Judge Sullivan, the Executive Chef at Point Defiance Village retirement community in Tacoma, won first place in the 2011 Gingerbread Contest featuring more than 70 entries from Holiday Retirement chefs throughout the United States and Canada.
Sullivan’s winning design, titled “Under the Sea for the Holidays”, is a fish tank filled with colorful sea creatures, including nine sculpted gingerbread fish, seahorses, starfish, clams and a coral reef. Many of the residents at Point Defiance Village contributed their talents into the final design, which featured $250 worth of candy.
A decoration station was set up in the Pointe Defiance Village Activity Center and residents were invited to stop by and decorate the gingerbread creations over a three-day period. When the residents were finished, Sullivan assembled the completed pieces in the tank at different angles and heights to give the illusion of an active marine life setting, using cinnamon and sugar for the sand at the bottom of the tank.
Sculpting bread and fruit is one of Sullivan’s specialties. He placed second last year in the same competition among Holiday Retirement’s more than 300 communities.
The final creation drew much applause when it was unveiled on Dec. 12 at lunchtime in front of the more than 170 Point Defiance Village residents. Chef Mark Flores of Colonial Harbor in Yorktown, Va. took second place and Chef Eric Naftzer of Park Plaza in Walla Walla, Wash. placed third.
Honorable mention recipients were Chef Gordana Vuckovic of Stamford Estates in Niagara Falls, On., Chef Harry Helbig of The Garden Club in Bellevue, Wash., and Sous Chef April Haley of Lake Shore Commons in Wilmington, N.C.