- 1 hour ago
- #realityinsighthub
Gingerbread Land - The Biggest Little Holiday Competition (2025) Season 1 Episode 2
#
#RealityInsightHub
🎞 Please subscribe to our official channel to watch the full movie for free, as soon as possible. ❤️Reality Insight Hub❤️
👉 Official Channel: />👉 THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
#
#RealityInsightHub
🎞 Please subscribe to our official channel to watch the full movie for free, as soon as possible. ❤️Reality Insight Hub❤️
👉 Official Channel: />👉 THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:01This is a story about a land of sugar and spice, where five teams of the nation's best bakers have come together to build entire worlds made of gingerbread.
00:16This is next level gingerbread building.
00:18As they compete for a $100,000 prize.
00:21We're up against some crazy talented people.
00:24Last time we saw some rise to the top.
00:27The winner is Team Chalet! Congratulations!
00:33Some fall to the bottom.
00:35Team Mid-Century.
00:36The bill did not feel like Christmas.
00:39Oh, it kind of took the win out of my sails.
00:41Team Brownstone.
00:42One of the problems I have is how the buildings are facing each other.
00:46We just want to keep creating more.
00:49And we had a Christmas surprise.
00:51Team Going Home is...
00:54No one.
00:56But next time, one team is definitely going home.
01:02It's time for our holiday tale to continue.
01:05But first we need a host.
01:07That's where I come in.
01:09Hey guys!
01:11I'm testing what it's like to live tiny for when I do shrink my family to live in your gingerbread worlds.
01:17Welcome back to Gingerbread Land.
01:20The biggest little holiday competition.
01:23Are you ready to grow your world again?
01:26Yes.
01:27Yes.
01:28Because in this challenge, you will double it.
01:30And if you make it to the end, your gingerbread lands will be four times as big.
01:35Any of you teams can walk away with a $100,000 prize.
01:38Okay, so before I introduce your next challenge, let's welcome back our judges.
01:43We've got Chef Gail Gant and architect Michael Ford.
01:47You look like an architect and you look like a pastry chef.
01:51And you look like a lumberjack.
01:53I do?
01:54Yeah.
01:55That's okay.
01:56She said you look like a lumberjack.
01:57I don't mind that.
01:59Okay, so this time your build theme is where we shop and eat.
02:06Because nothing says the holidays more than buying gifts for your loved ones.
02:10And of course, stuffing your face.
02:13Your main structure must be a shopping or a dining area.
02:17And your build needs to have a hidden detail.
02:19Something that opens, reveals or surprises.
02:23Keep in mind, you will be judged on your gingerbread land as a whole.
02:27So you have a chance to go back and maybe fix something that the judges critiqued before.
02:32This week, a team is definitely going home.
02:35What are we looking for?
02:37We're looking for creativity, including staying true to your architectural styles.
02:41But also execution, plus continuity.
02:44So making sure that your new build is integrated with your previous build.
02:49Mm-hmm.
02:50I don't think any of us have ever built a village of this magnitude in this amount of time.
02:55I mean, this is the Olympics of gingerbread.
02:57Okay, teams, you have until the clock strikes midnight.
03:01Only 12 hours for this challenge.
03:03You ready?
03:04Go.
03:05Okay.
03:06Oh, my God.
03:07Oh, wait.
03:08Sketch, sketch.
03:09What are we thinking?
03:10I'll put it facing this way so we don't have a back, okay?
03:13Yeah, because we got dinged on our positioning on our last piece, and that put us in the bottom.
03:18We have to move it.
03:19We'll move it.
03:20Our entire problem with moving this build is that we have been using isomalt.
03:24It's hard.
03:25That's our glue.
03:26How do we lift it?
03:27I really hope we don't break anything.
03:29Let's do all this stuff first, and then we'll flip it and adjust after.
03:33I love these, like, old-style vintage, like, diners.
03:38Wait, so we have to seamlessly connect this to what's existing.
03:42So what are our ideas on that?
03:44A promenade leading off of this area into the next, a promenade would be great.
03:48With palm trees.
03:49We're coming into this challenge after being on the bottom.
03:52Last week, we did not budget time well to finish the Christmas elements, which I realized was something we needed to change going forward.
03:59So this week's challenge is where you shop and eat.
04:02What do we want to see?
04:03They need to reveal to us little techniques that they know how to do out of foods.
04:08The way that they build it out is so beautiful, you almost forget that it's entirely edible.
04:12Right.
04:13Last time, Team Chalet won for their precision and inventive use of gingerbread.
04:18The thing about it is, like, every tree is almost the same.
04:22Right.
04:23And I feel like I want a little bit of variation.
04:25Okay, let's talk about Team Villa.
04:27I've been impressed with this team, but it's one big thing that they are missing.
04:30It's not open.
04:31It feels very close.
04:32Mm-hmm.
04:33In that environment, you want to start to have some breezeways.
04:37Let's go check them out.
04:38Come on.
04:39Okay.
04:40All right, Team Midcentry.
04:41Hi, we're here to check in on you.
04:42What are you building as far as where you shop or eat?
04:45We have a diner with a drive-through.
04:47And then we have a little shopping area that's going to be a bakery and a little retail section.
04:52You know, last time you didn't have a lot of Christmas elements.
04:54We didn't.
04:55I am going to front load Christmas.
04:58Yeah.
04:59I have to do three Christmas trees, three flamingos with hats, a mailbox with deco, a ginger chick, the palm trees.
05:07So, yeah.
05:08So, you got your prep list.
05:09So, it's like organized chaos going on.
05:11It is.
05:12It is.
05:13Yeah.
05:14I'm going to get started on this garage door mechanism.
05:16I want to kind of attack the hidden detail element of our challenge.
05:20I'm going to be making a functional garage door out of chipboard and edible paper.
05:25On the inside, we'll have little mischievous elves creating chaos.
05:32Team Coastal, this is where I live.
05:34What are we doing?
05:35How are we expanding?
05:37As you know, coastal communities don't have malls and big commercial things.
05:42We're going to bring in more of an old fish warehouse that's been converted to three local shops.
05:48We're going to bring in the good old local bait shop.
05:50What's your hidden thing going to be?
05:51So, we're going to have an element where you can view down through that water and you will see fish, turtles, all the things.
05:58It's an underwater treasure.
05:59Treasure.
06:00I love that.
06:01Team Villa in the house.
06:03Where are we shopping?
06:04Where are we eating?
06:05We took mostly Spanish inspiration.
06:08We are going to be making a market that is kind of our tall building that will be three layers.
06:14And then we also have our cafe, which we are going to give the Mediterranean arches look on.
06:21So that you can actually have some breezeways and walkthroughs because that was some of the feedback we got.
06:26And then we're also going to have a bakery.
06:28For our hidden element, we are going to make the bakery windows open.
06:34Oh, wow.
06:35I love that.
06:36Yes.
06:37So I'm going to make some hinges for our bakery shutters.
06:39I'm going to wrap gun paste around a piece of spaghetti because that's what will be in the hinges so the shutters can open and close.
06:48Okay.
06:49I'm right behind you.
06:51So while Faith is working on the shuttered doors, I'm actually working on what is going to be inside the bakery.
06:57I have a mold to create 50 little croissants and donuts and bread.
07:04These are all made out of fondant.
07:06And then I get to paint.
07:08Did you guys see this?
07:09This is our bakery shelf.
07:11Oh, it's amazing.
07:12Wow.
07:13That's amazing.
07:14Oh, my gosh.
07:15I'm so excited.
07:16We're going to do like a big mountain, right?
07:18Yeah.
07:19I'm going to start laying this out.
07:20I'll just take that slope up really high.
07:23Coming into this challenge, I mean, I feel really good.
07:27Very confident.
07:28Winner Chalet.
07:29Winner Chalet.
07:30Timothy Chalamet.
07:31Chalet.
07:32Timothy Chalamet.
07:33Okay.
07:34What's the plan?
07:35We're planning to go big this time.
07:38Ooh.
07:39We want a resort, like a nice size.
07:42Is it kind of like a ski resort?
07:43Exactly.
07:44Okay.
07:45We're rolling.
07:46We're using the regular gingerbread and blonde gingerbread.
07:50Basically, it's the same recipe.
07:52It's just we use corn syrup in the blonde gingerbread.
07:55For our pin and element, we decide to do a banner celebrating a grand opening for this new shopping closet.
08:03Team Brownstone.
08:04Yes, sir.
08:05All right.
08:06Can we talk about what structure we're going to build?
08:10It's like one of those old school malls.
08:13You know those quintessential bubble awnings?
08:16Yes.
08:17So for the places that we shop and eat, we're going to be making a mall, a bakery, and a candy shop.
08:23And keep it on the down low.
08:24We're going to give something that the judges can actually eat off our display.
08:28Really?
08:29He was supposed to be a surprise.
08:30No, but to me, I'm not going to say anything.
08:31He's going to keep our secret.
08:32I'm not going to say anything.
08:33Okay.
08:34Thank you so much.
08:35Thank you guys.
08:36Joel, do we want to move this?
08:37Yeah.
08:38Let me try to slice it with a knife.
08:39Yeah, do that.
08:40We're twisting our building around because the judges said they want to see it facing them,
08:45so we have to do some surgery.
08:47Okay, you've got to be very careful with your wall.
08:50It took forever, and if you break something, there's no time to refix it.
08:53I don't want to lose.
08:54Wait, wait, wait.
08:55Let me get my fingers in.
08:56One sec.
08:57This wire is stuck.
08:58Just cut it.
08:59It's fragile.
09:00Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
09:03Oh!
09:04Cut the wire.
09:08We have to twist our building around because the judges said they want to see it facing
09:12front.
09:13Have faith.
09:15There we go.
09:16It looks a lot better.
09:17It looks beautiful.
09:18If we're winning this, I'm getting a gingerbread tattoo here.
09:21We should all get a matching.
09:22Like, class?
09:23You guys get gingerbread tattoos and I get a bracelet.
09:28So I need to focus on finishing the building.
09:35Do not talk to me anymore.
09:37So for where we shop and eat, the main focus is going to be this large-scale ski resort building.
09:44So Carolina is going to put all her time into this building, and Susan and I are going to
09:49focus on making sure that the foreground and the landscaping is done.
09:52This is beautiful.
09:54Thank you so much.
09:55We're a little bit ambitious.
09:57I'm going to add this blonde gingerbread to the facade, and it's going to have a nice contrast.
10:02This is just incredible.
10:04How are you feeling?
10:05Good.
10:06It's just this is the type of stuff that just takes so much time.
10:09It's just that tedious stuff.
10:10Yeah.
10:11So how did you get into all this?
10:12So my grandparents had a soul food restaurant for over 45 years in South Georgia.
10:17And my grandmother taught me how to bake because she made all the cakes for the restaurant.
10:21And I've just been going ever since.
10:24We are trying our best to represent ourselves in our chalet story, and so I definitely plan
10:31to bring my family restaurant to the chalet.
10:34Oh, I'm so happy.
10:36I got my grandparents made.
10:38All right.
10:40Let's put a building together.
10:41Okay.
10:42We are making a shopping and dining area with three main structures, and this time we're
10:47going to have breezeways and openings.
10:49I think this will work because honestly, like...
10:52You have more space there.
10:53Which is really what the judges were kind of asking for, just more space.
10:59All right, Team Villa.
11:01I'm loving the opportunity to see it before you start to add the stucco so we can start
11:06to see how you made the gingerbread.
11:07That it's actual gingerbread.
11:08Yeah, into a structural material now.
11:10We will use some hard royal icing to fill the seams so that everything just sticks together.
11:15What is royal icing?
11:18Usually it's powdered sugar, egg whites, and then some kind of citrus, which helps kind
11:23of activate it so it dries faster and further.
11:25So this is some quick drying mortar.
11:27It basically is a mortar.
11:28And delicious.
11:29And then I think it's just going to be a little bit of a prayer.
11:32Mm-hmm.
11:33We realize now, like, if we really want a shot at winning, let's give the judges what
11:37they asked for, which was cover those seams so that you can't really see them.
11:41There's some spots on the inside that are missed if you want to hit those.
11:46I have to say, I'm a little worried.
11:49You're supposed to be the positive one.
11:50You got to make three more trees.
11:52To make my palm trees, I am using a gum paste bonded mixture.
11:57Dania, do you have any of those elves done?
11:59I have four of them basically done.
12:02The judges really didn't like how empty our town felt in our previous challenge.
12:07So we want to add as many people as we can.
12:10I have silicone molds that I've made of little plastic people.
12:14And we are taking different skin color gum paste and kind of pressing it into the mold and dehydrating them so that they're hard and can stand up straight.
12:24Yes.
12:25Let's do it.
12:27We're going to connect the first build with the second build through the palm promenade, which goes directly down the middle.
12:33We are putting our palm trees in the center, which was always the point.
12:38We just didn't have time last time.
12:39I'm working on the retro style Route 66 diner inspired by the classic roof style of mid-century.
12:46Bringing in the Christmas element, the holiday element, proves to be a little difficult.
12:51Keep in mind, there isn't any snow as a part of Palm Springs.
12:55Exactly.
12:58What are you working on?
13:00The awnings.
13:01I was not liking that one.
13:03We have way too much going on.
13:06Look, I'm making a cute snowman here.
13:10When the three of us get together, there's a plan, but all three of us have been going rogue.
13:16We kind of stray from the plan.
13:17Like right now, I just thought of something that I haven't told you guys.
13:21I'm going to tell you I'm going to do this.
13:22Perfect.
13:23Joelle's candy shop.
13:25Let's call it Gia's candy shop.
13:27It's my youngest baby.
13:28Oh!
13:29Oh, yeah!
13:30We're using all techniques.
13:32Heimu is making little window display areas.
13:36Joelle is bringing in the chocolate.
13:38I am?
13:39I don't remember.
13:40Yeah.
13:42So since we have to reveal something, I want to showcase some of my pastry chef skills.
13:47So I take the gingerbread crumbs, I mix it with some dark chocolate, and then I press it in a mold, I let it set.
13:52And it's going to act as one of our seats in our bakery.
13:55The special reveal is already part of it.
13:58Can I eat it?
13:59Yeah.
14:01Mmm.
14:03Mmm, it's so good.
14:05Joelle, we like you.
14:06How could you not?
14:07So full of yourself.
14:08Okay, teams, teams, you're halfway through your build.
14:11You're halfway through your build.
14:13Keep your head in the...
14:15I think for the shops to do stone on the bottom.
14:20Yeah.
14:21We've come up with like an old fish processing center for where we shop and where we eat.
14:25It looks like three businesses now.
14:26We wanted each shop to have a different texture.
14:29We decided we wanted to do a brick wall.
14:31I know that I want to use a brick impression mat.
14:34See, this is like the sample wall with the stone down below.
14:38We'll put the pier.
14:39Is it going to fit right in that lid right there?
14:41It's a painstaking process, but we were in the bottom from the very beginning, and we're going for $100,000, so I need to show all the skills that I can do.
14:51Okay, Lindsay, if you guys do win, what are we going to do with that money?
14:55I'm taking my brother, who has beat colon cancer twice.
15:00Wow.
15:01On a special trip.
15:02Amazing.
15:03I love that.
15:04That's what I want to do.
15:05Stop.
15:06Aww.
15:07They're seriously like, I can't do it.
15:09It's happy.
15:10It's happy though.
15:11She can't cry.
15:12I'll cry if I'm sad.
15:13She's crying in gingerbread.
15:14It would mean the world to me to win this for my brother.
15:18We're very close, and we always have been.
15:21I'm going to get out of here before I start crying.
15:23Okay, good.
15:24Okay.
15:25We won't tell anyone if you do.
15:27All right, this is the gelatin.
15:29Part of what I'm building is this beautiful bait shop.
15:32Lindsay, look at it.
15:33Oh, I love it.
15:34Do you want to put it over there and check the size?
15:37Sure.
15:40Oh, gosh.
15:41It's big.
15:43Way, way too big.
15:45I think you're going to have to cut it down and make it tiny.
15:50I know.
15:51Breaking down the bait shop, it needs to be done.
15:54It has to fit into the landscape because you don't want to block what you've already built.
15:58But at the same time, you're like, I just got this thing together.
16:04Oh, look.
16:08I'm so upset right now.
16:09You're under a time clock at that point, and you need to make sure that it's right and get it done.
16:13All that work.
16:14You got it.
16:18Man, it makes me mad.
16:20I'm sorry.
16:23Team Villa, how's it going?
16:25You're smiling.
16:27She loves this kind of stress.
16:29I thrive in chaos.
16:30So what are the structures that you have against me?
16:32We are creating a cafe and bakery and a market where we can shop and eat.
16:37What's each of your motivations for saying yes to this wild competition?
16:42My kids.
16:43So I want to show my kids that I can do this.
16:45I'm trying to prove to myself that I belong here.
16:47Yeah.
16:48You have doubts?
16:49Still a little imposter syndrome.
16:51Aren't you the national champion?
16:53She is.
16:54She still has this imposter syndrome.
16:56We're trying to break her out of that shell.
16:58And your motivation?
16:59I am a mother, and I don't need to go skydiving.
17:02I do this.
17:03How old are your kids?
17:04They are nine and eight, and they are competitive cheerleaders.
17:09And so most of my life is spent traveling around the country for them.
17:13So this one's for me, and you'll make them proud.
17:17I hope so.
17:18All right, good luck.
17:20Good luck.
17:21I've heard some news.
17:22Hold on.
17:23What is this?
17:24Breaking news.
17:25Breaking...
17:26Foghorn alert.
17:27What's going on?
17:29Well, try to pop off the roof, and then it...
17:32Oh.
17:33Okay.
17:34We're gonna figure it out.
17:35When you're working on a gingerbread piece in a competition, you have to be able to take
17:39a risk and change them sometimes.
17:41This is where Jennifer shines.
17:42Oh, it's sticky.
17:44She takes it apart.
17:45She cuts it completely down, every wall, every roof, and resizes the entire building
17:50to get it the right scale.
17:51Look.
17:52Oh, I like it.
17:53Okay, cool.
17:54Okay.
17:55Okay, bakers.
17:56Please step away from your gingerbreads.
17:58We're gonna stop the clock.
18:00On these presents are five new story prompts.
18:04Hmm.
18:05Honestly, we've been enjoying the story prompts.
18:08Yeah.
18:09It gives you a little bit of focus, which helps us work better together.
18:12Team Chalet, you won the last challenge, so you get to pick your story prompt first.
18:19And all of the other teams, you all get to pick nothing.
18:25That is because Team Chalet will assign these story prompts to everyone else.
18:31I am excited because we can use whatever help we can get at this point.
18:37This competition is so stiff.
18:40We won it.
18:41We have a forgotten toy under the tree.
18:44A treat for Santa to fill the stocking.
18:48And lastly, a lot to carry.
18:51Okay, Team Chalet, come on up.
18:53We knew exactly the one that we wanted because it fit perfectly into our story.
18:57What are we picking?
18:58I was gonna say a treat for Santa.
19:01I like it.
19:02Okay, let's start with Team Brownstone.
19:05You love us.
19:07I don't want to hurt anybody.
19:09It's hard to guess what they need.
19:11It's a bittersweet advantage.
19:13A lot to carry.
19:14Team Brownstone.
19:15Oh, my God.
19:16A lot to carry.
19:17Oh, perfect.
19:18I like that.
19:20Okay, next, Team Coastal.
19:22Okay.
19:23Oh.
19:24All right.
19:25Under the tree.
19:26Oh, okay.
19:27Yay!
19:28Okay, Team Mid-Central.
19:29Yes.
19:30Okay, I think they can figure something out with this.
19:34We are gonna give them a forgotten toy.
19:36We'll take that.
19:37Merry Christmas.
19:39So, Team Villa, process of elimination gives you to fill a stocking.
19:45Thank you for the leftovers.
19:47Sometimes you get a prompt and you just go,
19:49oh, well, that already kind of fits into our story.
19:51This one really didn't.
19:52So, thanks, Chalet.
19:55So, judges, any final advice for these teams before the clock starts again?
19:59Your bills need to tell a bigger story inspired by your new prompt.
20:04Remember what got you over the hump the last time or what put you in the bottom, too.
20:08Really lean into that story.
20:10Okay, Ginger Betters, let's restart the clock right now.
20:13We've got three hours left.
20:15Okay.
20:16Your time starts now.
20:20Under the tree.
20:21So, wait, what is our prompt anyway?
20:23Okay, so we have a lot to carry.
20:25You guys, I'm struggling.
20:26Let's brainstorm.
20:27Ten minutes.
20:28Something we learned, I think, from the first challenge is time management is essential.
20:32Yeah.
20:33I'm just going to suggest because I do have a sentimental forgotten toy.
20:38Okay.
20:39My mom made me a teddy bear when I was a baby and the toy was lost.
20:43Oh, my God.
20:44I can't wait to see it.
20:45I'm going to try.
20:46I'm going to hand sculpt Belinda bear using fondant.
20:50I want to add a little white fondant in the brown bear, kind of like tattered a little bit
20:55because it's been through some stuff.
20:56I'm going to be finished in a second.
20:58Coming from the bottom, there's absolutely pressure to remain in the competition,
21:03so I'm just hoping that they see the effort.
21:05That is adorable.
21:07How about someone who's carrying, like, maybe a million bags?
21:11Since we have the animals in our story, maybe a type of animal.
21:14Is he staring at the teddy bear window?
21:16Yes.
21:17So we try to carry his bags, a large candy cane.
21:19Yeah.
21:20To make the candy canes, I cook some ice them all.
21:22I divide it in two.
21:23I make one red and one white.
21:25Once I roll them out, I kind of twist and roll, twist and roll, and then I cut it to
21:30fit the size of the candy store.
21:32This is too big.
21:33Can you make me a small one?
21:35And he's going to be holding a candy cane which you are made.
21:39Do you have an extra basket for stockings?
21:42There's one back there for it.
21:43I was trying to fit fill your stocking in with the shopping and dining area, so I thought
21:49maybe we could do a can drive at the market, fill your stocking with canned goods, and
21:53making the stocking of fondant.
21:56What if I need more here?
21:58Let's do a boat.
21:59Okay.
22:00We'll float our Christmas tree out, and that'll allow us to peer down through that
22:04water and see all the fish under the tree.
22:07Let's start.
22:08I am using white gingerbread to make a boat to go out into our water.
22:13All right, so I'm going to use some of this rice cereal treat to get the height that we
22:17want our boat.
22:18Then I can lay the gingerbread.
22:19I'm doing the outside of the boat in white gingerbread that can just air dry.
22:25I got to work faster on this.
22:26My son, every time he's, like, waiting for Santa, he, like, makes sure he won't miss
22:32to put the milk and the cookies.
22:34So why don't we have Leo bringing in Santa's milk and cookies?
22:39We have my son here with the trade of cookies and the milk.
22:43I love it.
22:44My other responsibility is the stage where the hidden element is supposed to be.
22:50It's going.
22:51It's a banner that unravels itself, and it says, grand opening.
22:55Aline has the motor, and she showed me how it worked.
22:59You okay?
23:00Yeah.
23:01This is, like, crucial for our story.
23:02Don't think that I know how to do this, but I'm jerry-rigging this thing.
23:06I really hope it works.
23:08We got to move on from this so we can get our decorations done.
23:11Yeah, I know.
23:12Caroline is still working on this massive building.
23:16And it's the only building.
23:17It's a huge responsibility.
23:18Oh.
23:19It broke.
23:24What broke?
23:25The roof.
23:26The roof broke?
23:27Yeah.
23:28But we have extra pieces to make another one, right?
23:30Don't talk to me.
23:31I have all this stress on me because it's the only building we have.
23:35So I have to repeat the piece and finish on time.
23:39It's just tough.
23:40Very tough.
23:41Two hours left.
23:42Oh, go away.
23:43No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
23:44Your builds must be in this room.
23:47Do not crumble.
23:49Too late.
23:51Dad joke.
23:54Anybody going to get done in this time?
23:56Everybody but us.
23:57We're running out of time.
23:59We don't have roofs on our buildings.
24:01We don't have things painted.
24:03And then we have a bunch of buildings under construction.
24:06So we are stressed.
24:10She's moving it.
24:11Can you wait to move that?
24:13I'm not ready for that.
24:14I have to clear this.
24:15Are you rushing me like a long time?
24:17No, no, no.
24:18Let's not do that.
24:19Carolina is ready to put the building in place, but I'm not ready for her because there are wires in there.
24:26I don't think she understood what was going on on our side.
24:28You can't just pick it up and put it here.
24:30Okay, just do it.
24:31Then I'll put it.
24:32Tensions are starting to rise and there is this frustration that is palpable.
24:38We need to put Santa in there and then let's glue what we have.
24:41Let's start gluing everything.
24:43We came out of challenge one like gliding off the top of the ski slope.
24:48So now we feel terrible because we don't know how the execution is going to manifest in judging.
24:55Pour this first, then it will set.
24:58I've started to pour the water to have it kind of run under the dock.
25:01A clear isomalt, a little blue, a little white.
25:05And I'm layering it in to give it the actual appearance that water's going to come over the edge.
25:10It's coming in over here so it doesn't drip down somebody.
25:13Hang on, hang on, hang on.
25:14Okay, bankers, we have a 20-minute warning.
25:16When that clock strikes 12, your builds must be in the judging room behind me.
25:23Go ahead. Let's go.
25:24Our house is going to rotate.
25:25Winning is the only option, right?
25:27Absolutely.
25:28We came here to win.
25:29We didn't come here to look for or show off our techniques.
25:31We are using all those techniques for the big win.
25:34Finishing touches on now.
25:36It's Oliver Hudson reporting live from gingerbread land.
25:38Okay, ready?
25:39Slowly.
25:40We have Team Brownstone.
25:42They're ready to push.
25:43They're ready to roll.
25:44It's absolute madness.
25:46Now we're, oh my goodness, time is flying.
25:48Time is flying.
25:49It's super intense.
25:50We put a little razzle-dazzle on at the very last minute.
25:53Oh, mid-century's moving in.
25:54Up, up, up, up, up.
25:56Get your bill to the judging room.
25:58Uno momento, por favor.
26:00All these corners are like real bad.
26:02So messy.
26:03Oh my gosh.
26:05We're putting the seals on the corner, right?
26:07I pull, you push.
26:10Slow, slow, slow.
26:11We got 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
26:22Step away from your bills.
26:26Time is up.
26:27Oh my God.
26:28Well done.
26:29Ending a challenge like this does not feel good.
26:31There's this heaviness between us that is very uncomfortable.
26:34And quite frankly, I don't like it.
26:36I don't think we're going to be safe.
26:45Hello.
26:46Hello.
26:47Everything looks incredibly beautiful.
26:49But judging cannot officially begin until we meet our surprise judge.
26:55She's a two-time James Beard award-winning chef.
26:58The founder of Milk Bar.
27:01Oh.
27:02And she knows how to create a space where people don't just shop or eat.
27:06They make memories and connections.
27:08Which hopefully your gingerbreads do as well.
27:10So please welcome Chef Christina Tosi.
27:14Hi.
27:17Hello, gingerbreaders.
27:18Hi.
27:19How are you?
27:20I'm super excited.
27:21Christina Tosi is a judge.
27:22I have her book.
27:23I use her recipes.
27:24So, Christina, why are you excited to be here in gingerbread land?
27:28Making a gingerbread house every year this time of year is still a tradition.
27:33And I'm so excited to see what you all have come up with.
27:36In this challenge, you had to literally double the size of your lands.
27:40And you had to incorporate the theme, where we shop and eat.
27:44Plus, you had to include a hidden detail.
27:46Now, remember what the judges are looking for.
27:48Originality, clean execution, strong storytelling, and a build that flows seamlessly from what you made before into what you currently have built.
27:58Mid-century, you're first.
27:59Let's chat.
28:00Tell us about it.
28:01Okay.
28:02This is our gingerbread version of Palm Springs.
28:05And we have the 1950s retro diner here.
28:09We have vintage cars parked in the back.
28:11And then we have a bakery and a shopping area with a roll-up door.
28:17So, your story prompt was a forgotten toy, right?
28:20Yes.
28:21Right.
28:22If you all look over in the park, there is a teddy bear.
28:25My mom hand-created a teddy bear for me when I was a child.
28:29I was able to pass that teddy bear on to my children.
28:32Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina took that bear.
28:36But, because of some Christmas miracle, it ended up in our story.
28:40In Palm Springs.
28:41Belinda Bear, which is named after my mom, is our forgotten toy.
28:45It's pretty nice.
28:46What's making you emotional, by the way?
28:48The story about the bear.
28:51Sorry, you lost your bear.
28:54Okay.
28:55Let's see the big reveal.
28:56All right.
28:57The hidden detail.
28:58Oh.
28:59Hey.
29:00So, inside, we've got some elves partying.
29:03They came with Mrs. Claus, and they are getting the party started.
29:10Great job.
29:12You not only hit these new challenges, but you went back.
29:15You've picked up a lot of our comments.
29:17So, now to see this promenade of palm trees, you did a great job at that.
29:21You know, Michael and I talked about making it feel like Christmas there.
29:25And I love how you guys did it, because it wasn't with the traditional, like, red and green.
29:29It's gold.
29:30I found myself truly getting pulled in and lost in this mid-century modern and Palm Springs world.
29:37I am really so in love with the palm trees and everything else.
29:41Thank you very much.
29:42Thank you guys.
29:43Okay.
29:44Good job.
29:45Good job.
29:46Next up, Team Brownstone.
29:48I think we have accomplished a lot.
29:50Like, we have put in a lot of details, because we don't want to be the first team going home.
29:57So, welcome to our Brownstone Village.
30:00On Christmas Eve, our zoo animals get together around the tree for the tree lighting.
30:05But, of course, right after, we want to shop.
30:08We want to eat.
30:09We have this wonderful, beautiful shopping mall.
30:12We have Gia's Candy Shop.
30:15What was your story prompt?
30:16A lot to carry.
30:18Our little bear over here, he's carrying all these bags.
30:22And then he sees a teddy bear in the window, and he drops everything just at that teddy bear.
30:28Uh, and what about your hidden element?
30:30We wanted to give you something to eat.
30:32Oh my gosh.
30:33And feel free to take...
30:34Smells amazing in there, like a real bakery.
30:35Yes.
30:36Your bakery.
30:37Take a seat.
30:38Take a seat.
30:39Oh.
30:42Wow.
30:43A fun texture.
30:44Oh.
30:45Yeah.
30:46Got the crunch.
30:47Very nice.
30:48So that's what we got.
30:49I am because you gave me a tasty bite of something.
30:51You're tugging on the heartstrings of, for me, what it feels like to be in the Christmas
30:55spirit.
30:56And I love that you listened to some of our criticism.
31:00Previously, we asked you to think about moving buildings.
31:03You did that.
31:04But you all need a master plan.
31:06For me, it feels more like a hodgepodge town of really great ideas, and I'm not sure
31:12that it's all one gingerbread village yet.
31:15Thank you, Team Brownstone.
31:17Awesome.
31:18Nice to meet you.
31:20I think our piece is us.
31:21And I feel we have a cluttered aesthetic, almost.
31:24I think it should win.
31:27Team Chalet, let's talk about the build.
31:29Welcome to the Sugar Pines Key Resort, where we shop and dine.
31:34And we have our plaza to continue also with our idea of gathering people.
31:39And what was your story prompt?
31:41A gift for Santa.
31:42So we also have my son.
31:44Mm.
31:45He's bringing a cookie to Santa.
31:48I can smell the gingerbread.
31:51As our hidden element that is on the stage, Arlene is going to show you that we have our banner.
31:58Okay.
31:59Okay.
32:00Okay.
32:01Down.
32:02No, that's up.
32:04Now down.
32:05This is a grand opening?
32:06This is the hidden element.
32:07It doesn't work.
32:08Wow.
32:09Oh, man.
32:10Maybe we should have practiced it a few times.
32:13But you did take some risks there with having something that rode.
32:16I get very frustrated when mechanical elements don't work.
32:19You know, sometimes you get thrown curveballs and you got to try to work with it.
32:23Well, first of all, I love the differentiation between the colors of gingerbread and just how it really jumps out.
32:30You all are nailing the style.
32:32On a roof, there was some sort of calculation issues on some of the corners.
32:37You're trying to get everything to line up, and it is not an easy task.
32:40I have to say, we sort of eat with our eyes first, and my eyes are so happy.
32:47But I don't want to feel like there's a giant 200-room ski resort in the back unless there's a lot more life and texture to it.
32:56Let there be a little bit more imprecision.
33:00I want more of you in this village.
33:05You're getting emotional.
33:07I would not be here if it weren't for those two figures up there in front of Best Restaurant.
33:13That's my family's restaurant.
33:14That's your family's restaurant.
33:15That's your family's restaurant.
33:16They had a soulful restaurant for over 45 years.
33:18And my work ethic, my drive, my resourcefulness, it all comes from them.
33:23To have them in this space, with me in this space, it's full circle.
33:28I'll tell you, you're motivating a lot of young women who look just like you right now.
33:33Kudos to this team.
33:35Thank you guys so much.
33:37Thank you so much.
33:38Really beautiful.
33:41Team Villa.
33:43This is our Mediterranean gingerbread village.
33:47This is where we shop and where we eat.
33:49Right here, we have our bakery.
33:50In the front here, we have where everybody kind of gathers.
33:53This is more where these people really live.
33:56So our story prompt was, fill your stockings.
33:59So our market is having our community food drive.
34:02So you can grab a stocking and fill it up while you shop.
34:05Great.
34:06And what about the hidden element?
34:07We wanted to show you what it looks like in the morning when the bakery gets open.
34:11Let's open up shop, Gail.
34:13Oh my gosh.
34:14The pastries.
34:16Very nice.
34:17You know, you're a hidden element.
34:19That was a nice approach.
34:21I also want to give you another nod to how you're using stucco as a material.
34:26Going back and approaching some of our previous comments, that roof still confuses me.
34:32I don't know what that material is.
34:34I think we're all a little anxious for water.
34:37Because the Mediterranean is a body of water.
34:40I'm with Gail on the water.
34:42And I've lost myself in what you've built, but I haven't quite been convinced that it's the gingerbread Christmas holiday time of year.
34:50Okay.
34:51Team Villa, thank you guys so much.
34:53Amazing.
34:54Good job.
34:55Nothing that they've really said we disagree with.
34:57But then I think next to the other four, it might just seem like it's not enough.
35:02Team Coastal.
35:03Hello, team.
35:04Hello.
35:05Well, welcome to our Coastal Village where we eat and shop.
35:09It is an old fish warehouse converted to shops.
35:13We've included a bakery and our maritime market.
35:17And no coastal shopping community is complete without the old baked shop.
35:22And do you have a hidden element?
35:23If you want to step forward.
35:24Yes.
35:25We give you a little window to undersea life.
35:28Picture yourself at night looking under the docks and seeing what you see underneath the docks at night and by day.
35:35Our story prompt was under the tree.
35:38So who best to deliver gifts from under the tree than Santa and he had to deliver by boat.
35:44You are more creative with the edible textures and spirit of your coastal gingerbread village than anyone else in this kitchen.
35:53And it's fascinating.
35:54Each time you get closer, each time you turn a corner, you see more details.
35:57But then how do we start to balance this piece out as it continues to grow because your eye wants to go everywhere.
36:03But we still need a moment of solace and then go back and enjoy all of the fun.
36:08We do love the little perched seals.
36:10Again, it gives, there's just so much dimension.
36:13And the blue is maybe just a little too cartoony comic book blue.
36:19Thank you guys.
36:21I was glad that they did recognize all the love that literally goes into each piece of gingerbread.
36:27We feel very validated.
36:29It is very personal to us.
36:31Okay.
36:32Thank you, gingerbreaders.
36:33Now, please head back to your stations.
36:35Emotions are still very high.
36:38Everybody's still tender hearted, you know, and I think we're just really nervous because we don't know which direction this is going to go.
36:45All right, guys, let's go down the line.
36:51I love how Team Mid-Century brought Christmas in with very few elements, those translucent trees.
36:58I'm with you, Gail.
36:59It feels like it's Christmas in the desert.
37:02You're so tired.
37:03It's that good.
37:04For me, Team Coastal kind of shouldn't work, but somehow it really appeals to my heart.
37:10That said, the blue water, they're going to have to improve upon that.
37:15I wish it had some green undertone and they don't fret over it too much.
37:19Team Brownstone's greatest asset is that they take risks.
37:24But it's not coming together.
37:25It's too much.
37:26There's no editor.
37:27Let's not be hard on ourselves, okay?
37:29We're doing great.
37:31When I look at Team Villa's, I don't feel enough life.
37:35The technique of a gingerbread village 100% is here in Team Villa.
37:39The emotion of a gingerbread village, question mark.
37:43Exactly.
37:44It is very basic, very plain right now.
37:46We need to make the water.
37:48I just hope we get the chance.
37:49Team Chalet.
37:50Team Chalet.
37:51What are we thinking?
37:52As always, it's perfect.
37:54That said, I do think it's too perfect.
37:56I'm not sure we're getting where we shop, where we eat.
37:59It did have some challenges with how the roof came together.
38:02You guys felt that I was taking over everything, which I didn't want to do.
38:06We each have different processes and everybody is trying their best to merge those processes,
38:11to collaborate and work together.
38:13And it is a challenge.
38:22Hello folks.
38:23Okay teams, let's gather around.
38:25Teams, it's time to reveal who brought the holiday magic and who is going home.
38:37Team Coastal and Team Mid-Century, please step forward.
38:40I assume that Oliver is going to announce that our team and Team Coastal are in the bottom two.
38:46You know, you just don't know the way the gingerbread cookie is going to crumble.
38:50These two teams, unfortunately, you've spent a lot of time on the bottom.
38:54But in this challenge, you're the top two teams. Congratulations.
39:01What?
39:03The reason both of you are up here, right, it's this balance of technique and heart and humanity, and that's for everyone to hear.
39:11Now we need to reveal who won, because you will have an advantage in the next challenge.
39:17The winner of this challenge is...
39:23Team Coastal.
39:24Congratulations!
39:26Team Coastal wins!
39:27The tears flowed.
39:28And shock, awe.
39:29We just couldn't believe it.
39:30We were just elated.
39:31Elated.
39:32That was a roller coaster.
39:33We really went from being in the bottom half to the top half, and I'm so proud of my teammates.
39:45Team Chalet, the judges have decided that you are safe and still in this competition.
39:54I'm grateful that we're moving into the next round, but this experience has been a huge reality check that we need to communicate better if we're going to do better in the next challenge.
40:02Okay, so unfortunately, that means Team Brownstone and Team Villa, please step forward.
40:08Team Villa, I still feel like I don't feel Christmas in your village.
40:13The judges have made it very clear that they want more Christmas, more holidays, so we can't help but feel a little discouraged by the position that we are in.
40:22Team Brownstone, your culinary skills through the roof.
40:27What your team is lacking is the ability to come together and look as if one person is working on your structure.
40:35I do agree with Michael that we need one person to lead, and neither one of the three of us was that one person.
40:43Yeah.
40:44Now comes the hardest part.
40:45Who is leaving Gingerbread Land?
40:47The team that is leaving us today, unfortunately, is Team Brownstone.
40:56I knew it.
40:57I knew it.
40:58It's okay.
40:59We got eliminated.
41:00We did.
41:01It just felt like such a blessing going through this entire journey with these two.
41:07You guys made me so proud.
41:09Thank you so much for everything.
41:11We made a lot of wonderful friends.
41:13Team Brownstone, thank you so much.
41:15We're going to miss you.
41:16Whether you win or you lose, it feeds those creative juices.
41:20That's why I'm here, and if I'm able to do my art, it's a win.
41:25And so the story ends for one team.
41:28But the story continues in Gingerbread Land.
41:30For this new corner of your world, something in your build must move.
41:35Are you being for real?
41:38There's some crazy stuff in here.
41:40You ready for some movement?
41:41Oh!
41:42Hey, that's it!
41:43Wow!
41:44There's so many darling things.
41:46I freaking love it.
41:48Oh!
41:49This is a critical moment.
41:52It came off the real.
Be the first to comment