JP-PH Friendship Year 2026: Online Cooking Challenge

In celebration of the Japan–Philippines Friendship Year (70th Anniversary of the Normalization of Diplomatic Relations), the Consulate-General of Japan in Davao (CGJD) invites entries to the “JP-PH Friendship Year 2026: Online Cooking Challenge”.

This online competition invites Filipino amateur cooks to showcase Japanese cuisine or Filipino–Japanese fusion dishes through photo and video submissions. Entries will be evaluated based on presentation, originality, faithfulness to the contest theme, clarity and feasibility of the recipe, and the contestant’s personal story or cultural connection to the dish. 

We look forward to receiving many applications!

 
CONTEST STRUCTURE
The contest will be conducted in two rounds:

• First Round: Contestants will submit a photo of their dish along with a written description.
• Second (Final) Round: Selected contestants from the First Round will submit a video demonstrating the preparation of the same dish they previously submitted.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

• Deadline for First Round submissions: Friday, May 22, 2026
• Notification of shortlisted contestants: to be announced by email
• Deadline for Final Round video submissions: to be announced by email
• Announcement of winner: to be announced by email to the winner; and publicly via CGJD official channels

PRIZE AND RECOGNITION

• The final winner will be selected by CGJD Official Chef Hoshida and will receive a Certificate of Recognition.
• The winner will also be invited to dine with Consul General ONO and Madam ONO at the official residence, where the winning dish will be served as part of the menu. Transportation, accommodation, and other incidental expenses related to the winner’s attendance shall be borne by the winner. The invitation is non-transferable and subject to scheduling by CGJD.
• The winning dish will also be featured on CGJD’s official Facebook and Instagram pages. 

 
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

• The contest is open to Filipino amateur cooks, including home cooks, small business owners, culinary students, and food enthusiasts.
• Professional chefs are not eligible. For purposes of this contest, “professional chefs” means persons currently employed primarily as chefs, cooks, or similar food-service professionals in restaurants, hotels, catering businesses, or comparable establishments.
• There is no age limit; however, participants below eighteen (18) years old must obtain a signature from their parent/guardian in the designated section of the Certification and Consent Form.
• Only one (1) entry per person shall be accepted. Group entries are not permitted.

ENTRIES (FIRST ROUND)

• Each contestant must create either: a Japanese–Filipino fusion dish; or a Japanese dish prepared using Filipino or locally sourced ingredients, and submit the Duly Accomplished Entry Form and Certification and Consent Form. Only one entry per person is allowed. Group submissions are not permitted.
•  Incomplete contest forms will be automatically disqualified.
• Entries must be submitted via email with the subject “Cooking Challenge Entry” to: culture.dvo@dv.mofa.go.jp .

The deadline for submission of photo entries and other requirements is on or before Friday, May 22, 2026.
 
SCREENING AND FIRST ROUND EVALUATION
Entries in the First Round shall be evaluated by the Screening Committee based on the following criteria:

• Visual presentation and overall appeal
• Originality and creativity
• Faithfulness to the contest theme
• Clarity and feasibility of the recipe
• Personal story, cultural relevance, or inspiration behind the dish

 
ENTRIES (SECOND ROUND)

• Only contestants shortlisted by the Screening Committee will qualify for the Second Round. Qualified contestants will be notified via email by the CGJD and will be instructed to submit a video of themselves preparing the same dish submitted in the First Round.
• Entries must be submitted via Google Drive in any of the following standard formats: WMV, MP4, or MPEG. Video entries should clearly show the contestant and the cooking process of the submitted dish. The recommended video length is three (3) to five (5) minutes. Basic editing is permitted; however, excessive editing or effects that materially obscure the actual cooking process may adversely affect evaluation or may result in disqualification.
• Submissions must not violate any applicable laws or infringe on the rights, including copyright, of any third party. The use of copyrighted music or materials is prohibited. Contestants are advised to remove or obscure brand names or labels on commercial products shown in the video. The CGJD reserves the right to disqualify any submission that, in its judgment, contains unauthorized materials or content not in the public domain.
• The CGJD will not provide editing tools or production assistance.
• Video entries may be in English, or in another language provided that English subtitles are included.
• The deadline for submission of video entries and other requirements will be indicated in the email to the qualified contestants.
• The final winner will be notified via email by the CGJD.

 
FINAL ROUND EVALUATION
Final Round entries shall be evaluated based on the overall quality of the dish concept, clarity of the cooking demonstration, presentation, originality, communication of the contestant’s story, and observance of the contest rules. The decision of the Screening Committee shall be final and not subject to appeal.
 

• All submissions must be original and created entirely by the contestant.
• Submitted files and documents will not be returned and may be retained by CGJD for contest administration, documentation, and reporting purposes.
• By submitting an entry, contestants grant CGJD the right to use their submissions for promotional, marketing, and publication purposes.
• All official communications will be sent via email.
• Contestants are responsible for ensuring that all information and materials submitted are true, complete, and accurate.
• CGJD reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is incomplete, submitted after the deadline, contains false or misleading information, infringes upon the rights of any third party, includes offensive or inappropriate material, or otherwise violates these rules.
• CGJD reserves the right to make reasonable decisions on matters not expressly provided for in these guidelines, including interpretation of eligibility and compliance with the contest rules.
• In submitting an entry, contestants agree that CGJD may use, reproduce, publish, display, crop, resize, subtitle, and make minor edits to submitted photos, videos, recipe titles, stories, and related materials for contest administration and publicity on CGJD’s website, official social media platforms, and other official promotional materials, with appropriate name attribution where practicable.
• Personal information collected through the contest forms shall be used for contest administration, communication, verification, judging, winner announcement, statistical reporting, and publicity related to the contest.