Elaborate gingerbread creations bear scents and scenes of the season

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Pastry chef Carmen Montejo holds a figure representing a staffer in the Moana Surfrider’s human resources department, to be placed on the hotel’s gingerbread tree.

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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Pastry chef Carmen Montejo holds a figure representing a staffer in the Moana Surfrider’s human resources department, to be placed on the hotel’s gingerbread tree.

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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Pastry cook Jen Cheng, right, decorates the base of the tree.

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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Each section of the tree represents a part of the Moana complex, such as the bakeshop.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
A gingerbread replica of Iolani Palace stands in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa.

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

A gingerbread replica of Iolani Palace stands in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa.

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Moana Surfrider

Pastry Chef Carmen Montejo pays tribute to the staff of the Moana Surfrider with her 5-foot gingerbread tree, depicting them at work, in details made with colored gum paste.

Her tree, consisting of 25 sections, one for each department, was unveiled in the oceanfront hotel’s lobby Friday. Five gingerbread houses surround the tree to complete the holiday vignette.

Housekeeping is represented by a maid with a feather duster; the Beachhouse restaurant is the scene of a family being served dinner; and the Moana Lani Spa section includes a therapist giving treatment to a guest, according to hotel publicist Joanie Matsumoto.

The tree, 65 inches tall and 34 inches wide, has a plywood base covered with 40 pounds of gingerbread dough; 50 pounds of royal icing hold it all together.

It took Montejo and her pastry team 60 hours to create the display and 25 pounds of gum paste to create the employee characters with different hair colors, skin tones and eyes.

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On view at least through Dec. 31; 2255 Kalakaua Ave.

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Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa

View Iolani Palace in the form of a giant gingerbread palace in the lobby of the Hyatt. The structure stands 7 feet tall and 11 feet wide, and incorporates 100 pounds of flour, 60 pounds of honey, 180 pounds of sugar and 100 pounds of candy.

At the unveiling Dec. 5, the Hyatt presented a $180,000 check donation to Make-A-Wish Hawaii from funds raised at its annual Swing for Wishes golf tournament.

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On view through New Year’s Day; 2424 Kalakaua Ave.