Students create impressive gingerbread houses

Dec. 7, 2012, Toronto – First-year baking and pastry arts students at
George Brown College put their skills and creativity to the test at the
college’s annual gingerbread competition on Dec. 5.

Teams of two students worked to create the ultimate gingerbread house. The houses were on display in the culinary school’s atrium on the morning of Dec. 5, giving students the opportunity to vote for their favourite and the panel of judges (Dufflet Rosenberg of Dufflet Pastries, Rachel Coffey from Wiley and Bakers Journal assistant editor Stefanie Wallace) the chance to inspect each house. The houses were judged on structural soundness, originality and level of skill.

The winners, judges and professors.

After much deliberation, the panel of judges chose three winners and a special judges’ choice award. Congratulations to:

First place: Shani Vaknin and Daniela DiCecco, with their gingerbread treehouse themed “Santa’s epic fall”
Second place: Markus Elegino and Silvia Tsui Lam Poon, with their patisserie-themed treehouse
Third place: Sharon Park and Joung Won Hyun, with their Korean-themed house
Judges’ choice (traditional: Zoe Smith and Beatrice Scholtz
Peoples’ choice: Jessica Dawe and Elizabeth Lebel, with a McDonald’s-themed house.

“We are very pleased with the calibre of work the students have shown this year,” said Chef Erica MacLennan, a baking and pastry arts professor. “It is amazing, given the opportunity, encouragement, support and challenge, what they can accomplish.”

Congratulations to all participants on an impressive job. Check out our Facebook page for more photos.