Oysters chilling on ice. Jerked rabbit on the grill. Live cooking demonstrations. Thai curry chicken. It was a diverse scene of comfort and exotic eats at the well-attended Foodies Lyme two Sundays ago at Orchid Village.

The event, now in its second annual staging and conceptualised by Jamaica Observer 2011 Food Awards Chef of The Year nominee Brian Lumley and his sister Stephanie, was abuzz with scores of patrons milling about the grounds of the Guilt Trip eatery — transformed for the evening into an impressive culinary haven replete with sponsor booths and food and beverage stations.

Between clinking glasses filled with Torres and San Valentin wines from J Wray & Nephew, and sweet treats like chocolate Oreo cheesecake and mini coffee éclairs, guests enjoyed the lively atmosphere and more so, forkfuls, bites and sips of all that was readily available to sample.

A highlight of the evening was a ‘Hit or Miss’ cook-off between competing chefs and University of Technology (UTech) culinary students Akeeli Dixon and Lendave Burton. The two were given a basket of secret ingredients (that included oysters, bacon, wine and chicken fillet) made known to them minutes before they faced off in a live 30-minute cooking competition, followed by a 10-minute plating session.

The judges declared Burton’s creation of pan-seared oysters with cinnamon ginger-scented sweet mash potatoes topped with honey yogurt-glazed vegetables the winner.

Guests also enjoyed engaging entertainment, with the rhythms of the pans of the Blueprint Steel Band and party music from DJ Supastylez, causing many to trip the light fantastic. Thursday Food shares scenes from the Foodies Lyme event.