3rd Umami Culinary Challenge

The Ajinomoto 3^rd Umami Culinary Challenge (3^rd UCC): The Battle for the Umami Bowl will be held on January 20, 2012 at the SMX Convention. AJINOMOTO PHILIPPINES CORPORATION is set to welcome 2012 with a culinary competition to showcase the creativeness, innovativeness, culinary skill and mastery of over 300 aspiring Filipino chefs. Chef Russel Bautista, project head of the 3rd UCC said that Ajinomoto is very excited because on its 3^rd year, UCC has more schools competing from Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The exciting culinary competition is the first of its kind interschool, multi-category that focuses on umami, the 5^th Basic Taste. The 3^rd UCC will feature participants from 29 Universities and colleges that offered HRM and Nutrition courses and from five (5) prestigious culinary schools.

This  year’s challenge is even bigger. It features new and exciting culinary and non-culinary categories. This is to  allow participants to show off more of their repertoire of skills. Seminars will be held on new trends and techniques that can complement one’s cooking abilities for the benefit of those who are eager to expand their horizons.

An impressive line up of judges from various fields related to food will pick out the best of the best. These renowned culinary luminaries include: Sandy Daza (Inquirer columnist and TV show host), Chef Babes Austria  (Executive Chef of Taal Vista Hotel  and former Executive Chef of Malacañang Palace),Chef James Antolin (Vice President of Pastry Alliance of the Philippines), Chef Day Salonga and Chef Mon Acosta (Chef Consultants for opening new restaurants), Nina Daza-Puyat (Editor in Chief, Appetite Magazine), Chef Seiji Kamura (Executive Chef and owner of Mogu Japanese Restaurant), Vicky Alejandrino, (Head of Quality Assurance and Commissary for the Pancake House Group), Chef Colin McKay (Executive Chef and owner of Sala Restaurant Group) and Tetta Arroyo (Travel and Food Writer) among others.

The Ajinomoto 3^rd Umami Culinary Challenge is a collaboration of organizations which strongly support the development of the Philippine culinary scene, among them are Glutamate Association of the Philippines (GAP),Elba, Whirlpool/Fujidenzo, Masflex, PR Gaz, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Anvil Publishing and media partners GMA 7, Appetite Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer Libre and PR Moms Network.