Ajinomoto Empowers Young Talents Through Intensive Food and Nutrition Camp, Selects 10 Finalist Teams for Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026, and Teams Up with Young Creators to Promote Delicious and Healthy Eating

On October 18, 2026, Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd. continues its commitment to empowering the younger generation and promoting a sustainable “Eat Well, Live Well.” society through “Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026” competition. The company held the “Intensive Camp & Hackathon” on October 17–18, 2026, at Dusit Thani College, bringing together 60 selected university students from three fields of study: Nutrition, Food Science, and Culinary Art. Participants had the opportunity to learn from experts, enhance their skills, and showcase their creativity in developing delicious and nutritionally balanced dishes that meet consumers’ everyday needs. The competition aimed to select the top 10 teams to advance to the final round under the concept of “Nutrition without Compromise”, emphasizing that healthy eating should never sacrifice great taste.

Throughout the two-day camp, participants attended workshops on Meal Combination and balanced nutrition led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wantanee Kriengsinyos from the Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University. They also explored techniques for reducing sodium without compromising taste through the application of “AminoScience” in workshops led by Dr. Nuti Hutasingh, a chef and expert in food innovation and food science. In addition, participants enhanced their culinary skills under the guidance of experts from Dusit Thani College and learned about MASS, a tool for evaluating the nutritional value of meal sets, in preparation for creating healthy meals for the upcoming competition.

The event's highlight was the Semi-Final Cooking Competition, where 60 participants formed 20 teams of three to develop dishes based on the competition challenge. From ingredient selection and cooking to presenting their concepts to expert judges, the competition selected 10 finalist teams to advance to the final round. Another highlight was “Young Chef x Young Creator”, pairing the 10 finalist teams with 10 Young Creator teams from the Faculty of Communication Arts, Bangkok University, to combine food and nutrition expertise with creative storytelling and inspire younger audiences to embrace delicious and healthy eating.

Ms. Kesya Chaicharncheep, Director of Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd., said, “At Ajinomoto, we believe good food should be both delicious and healthy. Through this initiative, we provide young talents with opportunities to learn, experiment, and develop creative dishes. Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand is more than a cooking competition. It is a platform to help young people apply their knowledge of nutrition and food science to meet consumers’ needs. We hope they will inspire healthier eating habits and contribute to better well-being across Thai society.”

The 10 finalist teams will compete in the Final Competition of Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 on December 17, 2026, at Dusit Thani College, showcasing innovative dishes that combine great taste, nutrition, and creativity for prizes worth over THB 300,000. Follow the latest updates on the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand Facebook Page or visit www.ajinomoto.co.th.