Roland Mesnier: Born in France, moved to the US after marriage and child birth, served as the White House chef for five presidents and his famous gingerbreads

Have you ever wondered about the themed pastries served at White House events and how much thought goes into creating them? Roland Mesnier was the White House executive pastry chef from 1979 to 2004. He spent nearly 27 years turning desserts into works of art.

He served five presidents and prepared desserts for thousands of dinners and special events. The photographs, sketches and menus he left behind offer a closer look at the work behind these memorable creations after his death on August 26, 2022.

But Mesnier’s journey began far from Washington, D.C. He was born on July 8, 1944, in Bonnay, a small village in eastern France. He grew up with eight siblings. On his 14th birthday, he left home to begin a pastry apprenticeship in Besançon, France. His first duties were basic. He cleaned and scrubbed. After that he started three years of pastry training.


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That training opened doors to larger kitchens in Paris, Hanover and Hamburg. In 1964, he moved to London to work at the Savoy hotel. He did not speak English when he arrived, but he secured the job after completing his compulsory military service in France.

He later moved to Bermuda to work at the Princess Hotel. There, he met Martha Whiteford, an American schoolteacher from West Virginia. They married and had a son, George. In 1976, Mesnier moved to the United States to work at the Homestead resort in Hot Springs, Virginia. Then an opening at the White House totally changed the direction of his career, three years later. According to the White House Historical Association, he arrived with a cardboard suitcase and just five francs.

Mesnier was married to Martha Whiteford and had a son named George, who was born in 1969.

How Mesnier joined the White House kitchen

In 1979, first lady Rosalynn Carter was looking for a new pastry chef. Mesnier applied and traveled to Washington for an interview in December. Carter hired him as the White House’s executive pastry chef.

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The position brought him into a workplace where food was part of both family life and official diplomacy. He prepared desserts for presidential celebrations, formal dinners and visits from foreign leaders. Mesnier held the job through the Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush administrations.

Inside the making of an event desert

For Mesnier, creating a dessert often began long before he entered the kitchen. He researched the guest of honor for major dinners. He consulted the White House curator, libraries, the State Department and embassies to learn about the guest’s country, interests and culture. The White House Historical Association said Mesnier was proud to say that he never made the same dessert twice.

As soon as Mesenier learned about an upcoming event he would start his research about it. Then he curated desserts that connected the meal to the occasion. The result could be a tribute made from chocolate, sugar, fruit and other ingredients. Some designs included intricate figures or large decorative displays.

The strawberry dessert was made for the celebration of NATO’s 50th anniversary, on April 23, 1999.

One of Mesnier’s most unusual creations was made for a dinner marking the 50th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in April 1999.

Mesnier created “Red and White” gingerbread White House in November 2006. He and his team decorated the structure with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows.

They featured architectural elements, miniature figures and decorative details. Although he was retired, Mesnier returned to help create the “Red and White” gingerbread White House.

He created another White House gingerbread house which was photographed by White House photographer Bob McNeely on December 10, 1997. Mesnier and his team created a Victorian-style building with an attached workshop. The scene featured elves making toys, along with Santa and his reindeer on the rooftop.

He even wrote multiple books sharing his experience with readers as a chef. His books included:

All the President’s Pastries: His memoir about his life and work as a White House pastry chef, published in English and French.

• Dessert University: A cookbook that shared his pastry knowledge and techniques.
• Basic to Beautiful Cakes: a guide to making cakes and developing their presentation.
• A Sweet World of White House Desserts: published with the White House Historical Association in 2011.
• Creating the Sweet World of White House Desserts: a book produced in collaboration with longtime colleague Chef Mark Ramsdell.
• White House Cookies: a book sharing recipes and stories connected to White House baking.
• The White House in Gingerbread: a look at the elaborate gingerbread houses and the work behind them.

Mesnier continued teaching after his White House career ended. He helped train pastry students and created the Professional Pastry Program at the former L’Academie de Cuisine. He also taught at schools around the United States. He coached the US team for the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, an international pastry competition held in Lyon, France.