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300 aspiring Filipino chefs from 5 prestigious culinary schools and 29 universities and colleges will showcase their creativeness, innovativeness and culinary skills in a much-awaited culinary competition at the SMX Convention Center on January 20, 2012.
The Ajinomoto 3rd Umami Culinary Challenge: The Battle for the Umami Bowl is certainly an event to look forward to as there are more competing schools from Metro Manila and nearby provinces set to demonstrate their expertise in new and exciting culinary and non-culinary categories. This multi-category competition will allow the participants to display their repertoire of skills.
Only the finest aspiring Chefs who will exhibit paramount culinary skills shall be awarded as winners through stringent screening by distinguished culinary luminaries. 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 form the impressive line up of judges.
Aside from being able to watch these young cooks at work, you could also widen your knowledge from the various seminars that would be held during the event. One of my favorite chefs, Chef Rosebud Benitez who I had the honor of cooking alongside with, will be there together with Chef Boy Logro, another favorite of mine, Chef Eugene Raymundo, and Chef Toto Efre. You’ll definitely learn a thing or two from the new trends and techniques in cooking that they’ll be showing off.
Here’s a peek at the Umami Culinary Challenge last year:
Chef Seiji Kamura of Mogu Restaurant speaks to the student participants during the debriefing session of the Mystery Umami Ingredient competition, as Chef Colin McKay of Sala Restaurant Group and food blogger Anton Diaz look on.
Chef Darin Epp speaks to the student contestants during the debriefing for the Umami Master 2011 Showdown. With him is Chef James Antolin, Vice President of the Pastry Alliance of the Philippines.
The winning dish for the Umami Master 2011 Showdown – Macadamia nut crusted salmon served with dill cream quenelle mushroom duff on a bed of saffron potatoes and petite salad in wasabi jelly and tomato bonito coulis.
The 2nd UCC Umami Bowl Champion – University of Perpetual Help Las Piñas
This year’s Umami Culinary Challenge promises to bring you much more. So, head off to the SMX Convention Center this Friday and expand your culinary knowledge. Be there from 8am to 7pm and rediscover the 5th Basic Taste that is UMAMI.
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The Ajinomoto 3rd 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.
[…] Moms Network was one of the media partners during the 3rd Umami Culinary Challenge. One of the sponsors PR Gaz, who provided the LPG tanks used during the event, gave a 2.7 kg […]