Over 300 aspiring chefs from 52 schools and universities competed in the 2017 Ajinomoto® Umami Culinary Challenge (UCC) at the Philippine Trade and Training Center (Manila). This event was the culmination of the national roadshow that began last August 2016 in Cagayan de Oro and October 2016 at Cebu City.
Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, who are both Ajinomoto endorsers, also graced the event to provide encouragement for all the student-competitors and kicked-off the event’s highly anticipated awarding ceremony.
The Grand Prize winners for the Ajinomoto® UCC’s National Culinary Showdown came from VIZMIN in which each school received PhP 15,000.00 in cash, medals and certificates.
University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines from Cagayan de Oro for the Best Filipino Umami Dish Category
and University of St. La Salle – Bacolod for the My Own Umami Creation Category.
For the Luzon culinary competitions the big winners were:
Perpetual Help College –Manila
Chiang Kai Shek College;
and Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
The Umami Bowl Award and PhP 50,000-worth of kitchen appliances were bagged by St. Dominic College of Asia for receiving the highest accumulated score in major categories.
The Ajinomoto® UCC is an annual inter-school culinary competition that started in the year 2009. This event provides a training ground for future chefs and nutrition professionals to enhance their cooking skills and nutrition awareness. It is part of Ajinomoto’s “Eat Well, Live Well.®” advocacy to promote the benefit of umami taste in preparing deliciously nourishing recipes. The panel of judges is composed of Food and Nutrition luminaries invited to offer valuable insights to student-competitors on how to apply culinary skills and nutrition knowledge in the creation of nourishing umami dishes. This event is presented by AJINOMOTO PHILIPPINES CORPORATION in partnership with La Germania, Solane, Masflex, Fujidenzo and Anvil Publishing, Inc.
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Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC), established in 1958, is an affiliate of Tokyo-based Ajinomoto Co., Inc. 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 factories 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 Cube SARSAYA™ Oyster and Sweet and Sour Sauce and “amino FRES-C” Instant Juice Drink.