Gingerbread House Competition

For the second year in a row, the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel was holding a gingerbread house competition set to various Christmas story themes. The finalists were on display in the hotel's Park Lounge lobby throughout the Holiday Season.

The competitors were students of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, so we thought that their interest and skill would warrant a stop on our Christmas travels around Phoenix.

Students were challenged to create gingerbread houses constructed and composed completely of edible materials and erected on a board that measures 24 inches high, 18 inches wide, and 24 inches long. The main structure must be constructed primarily of gingerbread and must be to the theme of “The Polar Express,” takes inspiration from the movie where a young boy boards a powerful and magical train to visit Santa Claus in the North Pole.

I wasn't sure, but I thought this portion (shown in the next four photos) of the village was set up by the Hotel.

The works of the finalists in the competition were on display, and the winners of scholarships of $1000, $500, and $250 for the first, second, and third prize winners, respectively, are identified. (My thanks to Katie Brashear, COMPLEX Director of Public Relations for forwarding the names of the winners to me.)

I was able to match names to the following creations.

Mary Kay Pallo from The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa
Grand Prize winner. She received a $1,000 charitable contribution named to Le Cordon Bleu.

Jaclyn Katsolis from The Westin Phoenix Downtown
Second Place winner. She received a $500 charitable contribution named to Le Cordon Bleu.

Melba Cunanan, a culinary student at the school
Third Place winner. She was awarded a $250 scholarship contribution in her name to Le Cordon Bleu.

Samantha King

Tracy Regan

Nicole Copeland

I think the gingerbread house and other related accompaniments are an essential Christmas decoration, and I was glad to see the art and imagination displayed by these participants.