Skip to playerSkip to main content
NovaStream
  • 2 days ago
Transcript
00:01This is a story about a land of sugar and spice.
00:09Where five teams of master gingerbreaders have come together for a holiday competition like no other.
00:17We take gingerbread very seriously.
00:21We're up against the best.
00:23I've actually dreamed about gingerbread.
00:25Each team will create an entire gingerbread world piece by piece.
00:28Every challenge bringing a new theme.
00:31This is such a feast for the eyes.
00:33I cannot believe it. This is truly next level. I'm blown away.
00:37I can't believe that it's made out of food.
00:40And though it may not be a perfect fairy tale.
00:43What, what, what?
00:45What did you do?
00:46You guys put so much pressure on me.
00:49You're insane.
00:50You're insane.
00:51Their gingerbread lands will grow beyond imagination to create a giant miniature world.
00:58It feels like a warm hug. It feels like what this season means to me.
01:04Until at last, one team will claim the $100,000 grand prize.
01:09But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
01:12Let's start at the beginning.
01:14Where we find our five teams.
01:17Each bringing a little house built at home in advance, designed to match their given style.
01:23Look at all the type of house.
01:25All the stuff.
01:26Team Villa.
01:27We're Bust Up Moms.
01:28And we met Faith at the National Gingerbread House Competition.
01:32I won the competition in 2023.
01:35I have also gotten into the top 10 with Heather.
01:40Team Chalet.
01:41Wow.
01:42It's just so much to take in.
01:44I feel like in Wonderland.
01:46I've done gingerbread for over 25 years.
01:49And I graduated as an architect in Colombia.
01:52We have precision.
01:53We have creativity.
01:55We have experience.
01:56We are already, like, stacked.
01:58Team Coastal.
01:59I definitely think people are underestimating us.
02:03They probably think we're the old moms.
02:05But they don't know what's coming.
02:08We've gone to competitions together.
02:10Together.
02:10We're an awesome team just because we're good friends.
02:13Team Brownstone.
02:15Joelle is a master pastry chef.
02:18It's the same with Rabiha.
02:19She is an expert in her cookie world.
02:22He moves the best cake sculptor I know I've ever seen.
02:25We're incorporating that the right way into gingerbread.
02:28We're using all techniques in the book.
02:32And Team Mid-Century.
02:35I think we are the team to beat.
02:37For me, I'm the architect.
02:39I do gingerbread creations for celebrities.
02:41I have no doubt we're going to win.
02:43Yeah.
02:44We're winning.
02:45But there's one thing missing from this Christmas tale.
02:48A leading man in a cozy sweater.
02:50Oh, look, that's me, your host.
02:54Oh, happy holidays.
02:55Welcome to Gingerbread Land.
03:01The biggest little holiday competition ever.
03:04I'm Oliver Hudson, host.
03:06I love Christmas.
03:08For me, being here is next level.
03:10So for the next four episodes,
03:11you're going to be creating your very own gingerbread worlds
03:14from the ground up.
03:15In the end, one team will take home a sweet cash prize of a drumroll.
03:23Drum it, drum it.
03:25$100,000.
03:30It's going to make for a very Merry Christmas.
03:32You five teams are the most skilled gingerbreaders from across the country.
03:37So we gave you all a little bit of homework.
03:39Build and bring a gingerbread house,
03:42each in a recognizable architectural style.
03:45But what we didn't tell you
03:46is that they will all be judged immediately.
03:50The team that made the best house
03:52will get a big advantage in the first challenge.
03:55We didn't know that our first house was going to be judged,
04:01so that's just sort of leveled up the whole competition.
04:04So, who made the best one?
04:07Well, to find out, we will need judges.
04:10She is a Michelin-awarded restaurateur,
04:13a two-time James Beard Award winner,
04:15Food and Wine Magazine's Pastry Chef of the Year,
04:17and he is an award-winning architect
04:20and professor known as the Hip-Hop Architect.
04:23Our two permanent judges,
04:25Chef Gail Gand and architect Michael Ford.
04:28Wow!
04:31I've always recognized her as, you know,
04:33an OG, a legend in the game.
04:35I've been a fan of hers forever.
04:37He fanboyed over her so hard.
04:39So, judges, behind you are five gingerbread houses
04:42that our team's built.
04:43What are you looking for in these builds?
04:45I want to see a variety of materials that they're using,
04:48but also different techniques.
04:49I want to be able to immediately tell
04:51what architectural style you were assigned.
04:53Hopefully, I don't have to guess.
04:55No pressure.
04:57Michael Ford, I know about his work.
04:59This is going to be about precision, scale.
05:03We have that.
05:03Okay, now, judges, you don't know who built what.
05:06You're only going to find out after you judge them.
05:09So, may the sweetest house win.
05:11Oh, geez.
05:12Oh, that's good.
05:14All right, so, first up here,
05:16we have mid-century modern.
05:18I can tell by the flat roof.
05:20The style of mid-century
05:22is actually one of my favorites.
05:24A modern style, it's clean.
05:26In the floor-to-ceiling glass.
05:28Mm-hmm.
05:29I'm seeing some really darling little work here with sugar.
05:32And I do like that I'm seeing gingerbread.
05:35I wish it was a little straighter.
05:38With mid-century and gingerbread,
05:40it is actually super challenging
05:42because the nature of gingerbread
05:44is that it's really not perfect.
05:46All right, and this one.
05:47So, I'm guessing this is coastal.
05:49Yes, you can tell by the front porch here,
05:52the wood siding.
05:54Most of the homes in coastal
05:55will be federal-style homes.
05:56They're usually just an A-frame house,
05:58little box.
05:59I mean, simple, simple architecture,
06:01covered in usually cedar shake,
06:03board and bat, and clapboard siding.
06:05I'm looking at the royal icing that's on top,
06:08which does look like snow,
06:09but otherwise didn't feel very coastal.
06:12It's sort of cabin-y looking.
06:14This is the Mediterranean Villa.
06:16I can tell by the terracotta roof,
06:18the archways, the gingerbread facade.
06:21It looks like stucco.
06:22Our style is Mediterranean Villa.
06:24I love the terracotta roof
06:26and the color that it can bring,
06:28and then the white landscape,
06:30and then the vegetation.
06:31Some really nice painting there,
06:33and just stonework.
06:35It's great.
06:35I'll take that.
06:36So this is our...
06:37And this is the mountain chalet.
06:39Chalet, yeah.
06:39So you can tell by the gabled roof,
06:41the stone base, the wood facade.
06:44I love chalet architecture
06:45because it goes perfect with gingerbread.
06:48The wood, the wood grain,
06:50the stonework, rustic,
06:52the steep roofs,
06:53so they can support the snow.
06:55Nice little sugar work
06:56that they've got down here.
06:57Feels like Christmas.
06:59And this is the brownstone,
07:02really about verticality,
07:03but also the elevated stoop.
07:05This has got these curved windows,
07:08which is not easy to do in sugar.
07:11Brownstones, you just think of,
07:13say, a three-, four-story building.
07:15Arches, wrought iron.
07:17For me, gingerbread and brownstones
07:19are the match made in heaven.
07:20You know, it is very festive.
07:22But they're missing, like,
07:23the crowning jewel of brownstones,
07:25which is the cornice at the top.
07:27It really defines that line.
07:29So, judges, you've reviewed each gingerbread house.
07:32Now it's time to rank them
07:33from your least to most favorite.
07:37Fifth place is...
07:40Team Coastal.
07:41I was looking for more clues
07:45that it was coastal.
07:47Maybe a mermaid
07:49or some ship references or something.
07:51Arna.
07:52Let's get to number four.
07:53Let's get to fourth place.
07:55The mid-century modern.
07:57Mid-century modern,
07:58it's about clean lines,
08:00but I think you may have cluttered it up
08:02a little bit with some of the intricate details.
08:05Okay, let's get to third place.
08:07Number three is...
08:10Team Brownstone.
08:14One of the things that it was missing,
08:16there's a cornice that's at the top.
08:18But other than that,
08:19very nice details.
08:21And then there were two.
08:24We got Team Villa,
08:26Team Chalet.
08:27Now, one of you is going to get
08:29a big advantage
08:30in the next challenge.
08:32So, Gail.
08:35Second place is the Mountain Chalet.
08:37Oh, my God.
08:40It was very precise,
08:42very clean.
08:43You know, as you think about
08:44the future house builds,
08:46your chimney was above the windows,
08:48which had no way to actually go down.
08:50So, that's a very small thing,
08:51but that will make it soon.
08:53I didn't know that an architect
08:54would actually go to that level of detail,
08:56so I'm kind of impressed.
08:57So, that means Team Villa,
08:59you won!
09:01Look how happy she is.
09:03Yes, good job.
09:05We were jumping up and down.
09:06She was grabbing our hands,
09:08like, with a death grip.
09:09This amazing validation.
09:10Exactly.
09:11We got validation right off the bat.
09:12We are very excited.
09:14Team Villa, you made the best house,
09:15which means you are getting
09:16the advantage in this next challenge.
09:18But more on that later,
09:19which I know I keep saying,
09:20I will let you know.
09:22Okay.
09:22All right, teams.
09:24Your gingerbread houses
09:24are about to become
09:25the first structure
09:26in your magical gingerbread land.
09:29So, for the next four episodes,
09:31you're going to be competing
09:32in challenges
09:33and creating
09:33your very own gingerbread world.
09:35What starts as
09:36one cozy building,
09:38one cute block,
09:40will grow challenge by challenge
09:42into a unique,
09:43incredible gingerbread world,
09:45at which point
09:46I will shrink myself
09:47and my family
09:48and we will live in it.
09:51But this is only
09:52if you make it to the end.
09:54That's right.
09:55There will be eliminations.
09:56So, let's get to it.
10:00The first challenge theme is
10:02where we gather.
10:04Your build should include
10:05a gathering place
10:07that reflects the heart
10:08of your world,
10:09like a town hall
10:10or a church,
10:11a library,
10:12or whatever you choose.
10:13We'll be judging you
10:14on creativity
10:15and your overall design.
10:17So, that includes originality
10:19and your ability
10:20to stay true
10:21to your architectural style.
10:23These builds need to be clean.
10:24They need to be precise.
10:25So, as you build your world,
10:28one piece needs to blend
10:29seamlessly into the next.
10:31Everything you need
10:32to build your world,
10:33all the tools
10:34and all the ingredients
10:35you want,
10:36are right there.
10:37And remember,
10:38everything must be edible.
10:41Teams,
10:41you will have
10:42until the clock strikes 12
10:44to finish.
10:46That means you just have
10:4612 hours for this challenge.
10:49Are you ready?
10:50It doesn't matter.
10:52Go!
10:52Come on, let's go,
10:53go, go, go!
10:54Let's get into this.
10:55We need a plan.
10:56We need a plan.
10:57Where we gather,
10:58what is a place
10:58that we could use?
11:00Church, right?
11:01Yeah, okay.
11:02This is definitely
11:03the most massive undertaking
11:05any of us have...
11:06Ever done.
11:07Ever done.
11:08But if I'm going to show you
11:09what a house
11:10in the Mediterranean looks like,
11:12then why not show you
11:13what an entire town
11:14would look like?
11:15So,
11:15we are building
11:16a town block
11:17and then we have
11:18this beautiful church
11:19where they come
11:20and they gather.
11:21All right, let's go.
11:22So, our secret
11:24to build those structures
11:25is we create
11:26a construction-grade
11:28gingerbread dough.
11:29We take out
11:29all leaveners to it
11:30besides eggs.
11:31We also incorporate
11:32honey into it
11:34so after it bakes
11:35it turns rock hard.
11:37Hot gingerbread
11:37coming through.
11:39I like the construction
11:40part of it.
11:41I like using power tools.
11:44The judges have already
11:45mentioned the stonework
11:46on the outside
11:47of these arches
11:47and so we really
11:48want to keep up
11:49that level of artistry
11:50because we are up
11:51against some real talent.
11:53Oh, man.
11:54Okay.
11:54You okay?
11:55Yep.
11:55This is next-level
11:56gingerbread building.
11:58Yeah.
11:58So, people are making
11:59their own molds.
12:00They brought some
12:01of their own little tools.
12:02Like, there's little
12:03table saws over there.
12:04We'll get a little
12:05more insight
12:05if we go check out
12:06some of the bakers,
12:07shall we?
12:07Let's take a look.
12:08All right.
12:08Let's go see.
12:09Okay.
12:10Hi!
12:10How's it going,
12:11everybody?
12:11It's going.
12:13So, what are we
12:13thinking here?
12:14So, we're definitely
12:15going to do
12:16some more residential houses
12:17We're going to put
12:18a lot more focus
12:19on those sharp details
12:21of the exterior.
12:22I feel so heard.
12:23I think it's going to be
12:24a lot more successful.
12:25We're inspired
12:26by Palm Springs.
12:27Yes.
12:27So, we are creating
12:29two houses
12:30and one town hall
12:31where all the people
12:32from the homes
12:32would be gathering.
12:33We're going to have
12:34a lot of palm trees
12:35in our town
12:35because it's a staple
12:37of Palm Springs.
12:38I think this is
12:38a great approach
12:39because you're showing
12:40mid-century modern
12:41in a variety of ways.
12:44So, we really want
12:45to take the advice
12:46of the judges
12:46and keep the clean,
12:48sharp lines
12:48as much as possible.
12:50Out of the different styles,
12:51mid-century is probably
12:53one of the most difficult
12:54because it's very horizontal,
12:56very linear.
12:57But that's also
12:57what makes it exciting
12:58because we have
12:59an opportunity
13:00to make something
13:01that maybe a lot of people
13:03haven't seen before.
13:05I like, smell it.
13:07They have notes.
13:08It smells like Christmas.
13:09Oh.
13:10The judges did not think
13:11that our pre-built
13:12was coastal enough to them.
13:14So, when we were given
13:15where you gather,
13:16our immediate thought
13:17was there's nothing
13:17more coastal
13:18than a beautiful lighthouse
13:19set in a New England
13:21community
13:22with multiple houses,
13:23topography, and lighting.
13:25Is that good?
13:25Yes.
13:26For the lighthouse,
13:27we chose to do
13:28the structure
13:29out of rice cereal treats
13:30and then we can
13:31cover that with dough.
13:33Ready to try it?
13:34Luckily, there are
13:35a lot of different
13:36edible materials
13:37besides gingerbread.
13:38As a team,
13:40we are staying true
13:41to our artistic style
13:42with each little tile,
13:44each little shake,
13:45individually hand cut.
13:46Awesome!
13:47Even though the other
13:48builds are precise
13:49and they're so nice
13:51and tight and clean,
13:53but I don't think
13:53that it gives it emotion.
13:55That's so pretty.
13:57Hearing that we were
13:57fifth ignited us.
13:59Our plan is to still win.
14:01Still win.
14:03How are you guys doing?
14:04So far, so good.
14:06For where we live
14:06and gather,
14:07we're going to build
14:07a town hall
14:08and two buildings
14:09in a brownstone style.
14:11And then down the street,
14:12a giant tree lighting
14:13because you want to kick
14:15Christmas celebrations
14:16off with a tree lighting.
14:18The batter is going
14:19into the paper cup.
14:21So edible moss
14:22is basically a sponge cake
14:23baked in a microwave.
14:25It just takes seconds.
14:27It's easy.
14:27It gives the realistic texture.
14:30Our judges said
14:31that they love
14:32the fine details,
14:33so that's what
14:34we are giving them.
14:35That's how we're
14:35going to bring it.
14:36Here you go.
14:38Merry Christmas, guys.
14:40My husband and I
14:41were married
14:42in this really nice
14:43white chapel.
14:44It had a really tall steeple.
14:45Where we gather
14:46means our team's
14:47special moments.
14:48I said, you know what?
14:49I got married
14:50in this really cute chapel
14:52down by the Mississippi River.
14:54So we're going
14:55to make a chapel
14:56in these tiny homes
14:57that showcase
14:58Carolina's architectural style.
15:00And we have this plan
15:02for this really nice plaza.
15:03So what I'll get started on
15:04is building out
15:05our landscape.
15:06You guys can get
15:07to building.
15:09So for each of the homes,
15:11all the borders
15:12of the building
15:13are going to be covered
15:14in gum paste,
15:15and I'm going to cut it
15:17with the texture
15:18of a stone.
15:19One of my gingerbread houses
15:21got top 10
15:22in the nationals.
15:24I love architecture,
15:25and I'm always looking
15:27for perfection.
15:28I think it gives us
15:29a competitive edge
15:30over the other teams.
15:31Did you study architecture
15:32at all?
15:32Yes.
15:33She's an architect.
15:35And then we have Susan.
15:3625 years
15:37of gingerbread experience.
15:39Susan is the queen
15:40of gingerbread.
15:41Gingerbread.
15:41Do you know
15:42anyone else here?
15:43Yes.
15:44Faith and Greer
15:45and Jennifer,
15:47I see,
15:48Wendy.
15:48Lindsay and Wendy,
15:49we compete against
15:50each other at nationals.
15:51You guys talk trash.
15:52Yeah.
15:52We talk, we, yeah.
15:55I think this competition
15:56is going to be
15:56really difficult
15:57because we're up
15:58against some crazy,
16:01talented people.
16:02It's going to be
16:02down to the wire.
16:05Okay, this challenge
16:06is where we gather.
16:08They have to make
16:08a place where
16:09everyone comes together,
16:11where they form community.
16:12They have to create
16:13a new corner
16:14of their world.
16:14Yeah.
16:15Just quicker this dries,
16:17quicker we get coats on.
16:20We want to get
16:21as much stuff done
16:22on the actual panels
16:24of the buildings
16:24before we construct
16:27the actual building.
16:28Come on, glue,
16:29do your job, please.
16:30We want to paint them
16:31and we want to glue
16:32things on
16:33because one of the
16:35unique techniques
16:36that we are bringing
16:37to the competition
16:38are our interlocking
16:40sides of our buildings
16:42and they lock together
16:44so that the buildings
16:45can really stand
16:45on their own
16:46and it's going
16:47to help us build faster.
16:49Boom shakalaka.
16:51Hey guys,
16:52I got to get
16:52everyone's attention
16:53for a second.
16:53You are in the presence
16:54of the current
16:56gingerbread national champion
16:58right here.
16:59Yes.
17:02I don't want that
17:03to intimidate you
17:04at all,
17:05but champion.
17:06Champion.
17:08We're the team
17:09to beat, right?
17:10You are the team
17:10to beat.
17:11Hi.
17:12Hello.
17:13Is this a lighthouse?
17:14Yes.
17:15Nice.
17:16Yes.
17:16So you will know
17:17that it is coastal.
17:18That will help.
17:19For this lighthouse,
17:21we went as tall
17:22as possible.
17:23There's a 42-inch
17:25height limit
17:26and we are trying
17:27to hit it
17:27because that lighthouse
17:28is that beacon
17:29of that community.
17:30So we're ready
17:31to add the glass feature
17:33on the top
17:34that will be the light.
17:35Using a mason jar
17:37silicone mold,
17:38I'll pour clear
17:40isomalt into it.
17:41Ta-da.
17:43Oh, that'll look good.
17:45I will get to wire
17:46this thing
17:46and hope
17:47that this thing
17:48will light up.
17:49We already know
17:50what it's like
17:51to be in the bottom
17:52and we don't want
17:52to be there again
17:53and I don't want
17:54to be the person
17:55that caused it.
17:56Don't worry about me.
17:57If I fall off and die,
17:58I can go home.
17:58Keep going, keep going.
18:00There we are.
18:01And there was light.
18:03Sparkling.
18:05Okay, Bakers,
18:05you're halfway through.
18:07Okay.
18:08Oh, my God.
18:09Oh, my God.
18:12Hey, Team Chalet.
18:14How are you guys doing?
18:15We're working hard.
18:17So what are you thinking
18:17about for the facade?
18:19Of your church here.
18:20We're going to have stone
18:21and then the siding over here
18:22is very detailed.
18:25The church is really important
18:26to me because it's a replica
18:27of the church my husband
18:28and I got married in.
18:29I made the steeple
18:30out of ginger clay.
18:32I love ginger clay.
18:33Ginger clay
18:34is finely ground gingerbread
18:36with gum Arabic
18:37and it becomes this clay.
18:39You can do a lot with it.
18:41That steeple is really iconic
18:42and I wanted it
18:43to do it justice.
18:44I love it.
18:46Have an angle ruler
18:47to make sure that
18:48our lights are spaced evenly.
18:50We're adding lights
18:51to the exterior
18:52because we have this plan
18:53for this really nice plaza
18:55and we want to communicate
18:56that people gather
18:57day and night.
18:59Hey, guys,
18:59I'm recovering these lights.
19:01I don't like the way
19:01they look.
19:02I want our work
19:03to be clean.
19:04That's what we want
19:04to be known for.
19:05This is exciting.
19:09Look at that precision.
19:11We spent a lot of time
19:12putting the houses together,
19:14straightening out edges
19:15and making sure
19:17we had crisp, clean lines.
19:18I really want to impress
19:20the judges
19:20and show them
19:21that we are listening
19:22to their critiques
19:23and we're making adjustments.
19:25All right, you guys,
19:25I'm putting the candy in.
19:26There are huge windows.
19:28That's pretty much
19:28a staple of mid-century.
19:30To make the windows,
19:31I'm taking these candies
19:33and placing them
19:34into cutouts
19:35and baking them
19:36because they're going
19:36to melt.
19:37The candy that we use
19:38has a very warm hue to it.
19:40Mid-mod,
19:41how do we do this?
19:42These are our special candy
19:43that I pick out.
19:44Cough drops, right?
19:45Yeah.
19:46Yeah.
19:46So basically,
19:47if I have a cough,
19:48I can just bite into that.
19:49You just lick the glass.
19:50Yeah, you just lick the glass.
19:52I'll hold this
19:53and you pour it.
19:53So, yeah,
19:54I am spending
19:55endless hours
19:56working on the town hall
19:58because that is
19:59where we gather.
20:00It's a little difficult
20:01because the town hall
20:02is on such a large scale.
20:04There was a lot
20:05of pipe details.
20:07We're using isomalt
20:08to glue our walls down.
20:10I made a temper chocolate
20:11bell tower.
20:12We're going back
20:13and adding cornices
20:14in the moldings
20:15of the buildings.
20:18Yes.
20:18It is really important
20:20for us
20:20that the judges
20:21know we took
20:22their feet back.
20:23Dang.
20:24I should be an architect.
20:25Okay, bakers,
20:27I have an announcement.
20:29Stop working
20:30just for a second.
20:31We're going to stop
20:31the clock.
20:33But like a snow globe,
20:34we're going to shake
20:35things up.
20:36Oh, Lord.
20:37Team Villa,
20:38you are about to get
20:39that advantage
20:39that you earned earlier.
20:41Yes.
20:42Oh, my gosh.
20:43What is this going to be
20:45and how much
20:47of an advantage
20:48is this other team
20:49going to have
20:49over the rest of us?
20:50Oh, Lord.
20:51So, as all of you know,
20:58the best gingerbread lands
21:00should tell a story.
21:02I'm like,
21:03oh, my God,
21:03what next?
21:04Here comes Oliver
21:05with this Oliver's twist.
21:08There are five stockings
21:10with written story prompts.
21:12So, each is a line
21:13that you might find
21:13in a magical Christmas tale.
21:16We have
21:16a surprise proposal.
21:19Seeing is believing.
21:21The unexpected holiday guest.
21:24Pet who saved the holiday.
21:26And down through the chimney.
21:28Every team must pick one
21:30and create a story from it
21:31to weave into your build.
21:33We want to push you
21:34to make your gingerbread land
21:36really come to life.
21:38Team Villa,
21:38since you guys finished first,
21:40you are going to get
21:41the advantage
21:42of picking the first story prompt.
21:44Come on down.
21:45I think we were feeling
21:46pretty good,
21:46but we were hoping
21:47we were going to have
21:48extra time.
21:49I know what you're not.
21:50We really need
21:51the chimney prompt.
21:53And I'm just hoping
21:54that we get the opportunity
21:55to get the one
21:56that we want.
21:57What are we thinking here?
21:58We think we want to take
22:00the one we think
22:00that's the most fun.
22:02Pet who saved the holiday.
22:03Okay.
22:03Oh, I wanted that.
22:05Let's hope that advantage
22:05works out for you guys.
22:07All right.
22:07Team Chalet.
22:08You finished second,
22:09so you get to pick next.
22:11So, luckily,
22:12we get to pick
22:13the one that we want.
22:14It'll be perfect
22:15for the chimney.
22:16Down through the chimney
22:18is gone.
22:19Team Brownstone.
22:20Seeing is Believing.
22:21All right.
22:22Good job, guys.
22:23Seeing is Believing
22:24is off the table.
22:25Let's bring up
22:26Team Mid-Century.
22:27At least you have a choice.
22:28We're going to end up
22:29with whatever we end up with,
22:30so we have to make
22:30the story work.
22:31Right.
22:32I think we should do
22:32the unexpected guests.
22:33Okay, great.
22:35Unexpected guests
22:35is off the board.
22:37All right.
22:38Thank you, guys.
22:39Coastal, come on up.
22:40There's only
22:41a surprise proposal left.
22:44Good luck, guys.
22:45All right, Ginger Better,
22:46so the plot has thickened.
22:48So, with the addition
22:49of this new story,
22:50consider how the story
22:51is told,
22:52but also where it's told.
22:54I want to see
22:55precision
22:56in your craftsmanship.
22:58Your time starts
22:59now.
23:00Go.
23:02Okay, guys.
23:03All right, guys.
23:03Let's chat about it.
23:04And now,
23:05there's a twist.
23:05More work.
23:06We'll have a couple
23:07down on one knee.
23:08He's asked for to marry him.
23:10My husband proposed to me
23:11by tying the diamond ring
23:13around a puppy's neck.
23:15This will add
23:15so much cuteness.
23:17I will use clay.
23:18We'll roll it,
23:19sculpt it,
23:19let it dry,
23:20and then we'll go back
23:21in and hand-paint
23:21all the details.
23:22And we're gonna have them
23:23in front of the lighthouse.
23:25Even though we chose last,
23:26it actually worked out for us.
23:27He's so cute.
23:32The prompt does say
23:33holiday guests.
23:34We decided on glamorous
23:36Mrs. Claus,
23:37who's vacationing
23:38in Palm Springs.
23:39Yes.
23:39She's maybe the only guest.
23:41She was the special guest
23:42at a holiday party
23:43happening at the community center.
23:45I'm feeling
23:45a little overwhelmed.
23:46We were a little
23:47pressed for time.
23:48Yeah.
23:49You have to do
23:50ground cover,
23:51you have to do buildings,
23:52windows, details.
23:54And then adding people
23:55in, too.
23:56It's just going by
23:57so much faster
23:58than I could have expected.
23:59I just feel like
23:59we need more
24:00holiday decor.
24:02Yep.
24:02Can we just add
24:04animals?
24:06Animals.
24:06So they're going to celebrate
24:08the holidays together.
24:10That is seeing
24:11is believing.
24:12Okay.
24:13Our story is
24:14animals and people
24:16started to live in harmony.
24:17We made a town hall
24:18that has a tree
24:20right in front
24:20where the community
24:21with the animals
24:22are going to go
24:23watch the tree lighting.
24:25I'm making all
24:25the animals
24:26out of modeling chocolate
24:27and I'm going
24:28to hand sculpt them.
24:30Ooh, a zoo going on here.
24:32Look at that.
24:33Animals are so hard to make.
24:35They are hard to make.
24:37I'm working next to Hemu.
24:39I start sweating.
24:40I was, like,
24:41very intimidating
24:43by her work.
24:44Like, I wish her the best,
24:45but I have to be her.
24:47All right.
24:48I'm going to stick
24:48the bag in the chimney.
24:50For our story prompt,
24:51we decided to create
24:52a reindeer retrieving
24:53Santa's gift bag
24:55that he left behind.
24:56I'm going to make a reindeer
24:57out of modeling chocolate.
24:59One antler,
25:00two antlers.
25:02For antlers,
25:02I'm going to use grape stems.
25:04The judges already
25:04gave us feedback
25:05saying that our chimney
25:06was, like,
25:07inaccurately located,
25:08so we changed it.
25:10And then us having
25:11the reindeer up there
25:12hopefully will draw
25:13their attention
25:14to the fact
25:14that we took their notes.
25:16So cute.
25:17Say the cat
25:18is over here
25:19on the ledge,
25:20like, snags the ornament
25:21with his ball of yarn, too.
25:23The story prompt
25:24ended up being
25:25this cat
25:26would save
25:27the holiday.
25:29And so on the top
25:30of this tree
25:30there was this star
25:31and the star
25:32fell off of the side
25:34of the portico
25:35and the cat
25:36inadvertently saved the day
25:37with his ball of yarn.
25:39It is making our piece
25:40come alive
25:41a little bit more.
25:42It's really cute.
25:43I like it.
25:45I don't know
25:45how much time is left.
25:46We got one hour.
25:47One hour?
25:47We have one hour left.
25:49Oh, my gosh.
25:50You can do it, Rabihah.
25:51Don't worry.
25:51One hour.
25:52Oh, crap.
25:53And the doors
25:54are now
25:55open.
25:58And when that clock
25:59strikes midnight,
26:00your gingerbread lands
26:01must be in the judging gallery.
26:03Wonderful.
26:05I'm going to slather
26:07some of the royal icing
26:08on top.
26:09Stay calm.
26:10Our main town centerpiece
26:11is a church,
26:12and we're still
26:14working on
26:15getting everything
26:15to look the way
26:16we want to.
26:17We need you on the roof
26:18for the church.
26:19We have been praised
26:20on our terracotta piles.
26:23That was our plan
26:24for the church roof.
26:25Had we had more time,
26:26I suggested that we just
26:27painted the deep,
26:29dark chocolate.
26:29We don't have, like,
26:30a texture on it.
26:31We're not going to have
26:32time to figure that out.
26:34I am trying not
26:35to psych myself out
26:37too much by seeing
26:38what everybody else
26:39is doing.
26:39It's a lot of pressure
26:40to keep up that level
26:41of artistry
26:42and consistency.
26:43It's hard work,
26:44this gingerbread stuff.
26:48Bakers, you only have
26:4920 minutes left.
26:50Okay, wait, move.
26:51Please.
26:52We need to be
26:53so specific
26:54with brownstone style
26:55so the buildings
26:56face each other
26:57like a New York street.
26:59Let me pipe
27:00some details.
27:01We are way behind,
27:02which is not good.
27:03We didn't have
27:03the palm trees
27:04into the center
27:05of the community center.
27:06We've had to cut out
27:07a lot.
27:08I need to put
27:09the people here.
27:10We decided to go
27:11with these white figurines
27:13that is made out of
27:14fondant around the village
27:15because that's what
27:16we do in architecture
27:17to give the scale.
27:19Nice.
27:20You have four minutes
27:21to get your builds
27:22into the judge's room.
27:25Let me just get in there
27:26with some bright brown.
27:27I think the things
27:28we're most concerned
27:29about are the church roof.
27:31It does have a little bit
27:32of a different look
27:33than the houses.
27:34Gingerbread walking.
27:36Above the door,
27:37up and up.
27:38There is this mad dash
27:39to make sure that
27:40everything is on the board.
27:41We don't want to be
27:41on the end again.
27:42Watch the door top.
27:44We got it.
27:45Cleared it.
27:45Clear, we're clear.
27:47Okay, let's start
27:47wheeling.
27:48Just bring it in the room.
27:49Bring it in the room.
27:49I'm struggling a little.
27:50Wow, Joelle is rolling in.
27:53Hamu is piping.
27:54I'm throwing the snow on.
27:56We made it happen.
27:57Wow.
27:59One minute and 43 seconds.
28:01What are you doing?
28:01It's going to be salty.
28:03Just glue this, please.
28:05It's like a race
28:06to the finish.
28:06We need to stay calm.
28:07This is not the time
28:08to self-implode.
28:09Like, this is not the time.
28:11Things are getting intense
28:12and we're all, like,
28:13trying to take a critical eye
28:14to this to clean stuff up.
28:16We need to go.
28:17Beep, beep.
28:17Clear the way, everybody.
28:19Five, four, three, two, one.
28:24Time is up!
28:30God, amazing, amazing.
28:33I'm definitely feeling nervous.
28:35We are lacking a lot of detail.
28:38Palm trees, Christmas trees.
28:40I really hope this is enough
28:41for us to stay in.
28:42Oh, it's a holiday party!
28:44I'm immensely proud
28:45of what we were able to accomplish
28:47in that 12 hours of time.
28:50I think we are very proud
28:51of what we've done,
28:52but you can't help
28:53but look at everybody else's
28:54and think,
28:55uh, have I done enough?
29:01You guys ready?
29:02Yes.
29:03Yes.
29:03It is time to meet
29:05our very special guest judge.
29:06Oh, dang.
29:08He's an iconic stylist.
29:10And every time he creates a look
29:12for one of his A-list clients,
29:14he brings a sharp eye
29:15for visual composition
29:17and color theory.
29:18Please welcome Brad Goreski.
29:24I recognize Brad
29:26from his journey as a stylist.
29:28He's such a sharp dresser.
29:30I'm like,
29:30this man has very good taste.
29:32What are you looking for
29:33approaching these builds
29:35and actually judging them?
29:36You know,
29:36I think I'm looking for
29:37the same thing I look for
29:38in styling.
29:40I want to see creativity,
29:42precision,
29:43detail,
29:44all of those things
29:45that finesse
29:45a beautiful red carpet look,
29:47I'm hoping to see
29:47in your beautiful creations as well.
29:49So you arrived with these
29:51incredible gingerbread houses
29:52that you built
29:53and then we challenged you
29:54to expand that
29:56into a full world
29:57under the theme
29:58where we gather.
29:59You're going to be judged
30:00on creativity,
30:01design,
30:02execution,
30:03and of course,
30:05storytelling.
30:05Okay,
30:06Team Coastal,
30:07step on up to your build.
30:10We made a coastal village.
30:13So we gather
30:14at a lighthouse
30:15and of course
30:16you have to have a light
30:17in the lighthouse
30:18to bring everyone
30:19to our coastal community.
30:22This particular home,
30:24this is the traditional
30:25Cedar Shake home
30:26and cottage.
30:27Our prompt
30:28was a surprise proposal.
30:30I was proposed to
30:31and our little puppy
30:33was probably 12 weeks old
30:35and my husband
30:36tied the diamond ring
30:38around his collar.
30:40So that is represented
30:41in our piece.
30:42So it's autobiographical.
30:43Yeah.
30:44First of all,
30:45I love the look of it,
30:47that it looks handmade
30:48and it's a really nice town
30:51that I want to live in.
30:52I also love some
30:53of the architectural detail.
30:54That was one of the critiques
30:55we gave before
30:55where your materials
30:56didn't really sing
30:57but now when I look
30:58at the boathouse,
30:59I can see the clapboard now,
31:01I can see the weathering
31:03on it
31:04but I also like
31:04that lighthouse
31:05lets the light
31:06be the shining moment.
31:07Our eye is drawn in
31:08right to that proposal.
31:09In my styling mind,
31:11what I'm loving
31:12is that you've not only
31:13led us into
31:13your imaginations,
31:14you've led us
31:15into the personal
31:16storytelling
31:17which I think is
31:18part of the reason
31:19why there's like
31:19a warmth to all of this.
31:22Well, thank you,
31:22Team Coastal.
31:25Brownstone.
31:28Welcome to our
31:29brownstone city.
31:31For the place
31:32we live and gather,
31:33we made a town hall
31:34that has a tree
31:35right in front
31:36where the community
31:37are going to go
31:37watch the tree lighting.
31:39Our story prompt
31:40is seeing is believing.
31:41The animals are roaming free
31:43alongside everybody else
31:45in the city.
31:46They're helping
31:47decorate the tree.
31:49It's just a little bit
31:51of whimsy.
31:52I obviously see
31:54a lot of different techniques
31:55and the craftsmanship
31:57on the tree.
31:58It's not made
31:59how trees are typically made
32:01and quite impressive.
32:02Crazy.
32:03I do appreciate it.
32:04You've now started
32:04to incorporate
32:05different types of brownstone.
32:07Your town hall
32:08feels very classical.
32:10One of the problems
32:11I have, though,
32:12is how the buildings
32:13are facing each other.
32:14Mm-hmm.
32:15And because of that,
32:16I'm not feeling invited.
32:19Yeah, the real magic
32:20is on the other side.
32:21Yeah.
32:22But I do love
32:24the story with the animals.
32:25My eye is drawn
32:26directly to the giraffe,
32:28which is really, really nice.
32:29Well, thank you,
32:29Team Brownstone.
32:31Appreciate it.
32:31Bye-bye.
32:32Okay, Mid-Century Modern.
32:35Welcome to the
32:36Mid-Century Neighborhood
32:37in Palm Springs.
32:39With where we gather,
32:40we made a community center
32:42where everybody's
32:43going to come together
32:44for a great holiday party.
32:47We also have
32:48three different houses,
32:49a glass house
32:50and another one
32:51we call boomerang.
32:52The story prompt
32:53that we were given
32:54was unexpected holiday guest,
32:58Mrs. Claus.
33:00She's a girl boss.
33:01She's booked.
33:01She's busy.
33:03So she is a special guest
33:05at this holiday function.
33:07To see the different approaches,
33:09you have the butterfly roof,
33:10you have the flat roofs.
33:12You know, before we commented
33:14on the straight lines,
33:15which is associated
33:16with mid-mod,
33:17you're letting the material sink,
33:18and that's what
33:19a modern architect would do.
33:21Great job.
33:22Thanks.
33:23I'm very impressed,
33:25but I wish I was seeing
33:26a little more Christmas
33:27indication.
33:29I think you've done
33:29a really good job
33:31with the minimalism aspect,
33:33but I think what I'm seeing here
33:34is a beautiful gown
33:36that needs some accessories.
33:37Right.
33:37Absolutely.
33:38Well, thank you very much,
33:39Mid-Century.
33:41Chalet,
33:43let's talk about it.
33:44For this challenge,
33:45where we live and gather,
33:46we have decided
33:47to create a chapel
33:48for our Mountain Chalet Ski Resort.
33:51It is reminiscent
33:52of the chapel
33:53that Susan got married in.
33:56For our story prompt,
33:57down the chimney,
33:58we decided to create
33:59a reindeer retrieving
34:01Santa's gift bag
34:02that he left behind.
34:03And then we wanted
34:04to have these street posts
34:05outside to show
34:07this is a place
34:08where people can also gather.
34:10This is a love letter
34:11to Gingerbread.
34:13I was looking at the church
34:14and I love the height
34:15in the steeple
34:16and then the stained glass windows.
34:18This is a couture gown.
34:20It's a very clean look.
34:22It is very precise.
34:23I'm not sure yet
34:24how I feel about the figurines.
34:27They're a little spooky.
34:30They're there to give scale
34:31if you need it.
34:32It's that they're just
34:33sort of a suggestion
34:34of a person.
34:35Makes it feel unreal.
34:37I have to give you all credit
34:38about the position
34:39of the chimney.
34:40I'm glad to see
34:40it actually moved.
34:42All right, well,
34:42Team Shelley, thank you guys.
34:44Great work.
34:45I'm really surprised
34:46Michael noticed
34:46that the chimney was moved.
34:48It goes to the show,
34:49you know, the notes
34:49they're giving us,
34:50they're keeping track of that.
34:51Next up, Team Villa.
34:55My biggest concern
34:56going into judging
34:57is we don't have
34:59enough little details.
35:01We don't have enough story.
35:02We don't have enough surprises.
35:04So I'm a little nervous.
35:09Team Villa.
35:10Let's talk.
35:12Welcome to
35:13the Mediterranean Villa.
35:16The church really is
35:17the place that everybody
35:18comes together
35:18all at the same time.
35:20For the pet
35:21that saved the holidays,
35:22this ornament
35:23has fallen off
35:25of this tree
35:25and the kitty cat
35:27playing with his little
35:28ball of yarn
35:29inadvertently
35:30saved the day.
35:32Well, first off,
35:33I want to point out
35:34that you are the winners
35:35of the home build.
35:37Yes, thank you for that.
35:38So we had very high expectations.
35:40Yes.
35:42I want to tell you
35:44that you did not disappoint.
35:45Awesome.
35:46You're using gingerbread
35:48in umpteen different ways.
35:49Yes, ma'am.
35:50Like, it looks minimalistic,
35:51but it's actually
35:52very complicated.
35:53But I'm questioning
35:54that finish
35:55on your roof
35:56of your church.
35:57I think there's
35:58another layer
35:58that needs to be added there
35:59because it doesn't fit
36:01with the rest.
36:02One of the other items
36:02you want to pay attention to
36:03is how you are
36:05fastening your structure.
36:07The soft tooth process
36:08you're using
36:09is very good structurally.
36:10We use it all the time
36:11as architects.
36:13I appreciate it,
36:14but I don't want to see it.
36:16Okay.
36:17Team Villa,
36:18thank you very much.
36:20Okay, gingerbreaders,
36:21can you please
36:22head back into the kitchen
36:23so we can talk about
36:24you behind your back?
36:25Thank you very much.
36:30I think it's time
36:31to make some decisions.
36:32Let's talk about these
36:33one at a time.
36:35I would say Team Coastal,
36:36who was in last place,
36:37have moved up.
36:39A lot.
36:39I still think
36:40there are a lot of flaws.
36:42But Team Coastal
36:43has something
36:43that Team Brownstone doesn't,
36:45and that's the invitation
36:47to come into our land.
36:48I hope that we've done enough
36:49that the judges
36:50don't send us home.
36:51And let us finish
36:52the stories.
36:52I think Team Brownstone
36:54shows some skill.
36:56The way that they are
36:57showing the differences
36:58that you can get
36:58out of Brownstone.
36:59But there's no spatial
37:01awareness at all.
37:04We need to keep in mind
37:05that this is more
37:06of a display
37:07rather than...
37:08An actual, literal...
37:10An actual, literal...
37:10City Brownstone.
37:12I love how they
37:13understood the style,
37:15but it feels like
37:15something's missing.
37:16I think there's
37:17a real opportunity
37:18for creativity
37:19in the minimalism
37:20that was missed.
37:21No, I agree.
37:22It's missing
37:22a Christmas feel.
37:24When I look at
37:25everybody else's,
37:27theirs had warm and fuzzy.
37:29I hope that they
37:29give us the opportunity
37:30to take into consideration
37:32their critiques
37:33and then we can
37:34turn it around.
37:35What I love about this team
37:36is the attention to detail.
37:38It's a work of art.
37:39Having said that,
37:40I don't feel like
37:41anybody lives here.
37:43Mm-hmm.
37:43I'm really concerned
37:44about Gail's comment
37:45about the people.
37:46If we get a chance
37:47with the next one,
37:49we do need to
37:49raise the bar.
37:50Exactly.
37:52Hmm.
37:52This team,
37:53probably more than,
37:55you know,
37:55most of the teams,
37:56they really stuck
37:56to the style.
37:58I'm not, like,
37:59100% sure
38:00that Team Villa
38:02is safe.
38:03It was a little bit
38:03of a double-edged sword.
38:04As an architect,
38:05he loved the tongue
38:06and groove.
38:07He just did not
38:08want to see it.
38:09Right.
38:09Yeah.
38:10I think if we continue,
38:11we will have more time
38:13to address the joints.
38:15All right, judges.
38:16I think we need
38:16to go deliver some news,
38:17huh?
38:18Yeah.
38:18Let's do it.
38:19Please gather around teams.
38:27It's the moment of truth.
38:29Well, Ginger Betters,
38:30this is the tough part.
38:31The judges have
38:32made their decision.
38:34When you hear your team name,
38:36please step forward.
38:38Team Coastal.
38:40You're a little bit concerned.
38:42You kind of look around
38:43the room and you're like,
38:43oh, we're going home.
38:45Team Villa.
38:45There were a couple issues
38:48with our build,
38:49so we're a little nervous.
38:52Team Chalet,
38:52please step forward.
38:54We don't know
38:55if we are in the top
38:57or in the bottom.
38:58It's just a nerve-wracking
39:00situation right now.
39:02Are these teams on the top
39:03or are these teams
39:04on the bottom?
39:07They are...
39:11on the top!
39:12Oh, my God!
39:15I did not like that look.
39:18Now, it's time
39:19to reveal
39:20who is the winner.
39:22And by the way,
39:23this winner
39:23will get another advantage
39:25next time.
39:26Much like the one
39:27that you guys had before,
39:28which, as we know,
39:29played a big role.
39:31The winner is...
39:37Team Chalet!
39:39You produced something
39:48that was just
39:48the highest excellence
39:50in artistry.
39:52It was precise,
39:53it was beautiful,
39:54it told a wonderful story,
39:56and you could just really
39:57feel the magic
39:58of the holidays from it.
39:59Oh, we did it!
40:01We did it!
40:01I'm just really proud of us.
40:03I'm really excited
40:05to continue
40:06telling our story.
40:08Team Brownstone
40:08and Team Mid-Century,
40:09please step up.
40:13Team Brownstone,
40:15because of the placement
40:16of your buildings,
40:17I didn't get a sense
40:18of community.
40:19All three of us
40:20are competitive beasts.
40:22This is not
40:23where we see ourselves.
40:24Yes.
40:25I've never been
40:27on these bottom...
40:28It's soul-crushing.
40:30Team Mid-Century,
40:31for Bill to not feel
40:32like Christmas.
40:34We didn't get
40:35the holiday spirit.
40:36Finding out
40:37that our team
40:38is in the bottom two,
40:40oh, it kind of took
40:42the win out of my sails.
40:43But I understood it,
40:45because that Christmas element
40:46was missing.
40:48This is a Christmas challenge.
40:50Now it's time
40:51for the final result.
40:53The team going home
40:55is...
40:55No one.
41:01What?
41:02This is a Christmas miracle.
41:04You are all safe.
41:07High five.
41:08High five.
41:09High five.
41:11But there's $100,000
41:12on the line here,
41:14and you can't always count
41:15on a Christmas miracle.
41:17Yes!
41:17Going into the next round,
41:19we have to saturate
41:21our theme with Christmas.
41:23We need to impress those judges.
41:25We need to let them know
41:26we're here to deliver.
41:28Get ready.
41:29This adventure
41:30in gingerbread land
41:31is just beginning.
41:33Ooh, oh my gosh.
41:35That's magic.
41:36Unbelievable.
41:37With $100,000
41:38on the line,
41:39the pressure
41:40is about to snowball.
41:42Oh, no.
41:43I think my heart
41:43just dropped.
41:44Your attitude
41:45didn't help me at all.
41:46Do not crumble.
41:48Too late.
41:49I'm blown away.
41:51I can't believe
41:52that it's made out of food.
41:53Your gingerbread village,
41:54it's a place
41:55that I wanted to be.
41:56You put everything
41:57into this.
Be the first to comment
Add your comment