In which many chefs decide to cook in front of their customers, like Benihana, if Benihana only served guacamole.
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- The towering 8-feet-tall tangle of vines was so big it couldn’t fit under the canopy.
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- Here’s Jack climbing the beanstalk, passing one of the many bowls of bean-guac along the route.
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- At the top, above the cloud layer, a glimmering a golden avocado was found.
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- Adam’s “Pickle Guac,” an homage to the Pickle Rick episode of “Rick and Morty.”
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- “I turned myself into a guacamole, Morty!”
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- I pickled avocado spears along with cilantro, tomato, onion, garlic and spices. Hey, *I* thought it was good.
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- Zimmer three-peats by cooking at the event, a strategy much-copied this year.
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- Maggie and Ian’s Pizza-mole, one of two fresh-baked pizza entries this year. But this one was vegan!
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- Maggie giving Zimmer a direct challenge, cooking in person right next to him. Lost by one vote!
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- Jordan & Amanda’s “Guac Amore,” the second pizza entry. That’s-a-more than ever before.
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- These very-personal pizzas were made with a corn-bread crust, pizza sauce, guac, cojita cheese and corn.
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- Jordan and Amanda cooking up their pizzas with a smile.
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- “Ya Basic,” Josh, Allison and Leithan’s winner for Best Traditional, wasn’t playing around with funny themes.
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- This was Leithan’s FOURTH win, and Josh’s second. This family knows how to guac.
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- “Number 9 Traditional,” Liz and Justin’s attempt to defend their crown. It was a close race, but they got 2nd.
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- Avocadoo-doo, Jessie and Alison’s shit-themed entry, served in a diaper and diaper-genie. Gross.
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- This is actually the 2nd entry served in a diaper. Tim did “Look Who’s Guacing” in 2007, but who remembers?
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- Liz & Justin’s Alternative, Cheesy Guac Tots, delicious but overlooked by the others who fried in person.
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- “Guak In The Box,” an amazingly complete meal by the Grant family: sourdough sandwich, nuggets and shake!
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- The Grants assembling their Guak In The Box meals — frying and blending and smiling!
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- Martina and Bozen’s “Guac-o-late Bars,” another in a trend of chocolate avocado treats…
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- …But in a fun twist, they made two trays with Patriot and Eagles colors, so we could “vote” for our team!
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- Brandon’s Icarus Award winning “Guactor Pepper!” With onions caramelized in the good doctor’s soda.
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- Shahan’s “Fake Guac,” which was just water. A fake news reference, or just Shahan trying to win Icarus?
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- The first of five (!!) entries by Michael & Beverly — this one an ode to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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- Michael & Beverly’s second entry… made with real E-Coli! Or maybe sugar candy. Either way, I’m not touching.
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- “I’m So Holy Guacamole,” another heavenly Michael & Beverly concoction.
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- “Rock Around the Guac,” my fave of Michael & Beverly’s entries. Mostly because of the atomic-era olive garnish.
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- “Guac In A Sock,” an Icarus runner up. Weirdly, this isn’t the first time someone’s done this.
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- Brandi’s “It Takes Two to Mango Chili Guacamole.”
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- Like Brandi herself, her entry was both sweet and spicy.
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- Whitney and Alex’s “This Is Guac,” which apparently is a “This Is Us” reference about murderous crock-pots.
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- Steve’s simply named “Buffalo,” a hot-wing style chicken strip-and-dip.
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- Steve thinking, “Hmm… I wonder why there are so many of these left?” (It was actually delicious.)
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- It wouldn’t be Guac Bowl if Samantha and Robin didn’t make Guac Brownies. Their sixth year of chocolate!
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- Tim returned from Canada with their local delicacy “Guacamol-eh.” (Yeah, he just added maple syrup).
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- Julie continued her streak of pop culture television entries with “Gilmore Guacs,” a caffeinated cold-brew guac.
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- Kwala showed up late and didn’t get a lot of love for this hilarious, trendy “Millennial Gauc Toast.”
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- Kwala making her artisanal dill-topped toasts, served on pages of the New Yorker.
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- Diana’s “Guac A. Mole,” a personification begging for your vote.
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- The trophies, waiting to be bestowed.
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- My trophy wife.
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- Three-peaters Zimmer, Teira and baby Lake (who’s never won before, because she wasn’t a person yet).
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- Another dynasty family, Leithan, Alison and Josh.
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- Brandon flew all the way from Dallas, and all he got was this cheesy trophy.
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- New winners and past winners, in the Winners Lounge (now in Angela’s secret garden).
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- Obligatory celebratory drinking from the trophy.
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- Tastes like victory! And silver polish.
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- “Deep-Fried Choco-mole Bites,” Zimmer’s winner in the Best Alternative Tasting category.
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- Angela with her Best Presentation winner, “Jack and the Beanguac.”
