It could be argued that great meals are created using fresh ingredients and the right combination of spices, but a chef’s passion also goes a long way in the kitchen.The Bermuda Hospitality Institute is hosting an event to ensure that local foodies get a meal that will “blow their minds” on April 25.Plates of Passion will see some of the Island’s top chefs paired alongside budding culinary arts students from the Bermuda College, in a bid to create a delicious four-course meal for gourmet food lovers.BHI CEO Karla Lacey said the night would be the final event organised as part of Hospitality Month.“There are ten top chefs from Bermuda all preparing a meal at the same time, in a single location,” she said. “The only commercial kitchen that could accommodate this type of event was at Bermuda College and it was just a wonderful way of really showcasing not only the top professionals here in Bermuda but those heading along that same path.“It’s very much showing a connecting of the dots for those that have paid their dues and made it to the top of their game and who are now really reaching back and showing the way for those just starting out on the journey and giving them something to aspire to.”The professional chefs were paired up with a student after pulling names out from a hat.Said Harry's executive chef Bradley Clease, who will be working alongside Kardian Bean: “I think it’s a great experience for the young chefs to take advantage of our knowledge. It also gives them the opportunity to get hands-on experience of working in a busy restaurant kitchen, as opposed to being in one environment all the time.”Ms Bean told The Royal Gazette she was excited about the upcoming event. “Even though it’s a lot of work for me to help execute a menu with some of Chef Clease’s fabulous ideas on it, I am excited to actually work with an executive chef and learn from him.”The teams will all be given the same key ingredients to work with however each will each put their own culinary style and twist on their dish. Though it’s not a competition, Ms Lacey said it was likely there would be some friendly “trash-talking” among the participants.The night starts at 6pm with a cocktail reception; the pairs will create hot and cold canapés using Bermuda onions and sweet potatoes.On offer will be options like a sweet potato-stuffed Prince Edward Island scallop, topped with pesto flakes and spicy aioli; a lamb lollipop with a trio of onions; smoked wahoo and onion pate on a sweet potato chip.As members of the Bermuda Chef Association, the professionals came up with the idea to focus on seasonal and local produce and also helped select the featured items.Salmon will feature in the start of the actual four-course meal.On offer: a fresh Atlantic salmon trio including a Dark ‘n’ Stormy cured salmon with honey mustard; a salmon pearl with a minted sour cream and fresh tartar with avocado, paired with citrus and horseradish snow.Also on offer will be a home-cured salmon pastrami with micro greens and creme fraiche sauce; and blackened salmon with black-eye peas and grilled corn.Bermuda beets take centre stage in the next course a charred beet ravioli paired with black truffle and goat cheese, yellow tomato coulis and an heirloom tomato sorbet.Also on offer will be an arborio rice dish simmered with local beetroot and broccoli di rape, topped with pecorino shavings and crispy crib and yellow tomato. Another chef is set to create a warm truffle beet and shredded duck salad.While the event cannot cater to special dietary needs, each team was also asked to create a vegetarian dish, said Ms Lacey.A chickpea cake with truffle-scented portobello and vanilla-scented Bermuda carrot mousseline is one of the offerings. A second team will prepare a seared organic amaranth and adzuki bean cake with rice paper roll, watercress purée and cashew gravy.Home made roasted Bermuda pumpkin and brown sugar ravioli, spinach and tomato pasta shells sautéed with dried tomato, asparagus and fresh buffalo mozzarella, will also be on offer for veggie lovers.Meat fans can choose either tuna or beef tenderloin as their entree.Dessert will feature loquats prepared by college students under the instruction of Tenika Eve and Shawn Ming.Matching wines will be paired with each course, thanks to Goslings; Barritt’s will provide speciality waters and mocktails.Butterfield and Vallis have supplied all the ingredients the chefs needed, including special items brought in from overseas.Ms Lacey said there were only 20 seats left at last check. A special Connoisseur’s Table is also up for bid with a starting price of $2,500 for ten.The successful bidders will get a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen; three bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne; a cook book from one of three participating chefs, gift bags and a privately catered wine tasting on a date of their choosing for up to 20 people.Ms Lacey said the event offered “an opportunity to really have a unique experience”.She added: “First of all it’s in aid of culinary arts scholarships at Bermuda College as well as BHI’s programmes. You are guaranteed a great time and a fabulous meal put together by a team who are dedicated to blowing your mind that night.”Tickets for Plates of Passion are $150 and can be purchased through www.ptix.bm.Useful website: www.bhi.bm