Ajinomoto Young Chef 2026 Final at Dusit Thani College on 17 December 2026

Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., Ltd., in collaboration with Dusit Thani College and the Faculty of Communication Arts, Bangkok University, has announced the 10 culinary teams and 10 media creation teams advancing to the finals of the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 programme, competing for total prize money of over 300,000 baht. The competition is organised to promote the Eat Well, Live Well concept by giving university students the opportunity to combine nutritional knowledge with delicious flavours, selected from over 130 applicants across 50 universities nationwide. The final round will take place on 17 December 2026 at Dusit Thani College, Bangkok, allowing interested attendees to watch the culinary showdown and taste healthy dishes at the event.

Competition Format and Developing Local Ingredients into Healthy Dishes

Held for the second year, the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 programme divides youth potential development into two main activities that link culinary science with digital-era communication. The first activity is Young Chefs, in which contestants use local ingredients to create modern dishes under the concept of Nutrition without Compromise, emphasising nutritional value alongside taste and everyday convenience. In addition, every dish must pass a nutritional assessment using the Nutrient Profiling System for Meals, or NPS-M criteria, to clearly certify its nutrient balance.

The second activity is Young Creators, which provides a platform for 10 teams of students from the Faculty of Communication Arts, Bangkok University, to work closely with the culinary contestants. Participants produce content conveying the story of their journey and dish development to inspire health awareness among the younger generation. This collaboration between cooks and creators helps turn nutritional information into something easy to understand and aligned with the lifestyle of modern consumers.

Academic Collaboration and Building on AminoScience Knowledge

This programme receives collaboration from leading academic and professional organisations, namely the Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University; the Thai Dietetic Association; the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University; and Darwintech Solution (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Kesaya Chaicharncheep, Director of Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., Ltd., stated that the company has shared its nutritional expertise and AminoScience knowledge, which is at the heart of developing food solutions, through an intensive training camp. Meanwhile, Dr. Atthavet Prougestaporn, Rector of Dusit Thani College, and Lecturer Sarath Supalakwatchana from Bangkok University both expressed confidence that this platform will help propel a new generation of Thai chefs and communicators towards the international stage.

Final Round Judging Schedule and Event Details

For the final round competition, Lerchan Koh-ae, both a chef and a food creator, will join to unveil the challenge and provide guidance on developing local ingredients into modern dishes. At the event, attendees will learn about designing balanced meals and taste creative dishes from all 10 finalist teams that seamlessly blend deliciousness and nutrition. Those interested can follow further updates via the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand Facebook page and the public relations channels of Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

This news is suitable for hotel professionals and restaurant operators looking to study trends in designing modern healthy menus, as well as seeking new-generation culinary personnel with knowledge in food science. Meanwhile, food and hospitality event organisers can apply the format of combining a cooking competition with creator storytelling to make culinary events more engaging. In addition, the general public and culinary tourists can follow the contestants' work as a guide for choosing healthy Thai food in everyday life.