Recently, my correspondent, who also my youngest brother Jefferson Montas went to attend the Umami Culinary Challenge in MOA.


Nowadays, we heard the bad effect of MSG in our body but why a lot of people still using this kind of ingredient in our food. It has been a sort of "culture" that a lot of Filipino people add MSG to make our food taste really delicious.

Is MSG safe? Yes. Research in Europe, the United States and Asia clearly shows that MSG used in prepared foods or as a condiment is safe for humans of all ages.


MSG has been safely used as a food ingredient since the early 1900's. It is one of the most thoroughly tested of all food ingredients, with hundreds of scientific studies confirming its safe and effective use. MSG's safely has been repeatedly affirmed by regulators and scientific agencies around the world.

MSG (monosodium glutamate) is an Umami seasoning which gives the Umami Taste in food. The word umami comes from the Japanese words umai (delicious) and mi (taste) and can be recognized in English as rich and savory, and in Filipino as "malinamnam" or "malasa".

Though its 3rd year that Umami hold this kind of challenge, this is the first time that I as a blogger cover this kind of event. It was really exciting, why? because it's all about food. I love cooking...very much...well as a mommy and a wife, i should know how to cook.

Every time there is an opportunity that I can cook, I really cook with love...ehem...because of the busy life...sometimes my mother cook for us...but I want to do it for my kids and for my husband..

As I read all the write ups, I learned more about the food that hopefully Ican serve it to my family...

Here are some of the pics during the Umami Challenge in SM Mall of Asia.




This event was judge by an impressive line up of judges from various fields related to food.  So they are the ones who are responsible for picking out the winners of the challenge.  Renowned culinary luminaries include: Sanday Daza (Inquirer columnist and TV show host), Chef Babes Austria (Executive Chef of Taal Vista Hotel and former Executive Chef of Malacanang Palace), Chef James Antolin (Vice PResident of Pastry Alliance of the Philippines), Chef Day Salonga and Chef Mon Acosta (Chef Consultants for opening new restuarants), 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 3rd Umami Culinary Challenge is a collaboration of organizations which strongly support the development o 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 together with media partners GMA7, Appetite Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer Libre and PR Moms Network.