ROCKFORD — Six years ago, Gerald Madero of Rockford put down his construction gear and traded those items in for another set of tools — pots, pans, spoons, whisks, spatulas and mixers.

His construction background served him well as he whipped up his latest masterpiece — a Wrigley Field replica made of gingerbread that measures 4 feet by 4 feet.

“Because I was a carpenter, I had the math skills to build the gingerbread structure,” said Madero, 37. “I had to make curves and all that to make it fit. Not having those skills probably would have made it almost impossible.”

Madero, the head chef at Forest Hills Country Club, built the structure to highlight the club’s annual Gingerbread Brunch, which was held Sunday, and to celebrate the recent World Series win by the Chicago Cubs.

“Every year we do a display. We were just kicking around ideas and everybody thought it would be cool if we did Wrigley Field,” the East High School graduate said. “I said I could totally do that. I love the challenge. The Cubs win is just the perfect thing — 108 years. What could be better?”

The structure took Madero and his team more than 70 hours and about two weeks to build. It weighs more than 400 pounds.

Nearly every piece is a sweet touch — windows made of gelatin, edible paper on the scoreboard, seats made out of crackers, cookies for the floors, icing for the trim and jelly candies for the flags. All but the players made of Legos can be eaten.

The candied classic will be on display until after the first of the year.

“And then we just trash it,” Madero said with a laugh.

Madero learned the tricks of his new trade when he joined the Forest Hills family three years ago. But he doesn’t practice his gingerbread skills at home.

“I really don’t have the time,” he said. “I’m literally there 70 hours a week. I don’t have time for all of that.”

As far as next year’s theme, Madero hasn’t really thought about it. He said he has a whole year to plan.

“We just say whatever is going on at the time, if we think it’s relevant, then that’s what we’ll do,” he said. “We’ll have to see what happens next year.”

Maggie Hradecky: 815-987-1367; mhradecky@rrstar.com; @maggiehrad