To apply as a food vendor, fill up the UTT Masters Edition Online application form.
For the past decade, Our Awesome Planet’s “Ultimate Taste Test” has been the incubator and launching platform for many of today’s most popular and influential food entrepreneurs. All of them started out as home businesses, and thanks to the publicity and exposure from their participation in the UTT, they have become very successful brands. Among the Ultimate Taste Test babies are Pepita’s Kitchen, from the Lechon Diva, Dedet de la Fuente; the internationally renowned Risa Chocolates by Pamela Cinco; Think Wink by Winky Sagenes, one of the bestselling cookies in Metro Manila; and Bhest Lasagna, rated #1 Best Beef Lasagna by spot.ph.
Why Masters Edition?
Through fifteen editions of the Ultimate Taste Test, the public has always been the collective arbiter, the voters who decide which are their favorites. But this year, for UTT XVI, we’ve decided to do something different. This time, The Masters: the chefs, the restaurateurs, the food journalists, the bloggers, and the influencers will be the judges. In light of the boom in the “Instagram Marketplace”, the new economy where hundreds of food entrepreneurs are selling their good to an eager public, we’re confident that the new breakout food businesses will rise from social media.
25 Vendors vs. 100 Masters
The Ultimate Taste Test: Masters Edition will hit two birds with one stone. One event where the 25 curated purveyors will benefit from the advice and input from 100 of the food and restaurant industry’s acknowledged masters, and instantly gain valuable publicity from the F&B professionals who will be the ones to select this year’s best and brightest.
It will be the most exacting and the most exciting Ultimate Taste Test event ever!!!
Food Entrepreneurs Application Now Open
✔️ 1. No Registration Fee for Home-Based Food Vendors or Startup Food Entrepreneurs–but you need to provide bite-sized taste portions of your latest products (enough for 100 masters).
✔️ 2. Minimal Setup Fee (up to P1,000) for the venue logistics, utilities, and clean-up fee.
✔️ 3. Our Awesome Planet Feature. If your product is really good, it would go viral and spread throughout the foodie and food blogging community. The top food suppliers who meet the average rating of 3.8 and above will be featured in Our Awesome Planet by November!
Related Blog Posts: And the Winners of the Ultimate Taste Test Pro Edition 2017 are ...
To apply as a food vendor, fill up the UTT Masters Edition Online application form.
Top 3 Winners of Ultimate Taste Test 2017
1. PIZZA GRIGLIATA MANILA (Ultimate Taste Test Pro Edition Champion)
Foodie Rating: 4.0
Judges Score: 99.8%
People’s Vote (Pesos): Rank #10
Pizza Grigliata Manila by Isabel Cortez-Co and Chef Emman Galvez created an innovative Italian Pizza with a secret dough, grilled using Breville, and topped with flavorful ingredient combinations.
The brand started just last March of 2017 as Pizza Yolo with their first Bazaar at The Grove Rockwell, followed by The Organic Market, Katipunan Weekend Market, and The Gourmand Market.
The Bianca Quatro Formaggi was the Foodie’s favorite, made with Squid Ink thin crust dough and topped with Four Cheeses with Truffle Oil. It is best paired with their signature Honey Chili sauce!
This pizza plays with all your senses–the color of the dough, smell of the truffle oil, and the richness of the four cheese married in perfect harmony.
It’s quite an achievement for this 6-month food startup to win against the best home-based food entrepreneurs in Manila!
I’m excited for what happens next!
Pizza Grigliata Manila
Facebook: pizzaYOLO.Manila
Instagram: @pizzagrigliata.manila
2. AUNTIE MAY’S (Foodie’s Choice Winner)
The Foodies’ Vote award is given to the vendor who received the highest rating from the foodies with a passport.
Foodie Rating: 4.0
Judges Score: 94.8%
People’s Vote (Pesos): Rank #6
Auntie May’s by Bon and May Reyes serves home-cooked dishes using original and inherited recipes. They are famous for their Angus Beef Salpicao, U.S. Beef Tapa, Escargot, and Callos.
They now have a Heat & Eat concept serving Grilled Blue Marlin, Grilled Salmon, Tenderloin Steak, Bulalo Steak, Adobong Pusit, Ginataang Tulingan, Pork Embutido, Fish Laing, Gambas, Lengua, and Kalitiran, just to name a few.
I remember when the judges tasted the Angus Salpicao, Callos, and Adobo sa Gata–everyone was raving about it! I don’t really like the texture of Callos, but Auntie May’s version is so addicting that it will convert you to a Callos lover.
Their concept was born in the Ultimate Taste Test 5 in 2010 and won in UTT 13 in 2015 at Ayala Malls. Now, they’ve finally won the overall spot in the Ultimate Taste Test Pro Edition!
There is a reason why Auntie May’s continues to win year after year. The warmth in her voice as she welcomes you into their booth and carefully explains how she came up with all the dishes is inspiring in itself, but it is her food that will make you stay.
Auntie May’s
Facebook: Auntie May’s
Instagram: @auntiemays
3. TED’S CHEESECAKE (People’s Choice Best Seller in Peso Sales)
The Peoples’ Choice award is given to the vendor that makes the most Peso Sales for the duration of the event.
Foodie Rating: 3.9
Judges Score: 85%
People’s Vote (Pesos): Rank #1
Ted’s Cheesecake is a Bibingka-inspired cheese cake with salted egg showcasing sustainable local produce such as the Santa Cruz kesong puti and itlog na maalat from the Sta. Cruz, Laguna farms.
It’s decadent, not too sweet, and best of all, proudly represents Filipino flavors. The word love is an understatement for how we feel about this dessert!
The Story of Ted’s Kitchen by Gel Salonga
5 years ago, when I went back from Singapore as a financial trader, my brother, Chef Day Salonga, thought of putting up our own restaurant in Santa Cruz, Laguna–Ted’s Kitchen, which will offer comfort food or food that we grew up with. During that time, I was in between jobs and really wanted to try something new–and this was baking. Baking and Finance are very similar as both require everything to be exact and that made it very appealing to me. This is why I made the transition from being a trader to a full-time baker.
Ted’s Kitchen
Facebook: Ted’s Laguna
To apply as a food vendor, fill up the UTT Masters Edition Online application form.
Please share this with your family and friends who you think might benefit from winning in the UTT Masters 2018 Event.
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: Our Awesome Planet is the founder of the Ultimate Taste Test series. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. We are not selling tickets for this event and the attendees will be on a by invitation only.