There are probably only two things I am good at in the kitchen: making omelettes and watching other people cook.So when I was invited to attend the Bermuda Hospitality Institute’s first Rising Chef Competition to see some of the Island’s best up and coming chefs put their culinary skills to the test, I couldn’t say no.What I left last Thursday’s preliminary event with was a greater appreciation for the cooking process, reignited taste buds and a smile from ear to ear — all thanks to chefs Daamian Simmons, Carmin Viola and Uddav Tamang.I arrived at the tightly packed International Imports shortly before the event’s 6pm start, as advised by organiser Karla Lacey.Seated in the room’s only available spot near the entryway I was in the centre of the action as volunteers, staff and patrons navigated their way through the small space before the night’s proceedings kicked off.The frantic environment calmed down as the evening’s host and owner of Ascots restaurant, Edmund Smith, got in front of the stove.After a quick demonstration, and as lovely smells wafted through the air, an appetiser of pan seared scallops on a crostini smeared with an avocado citrus blend and topped with a fragrant tomato salsa was passed out to the awaiting crowd.My heart sunk a little at this point in the night, when I realised due to a seafood allergy I wouldn’t be able to taste many of the awesome food creations myself.I nibbled on some of the dishes where the scallops were easily separated from the rest of the meal, but had to skip out on Ms Viola’s trio which featured the ingredient quite heavily.In order to write this piece, I had to live — or rather eat vicariously through the three helpful ladies sitting next to me, who described the food in detail after each course.At this point in the night Andrew Holmes of Gosling’s created a fun, tropical cocktail for the audience a blend of rum, fresh pineapple chunks, lemon juice, Falernum, club soda and fresh cracked pepper. (See sidebar for details on how to make the delicious drink yourself.)Wine, sponsored by Goslings, was also paired with each course throughout the night.By the time the first competing chef, Mr Simmons from The Reefs, got in front of the audience my stomach was at full attention. I had skipped out on eating dinner beforehand in anticipation of the lovely feast.Despite my growing hunger, it was fascinating to watch the young Bermudian command the room’s attention.Through his easy-to-follow cooking demonstration and lively sense of humour, it felt like I was watching a live episode of the Food Network’s ‘Chopped’.He started off his meal of seared scallops, lemon grass infused fried rice and sweet potato tian with basil cream by making a simple syrup, boiling equal parts sugar and water.I didn’t know what a tian was before coming to the event, but it involved Mr Simmons thinly slicing raw sweet potato with a mandolin, then dipping the slices into the syrup mixture and wrapping them around a metal ring before baking in an oven for 90 to 120 minutes at a heat of 200F.Probably not something a novice like me would try at home — I only mastered omelettes because they are very quick and easy — but it added a lot of elegance to the plate and (as one of the few things I could sample) tasted delicious.The fried rice mixture was pretty typical and involved loads of fresh bell peppers, garlic, onions, peeled fresh ginger, shiitake mushrooms, eggs and deep fried tofu. The surprise ingredient was the lemon grass which added a great Asian flavour to the meal.The reviewers sitting next to me said the sweet potato tian was “lovely” and scallops were done “perfectly”, but the rice was a little bland for their taste.The Fairmont Southampton’s Ms Viola, hailing from the Philippines, was next to take the reins in the kitchen.She showcased a wide range of cooking skills by creating a trio of scallops, including one encrusted with a basil and rosemary blend and another made into a roulade and poached.Another described as a Scotch Scallop involved mashing the seafood, along with dried tomatoes, herbs, lime zest and salt and pepper before rolling the mixture in a ball, coating it with flour, eggs and breadcrumbs and frying it.She also made a batch of polenta which involved constantly stirring the mixture, while multitasking with other roles in the kitchen (as only a woman can).Ms Viola was visibly nervous, dropping some of her garlic on the ground early in the demonstration, but she managed to keep the mood light with some witty humour. “It’s okay, it happens,” she said after the spill.Despite all that was going on she managed to complete the three complex dishes in the 25 minutes given, but the crowd’s anticipation was heightened when she finished plating right on the wire.The patrons I talked to said: “The food was the best I have tasted all evening, thus far.” They described the polenta as “a dream” and the scotch scallop as tasting like “Christmas morning” because of the warm spices used.The last chef of the night was Mr Tamang, from Angelo’s Bistro. The Nepal native decided to use salmon, instead of scallops for his dish.He started off the night by making a delicious jalapeño sauce.Though I would usually stray away from eating anything that could potential burn my tongue into submission, it was actually full of really great flavour and not too spicy after he carefully removed all the seeds.The sauce involved him puréeing the jalapeño with white vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and a teaspoon — or three — of salt.To make the salmon, Mr Tamang quickly marinated it in herbs, oil and fresh lemon juice, then dipped the pink flesh in a coating of flour. He put the skin side of the fish down on the pan for searing and cooked them for three minutes on each side.He also made some oven-grilled sweet potatoes, topped with thinly sliced onions “like angel hair”.The last chef of the night finished his meal with several minutes time to spare, but according to my reviewer friends it wasn’t flavourful enough for their liking. “It seemed like something somebody has already cooked at home,” one of them said.In the end, the women’s predictions were spot on. Ms Viola was named audience favourite and also took home a host of prizes for winning over the judges as well.She will go on to compete with three others in the competition finals on Friday, with all proceeds from the sold-out event going to the BHI’s programmes. A preliminary cook-off also took place on Friday, with two more scheduled for tonight and tomorrow night.For me, the event was like the ultimate culinary tease. For three hours I had to smell and watch these awesome meals being put together, while never getting to taste the dishes in their full entirety.The good news is it reaffirmed how deliciously fun cooking can be and even inspired me to maybe one day venture to cook up something other than my trusted omelette.