Gingerbread Houses and Giveaways!

23 Annual National Gingerbread House Competition

Earlier this week Chef Nicholas took up his judging duties at The Omni Grover Park Inn's 23 Annual National Gingerbread House Competition. As always all of the competitors delivered incredible gingerbread pieces, and judging was no easy task! This year's Grand Prize winner received a pretty spectacular prize pack valued at $7500 dollars: $5000 cash prize, 2-night Club Level stay at The Omni Grove Park Inn (including dinner, breakfast, and a spa visit), and a 2-day class with Chef Nicholas (including Renshaw products valued at $600). Man, I'd like to win that! Well... I bet you'd like me to show you some photos from the event, especially all the big winners! Oh, and after you enjoy all the gingerbread eye candy be sure to read about the two giveaways at the end of the blog!

Grand Prize Winner: Team Jengerbread- Jennifer Elmore and Mike Wilauer.

Photo: Scott Ewing/ISAC 

Second Place Winner: Billie Mochow. 

Photo: Scott Ewing/ISAC

Third Place Winner: Suzanne Kanaly. 

Photo: Scott Ewing/ISAC

Chef Nicholas and the Grand Prize Winning team! Congrats! 

Photo: Scott Ewing/ISAC

Chef Nicholas with Barb Evans and Mary Jo Dowling- they have demonstrated at ISAC's Open House before! 

Photo: Scott Ewing/ISAC

Chef Nicholas with Rita Webb Adams, one of Chef Nicholas' regular students!

Photo: Scott Ewing/ISAC

Walk-in size Gingerbread replica of The Omni Grove Park Inn!

Photo: Scott Ewing/ISAC

I hope you enjoyed all the gingerbread photos! Everyone who entered deserves to be congratulated- the time, effort, and skill that goes into creating this edible works of art is just mind-blowing. Well done everyone- I don't have any ribbons to giveaway, but you are all extremely talented.  

Now, I may not have ribbons to give away, I do have something to entice all of you dear readers. First, is a 4-hour private class with Chef Nicholas! All you have to do is send me an email (stephanie@nicholaslodge.com) telling me in 200 words or less Why you (or you and a friend) would like 4-hour private class with Chef Nicholas. The deadline for entries is December 19, 2015 at midnight. I will submit all of the entries to Chef Nicholas to select a winner. Once he has chosen the winner, I will announce the name here on the blog on December 24. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS!!! Entries without this contact information will not be considered! All things considered- this is an AWESOME giveaway, and it's not even difficult to enter! This entire paragraph is 146 words; no need to write a super long response. 

I do have one more excited announcement. In a few short days Chef Nicholas will launch the first in a series of brand new Craftsy class!! On Monday Sweet Seasons: Winter Poinsettia will be released. In the following months, Craftsy and Chef Nicholas will be releasing a flower class for each season. As a fun Thanksgiving gift, one lucky person will be able to win this new class FOR FREE! Just click here to enter the giveaway. The giveaway closes on Sunday, so be sure to enter ASAP. This giveaway is being hosted by Craftsy, and they will be randomly selecting a winner from all of the entries, and I will notify the winner by email. Just because I know how much you all love Chef Nicholas, here is a little sneak peek at what you will be learning in this new class.

Honestly, how gorgeous?

Photo: Craftsy

Sweetly Yours,

Stephanie

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Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog