The annual competition pits vendors' creations against each other before a panel of judges with the chance to win awards for most creative dish and best taste in both savory and sweet categories. Three winners were announced in August.
Finalist creations ranged from a loaded fries pizza—which is a hand-tossed pizza sauced with buttermilk ranch dressing, covered with shredded mozzarella cheese, salted fries, cheddar cheese and topped with chopped bacon—to a sweet encanto, a round waffle sweetened with caramel dulce de leche and a strawberries, kiwi and shredded coconut cream and topped with raspberry jam and drizzled sweet condensed milk.
- Winner best taste savory: Deep-fried pho is handcrafted, rolled up and deep-fried. It combines noodles, slices of beef, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and a pho broth that has been slowly simmered for hours. It is served with a side of pho broth for dipping, lime, jalapenos, cilantro, hoisin sauce and sriracha.
- Winner best taste sweet: Biscoff delight is a New York-style cheesecake coated with Belgian chocolate and adorned with crushed Biscoff cookies. A drizzle of Lotus Biscoff spread imparts a caramelized touch. Topping it off is a carefully placed Biscoff cookie.
- Winner most creative: Bourbon banana caramel sopapillas are traditional sopapillas topped with vanilla-caramel-infused bananas, sweet bourbon syrup, crushed candied pecans, sweetened mascarpone cheese, crumbled Nilla Wafers and dusted with powdered sugar.
