The U.S. Capitol’s beloved gingerbread replica has returned for its ninth year, crafted once again by longtime organizer Fred Johnson and, for the first time, with support from Metz Culinary Management (Metz), the House of Representatives’ new dining vendor.
The Metz team worked alongside Johnson to mix, roll, trim, bake, and finish every element of the gingerbread façade, from the rotunda dome to the decorative wreaths and architectural details. “This was our first year to contribute, and it was an incredible experience,” said Chef John Selick, Director of Culinary for Metz.
The intricately built structure, roughly five feet long and three feet tall, was constructed over two intensive days in late November. It was assembled using hundreds of hand-cut and baked components, including 144 cups of flour, 20 pounds of butter, 30 pounds of fondant, and custom-poured isomalt windows. “The scale is much larger than a traditional gingerbread house, so everything has to be built for strength, using thicker dough, structural icing, and precise templates,” Chef Selick said.
To prepare, Selick recruited Jessica Kramer, regional chef for Metz’s K-12 programs, and Xavier Smith, Metz corporate dining division chef. The team joined Johnson in managing the volume of dough, organizing dozens of paper patterns for walls and roof sections, and executing the delicate shaping of the Capitol dome using a kitchen mixing bowl as a mold. After the main build, Metz chef Gary Owen provided final decorative piping ahead of the unveiling ceremony.
While the towering model is technically edible, Selick cautions that flavor wasn’t the priority. “Everything is edible, but you wouldn’t enjoy eating it,” he said. “The recipe is modified to stand for more than 45 days. It’s built for durability, not dessert.”
One unexpected lesson came from the dome itself. “The first version was made from re-rolled dough scraps,” Selick explained. “It baked fine, but the seams made it fragile, and we knew it wouldn’t hold. So we remade it as one solid piece. That’s the kind of thing you only learn by doing.”
According to Chef Selick, the Metz team is already planning improvements for 2026. “Now that we’ve done it once, we have ideas on how to make it even better—and definitely bigger. Next year we’re coming back with more bakers and, hopefully, a bigger mixer,” he laughed.
The annual gingerbread Capitol has become a holiday favorite among congressional staff and visitors, often featured on office holiday cards and social media posts. The 2025 replica is now on display for visitors and staff in the Cannon House Office Building. It will remain on display throughout the holiday season.