FOOD & CUISINE
2 nd Umami
Culinary
The
Challenge
If there’ s one thing Filipinos love, it’ s to eat. Adding an element of competition in the preparation of food only serves to heighten our interest, and nowhere did these divergent elements come together as well as in the 2nd Umami Culinary Challenge!
Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation( APC) in partnership with the Glutamate Association of the Philippines( GAP) presented the 2nd Umami Culinary Challenge: The Battle for the Umami Bowl at the A. Venue Events Hall in Makati. Eighteen schools were represented by student competitors who participated in both culinary and non-culinary competitions in a whole day event.
This inter-school, multi-category cooking competition put a special emphasis on umami, the 5th basic taste. Umami is the tasty, rich or savory taste that was first identified and isolated by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University in 1908. The Umami Culinary Challenge involved and engaged student competitors both in group and individual categories and highlighted the creativity, innovativeness and culinary skills of students in creating dishes that bring out the best umami taste.
Participants battled in group competition with the Umami Bento, Best Pinoy Ginisa Dish and Mystery Umami Ingredient categories. Contestants in the Best Pinoy Ginisa Dish category didn’ t need to use onion and garlic
One of the judges Chef Darin Epp
because Ajinomoto Ginisa Flavor Seasoning Mix captures the essence of the meaty“ ginisa” flavor without need of those two ingredients. Philippine Christian University emerged as winner for the Best Pinoy Ginisa Dish category thanks to their“ Ginisa Fiesta,” University of Perpetual Help-Las Piñas won the Umami Bento category with their“ Sticky ginger chicken with vegetable spread and pandan rice” and Mapua Institute of Technology’ s“ Grilled chicken on a bed of pasta in Asia” won the Mystery Umami Ingredient category.
The team with the highest accumulated points in all three categories, the University of Perpetual Help-Las Piñas, won the prestigious Umami Bowl as the overall champion of the 2nd Umami Culinary Challenge. For the individual category, Umami Master 2011 Showdown, Centro Escolar University-Manila’ s Richmond Timbol received the judges’ praise on his culinary masterpiece and was named this year’ s Umami Master. Richmond prepared“ 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” and joins 2009 winner Dwight Dumale in a very exclusive club of Umami Masters.
“ We are thrilled to facilitate the discovery of the next great Filipino chefs while also promoting‘ Eat Well, Live Well’ through the various competitions, seminars and cooking demonstrations,” Ajinomoto Public Relations department head Helen Lim shared.“ We wanted the UCC to be a venue to showcase delicious and nourishing dishes because we at Ajinomoto believe that eating delicious meals go hand in hand with well-being and healthy lifestyle.” •
Chef Nick Anderson judging
This year’ s Umami Master winner: Richmond Timbol
Richmond Timbol’ s masterdish
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