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