Ajinomoto Announces Finalists for Young Chef Thailand 2026
Ajinomoto Thailand has announced the 10 finalist teams for both the chef and creator categories in the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 competition. The nationwide program, backed by universities and nutrition experts, attracted over 130 applicants from more than 50 institutions. Finalists will now compete to create healthy, delicious dishes and inspiring digital content promoting better eating habits among young Thais.
Ajinomoto Thailand announced the 10 finalist teams of young chefs and 10 finalist teams of young creators who have advanced to the stage of the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 competition, where they will showcase ideas for delicious and healthy food.
Ajinomoto collaborates with university partners and leading industry partners to develop the potential of new-generation chefs and content creators. The Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 received an enthusiastic response with over 130 applicants from more than 50 universities across the country, turning fresh ideas into meals that deliver both taste and health.
On November 5, 2026, Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a global leader in food and nutrition innovation, announced the names of the 10 final chef teams and 10 final creator teams selected for the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 project. The project brings the "Eat Well, Live Well" concept to life by integrating nutritional value and deliciousness into the lifestyle of the new generation to promote better quality of life in the future. The project is organized in cooperation with educational institutions and top expert partners, combining creative power in food, food science, nutrition, and digital storytelling to inspire and embed healthy food consumption behavior among young people. Over 130 applicants from more than 50 universities nationwide participated.
The Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand 2026 is organized by Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., Ltd. together with Dusit Thani College and the Faculty of Communication Arts, Bangkok University. It provides a platform for students to turn ideas into reality through two main activities:
Young Chefs: Creating innovative dishes with delicious, healthy food (competing for prizes worth over 300,000 baht). Young chefs creatively transform local ingredients into modern menus that are both tasty and healthy under the concept "Nutrition without Compromise," addressing daily eating needs that prioritize flavor, convenience, and reflection of local food culture and ingredient use. The meal creation also applies the NPS-M (Nutrient Profiling System for Meals) criteria to assess nutritional value.
Young Creators: Shaping ideas to inspire good health. New-generation creators produce engaging content that tells the journey of the Young Chef competitors, inspiring more young people to pay attention to healthy eating.
The project is also supported by leading partners in academia and profession, including the Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University; the Dietetic Association of Thailand; the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University; and Darwin Tech Solutions (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Ms. Ketsaya Chaichanchip, Director of Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., Ltd., stated: "As a world-leading company for 'Eat Well, Live Well,' Ajinomoto has applied its expertise in nutrition and understanding of the food industry, combined with the knowledge of 'AminoScience,' which is the core of product innovation and food solutions. Today, the new generation is paying more attention to health, which we believe makes them a key force in shaping the future. In the second year of the Ajinomoto Young Chef Thailand project, we have partnered with leading partners to hone the skills of the new generation through intensive food and nutrition training camps that connect..."
