This Capitol looks good enough to eat (but you shouldn’t)

What do you get when you combine 144 cups of flour, 24 cups of brown sugar and 28 pounds of powdered sugar?

The 2025 Capitol gingerbread house, crafted by Fred Johnson, John Selick and a crew of dedicated chefs who bring the annual tradition to life. The replica of the Capitol will go on display this week, filling the halls of Congress with the sweet smell of gingerbread once again.

Johnson, who used to be an executive chef for the House’s former food vendor Sodexo, now works for the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer as a contract administrator. But his role in the process hasn’t changed — it’s always been done on his own time, he said. And this year he’s collaborating with Selick, culinary director for Metz Culinary Management, the House’s new dining vendor.

“I do my hours for