dishes. Ajinomoto will continually support Aspiring Filipino Chefs and promote cooking and serving delicious and healthy food.”Apart from the Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao Cooking Showdown, UCC 2015 features three (3) competition categories: Best Filipino Umami Dish, My Own Umami Creation and My Eat Well, Live Well® Plate. The competing teams were judged based on intensity of their dish’s umami taste, culinary technique and creativity, dish preparation and plate presentation. One of the major criteria was Eat Well, Live Well.® Cooking, which referred to culinary nutrition or the integration of culinary skills and nutrition knowledge to create delicious and nourishing umami dish.
Winners received the following prizes: first place winners – gold medals and P10,000, second place winners – silver medals and P8,000 and third place winners – bronze medals P5,000. National Showdown winners received gold medals and P15,000. Major winners also included gifts from UCC 2015 sponsors: La Germania, Solane, Masflex and Fujidenzo.
Click here for the full list of participating schools.
Schedule of Activities:
Ajinomoto Umami Culinary Challenge 2015 List of Judges
Culinary Luminaries – Judges for the Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao Showdown.
BEST FILIPINO UMAMI DISH (LUZON) (7:15 -8:15 AM)
NAME AFFILIATION
1 Chef Michelle Adrillana Owner, Flavors on Fire
2 Chef Mcrhyan Rodrigo Executive Chef/Restaurant Manager of Camp Benjamin
3 Chef Jayjay Sycip Chef Consultant and Culinary Educator
4 Felicidad V. Velandria Registered Nutritionist Dietitian
MY OWN UMAMI CREATION (8:45-9:45 PM)
NAME AFFILIATION
1 Edith Singian Food Columnist, Cook Managazine’s Foolproof & One Philippines
2 Chef Dino Datu Editor-in-Chief, Cook Magazine
3 Chef Seiji Kamura Executive Chef, mana Culinary Fusion
4 Elizabeth Toledo, RND Chief Dietitian of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Hospital
EAT WELL LIVE WELL PLATE (10:15 – 11:15 AM)
NAME AFFILIATION
1 Chef Babes Austria Culinary Chef Consultant
2 Jovy Sandoval Science Research Specialist, Food & Nutrition Research Institute
3 Dr. Celeste Tanchoco Officer, Nutritionist Dietitian’s Association of the Philippines
4 Perla Sorreda-Esguerra Chief Dietitian, Philippine Heart Center
BEST FILIPINO UMAMI DISH SHOWDOWN (1:00 –2:30PM)
NAME AFFILIATION
1 Chef Minoy Gimenez Chef Patron of Tito Chef Group
2 Chef Miguel de Alba General Manager, Alba Restaurant
3 Chef Gene Gonzalez Owner, Café Ysabel Restaurant
4 Dr. Celeste Tanchoco Former President, Nutritionist Dietitian’s Association of the Philippines
MY OWN UMAMI CREATION SHOWDOWN (1:00-2:30 PM)
NAME AFFILIATION
1 Chef James Antolin Consultant for Instituto Culinario & Vice President , Pastry Alliance of the Philippines
2 Chef Bruce Lim Chef, TV Personality & Entrepreneur
3 Chef Jason Stacy R&D Chef/Academic Head Consultant of Bistro Americano Corporation
4 Dr. Celeste Tanchoco Former President, Nutritionist Dietitian’s Association of the Philippines
MY UMAMI COACH & I (7:30-9:30AM)
NAME AFFILIATION
1 Jenice Maslang Blogger, Mommy Bloggers Philippines
2 Chef Dino Datu Editor-in-Chief, Cook Magazine
More Photos from the event:
UST’s Kinunot on Crispy Pancit Bato
Hercor College’s Marinara in Savory Tomato
My Umami Coach & I dishes
Students in action
Jen Maslang of ShopGirlJen and other judges in action
A spread of the Umami dishes prepared by the students
More sumptuous food from our future chefs
Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) is an affiliate of Tokyo-based Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Established in 1958, APC lives by its promise to provide consumers products that will always give the delicious taste to healthy and nutritious meals as embodied in APC’s slogan Ajinomoto® “Eat Well, Live Well.®” APC’s complete line of quality food and seasoning products are produced by international affiliates and local toll manufacturers using Ajinomoto’s license, quality standards and technological expertise. APC’s products include AJINO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, Ajinomoto® Brand Ginisa Flavor Seasoning Mix, Ajinomoto® Brand Chicken Powder, PORKSAVOR® All-in-One Seasoning Mix, CRISPY FRY® Breading Mix, CRISPY FRY® Seasoned Crumbs, TASTY BOY® All Purpose Breading Mix, AJI-SHIO® Seasoning Mix, Ajinomoto® Brand Sinigang and FRES-C® Concentrated Powdered Drink Mix
