ASHVILLE, N.C. – The Omni Grove Park Inn recently held its annual National Gingerbread House Competition, which included 200 entries from 22 states and Guatemala. Contestants spanned across adult, teen, youth, and child categories all competing for a chance to win a piece of more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.
This year’s winners, the Difficult Dessert Devotees were a niece and aunt baking duo from North Carolina, and it was their third year competing and first time winning the competition. The furthest traveled competitor was Beatriz Mejia who traveled 4,234 miles from Guatemala to participate in this year’s competition.
The historic Asheville property brought back six awards introduced last year and renamed in memory of former lead judge Chef Nicholas Lodge. Inspired by past entries and the creative elements that the competitors have introduced over the years, the awards included Best Use of Color, Best Use of Sprinkles, Most Unique Ingredient, Pop Culture Star, Most Innovative Structure, and Longest Standing Competitor. Additionally, back by popular demand, registered competitors voted on their favorite design to determine the winner of the People’s Choice: Best in Show Award
While each creation was required to be 75 percent gingerbread and fully edible, this year’s panel of judges also evaluated each entry based on distinct criteria, including overall appearance, originality, creativity, difficulty, precision, and consistency of theme.
The 2023 winning entries in the categories of Adult, Teen, Youth, Child, and People’s Choice: Best in Show Award include:
Adult
Grand Prize Winner: Difficult Dessert Devotees, “Christmas at the Tongkonan” – Fuquay Varina, N.C.
Second Place: Pat Ashley Howard, “Moving Day” – Orlando, Fla.
Third Place: Bonnie Hardiman, “Home Delivery” – Hagerstown, Md.
Teen (Ages 13-17)
First Place: Courtland High School German Program, “Vintage Voyage” – Spotsylvania, Va.
Second Place: Toccoa Titans, “Grove’s Miracle Tonic” – Blue Ridge, Ga
Third Place: Emma Rhinehart, “An Elegant Christmas” – Columbia, Tenn.
Youth (ages 9-12)
First Place: Frost Girls, “Fun in the Tub” – Woodbury, Minn.
Second Place: Perry Reid, “Holiday Smackdown” – Travelers Rest, S.C.
Third Place: The Fiddleheads, “Little Blue Truck’s Christmas” – Clyde, N.C.
Child (ages 5-8)
First Place: Grace Webster, “The Night of Magical Memories” – Greenville, S.C.
Second Place: China Grove Cousins, “Ready, Set, SNOOOOWWWW!!!!” – Mooresville, N.C.
Third Place: Paul Frahler, “Bath Santa Takes Off!” – Greenville, S.C.
People’s Choice: Best in Show Award: Love at Frost Sight, “Rockin’ at the Diner” – Woodbury, Minn.
The 2023 winners across the six Chef Nicholas Lodge Awards include:
- Best Use of Color: Love at Frost Sight, “Rockin’ at the Diner” – Woodbury, Minn.
- Best Use of Sprinkles: Chloe Jennings, “Visions of Sugar Plums” – Purlear, N.C.
- Most Unique Ingredient: Use of Catgut Dental Sutures and Stevia Leaves, Difficult Dessert Devotees, “Christmas at Tongkonan” – Fuquay Varina, N.C.
- Most Innovative Structure: Andrea Watson, “Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho – Simpsonville, S.C.
- Pop Culture Star: Shelby Pechtel, “Groot’s First Christmas” – Troutman, N.C.
- Longest Standing Competitor: Merry Spafford, “A Classical Christmas Carol” – Loudon, Tenn.
This competition began in 1992 with a small group of community members who were passionate about building gingerbread houses and has since evolved into one of the most competitive holiday events in the country. Until Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, the property will spotlight all submissions on display throughout its public spaces. The display is available for resort guests to view 24/7 and to non-resort guests Monday to Thursday and Sundays after 4 p.m., excluding holidays (December 23-25 and 30-31 and January 1).
On display in the Great Hall, guests can visit the life-sized gingerbread house modeled after the hotel, while enjoying house-made hot chocolate, a specialty craft brew in partnership with Highland Brewing, and treats by the glow of the fireplaces. Guests can enjoy more than 80 illuminated trees displayed throughout the resort.
