I had the pleasure of interviewing Chef Xavier Baudinet, the executive pastry chef at The Grand America about the stunning, complex, and creative giant gingerbread house that they feature every year. But here’s something that you might not know about magazine journalism. It takes time from when I submit my article to the moment when it is featured in print. Photography, design, assembly, printing and shipping all take time. Which means I was talking with Chef Baudinet clear back in July of this year. The timing was actually spot on. July is when they start baking for the new gingerbread house…
The thing we were missing was an actual photo of the 2024 masterpiece. It was still a glimmer in Chef Baudinet’s eye and a sketch on a piece of paper back in July. Now that the house is erected, it is very exiting to see the gingerbread house go from sketch to reality. The Grand America just provided us with pictures of the 2024 house, named ‘Chateau Louis 1er.’ Not for Louis XV. But for Louis, Chef’s 3 year old grandson who is coming to visit this year.
As a reference, here is what goes into (literally) the giant gingerbread house every single year:
BULKING UP ON INGREDIENTS
A massive gingerbread house requires a massive amount of ingredients for assembly. The entire build this year will contain approximately:
- 1,500 – 2,000 lbs of flour
- 300 lbs of sugar
- 2,000 eggs
- 150 quarts of molasses
- 800 lbs of powdered sugar for the icing
- 300 candy canes
- 1,000 gumballs
- 200 lbs of Isomalt for the windows
Check out the original drawing and the final gingerbread house! Or just go and visit in person and check out all the holiday windows and The Grand America.
Photo Courtesy of Chef Xavier
If you go:
THE GRAND AMERICA HOTEL
555 S Main Street, SLC
PH: 801-258-6000
