UST and Hercor College are National Champions in the Ajinomoto® Umami Culinary Challenge year 6

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.

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) won the Umami Bowl Award (for the 2^nd 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.

On its 6^th 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.”

                                          Mr. Taro Fujie, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation President 

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.

Umami, the scientifically recognized and proven 5^th basic taste alongside sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, was first identified and isolated by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University in 1908. 

Ajinomoto® Umami Culinary Challenge Student-Competitors happily pose for the camera in the Competition Arena.

Ajinomoto® Umami Culinary Challenge attracted 54 Schools, thousands of HRM and Nutrition Students in their 6^th year.

Culinary Luminaries – Judges for the Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao Showdown.

A spread of umami or delicious food.