In this photograph by Mary Anne Fackelman, White House Kitchen staff prepare a dinner for new members of the United States Congress hosted by President Ronald Reagan on March 3, 1987. From left to right are White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, assistant pastry chef Hans Raffert, an unidentified Kitchen staff member, and chef Frank Ruta. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph White House Kitchen staff pose together in the Family Dining Room. From left to right are White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, kitchen steward Adam Collick, assistant pastry chef Franette McCulloch, assistant chef Frank Ruta, and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Together the members of White House Kitchen staff prepare food for White House social events and the first family. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Mary Anne Fackelman, White House Kitchen staff prepare food for a dinner for new members of the United States Congress hosted by President Ronald Reagan on March 3, 1987. From left to right are White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, an unidentified Kitchen staff member, Frank Ruta, and White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph, White House butlers pickup desserts to serve to guests at a State Dinner in honor of Premier Zhao Ziyang of the People’s Republic of China. The desserts were set up in the Family Dining Room, just off of the State Dining Room where the dinner was held. The dinner was hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House on January 10, 1984. The pomegranate sorbet dessert were carefully designed by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. While researching Chinese culture, Chef Mesnier was inspired by phoenixes, junks (small boats), pomegranates, and lychees. He carved boats out of wood in the White House carpentry shop and made his own mold. Warm pieces of pulled sugar were molded to create the boats. Each junk was decorated with a blown sugar phoenix sat atop a branch of Chinese plum blossoms. In the middle were pomegranate sorbets, lychees, and raspberries. The desserts were also accompanied by trays of petit four sec. For the full menu from this State Dinner, see 1126426. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on January 6, 1982, White House staff pose together in the State Dining Room. The White House staff largely go unseen but perform vital tasks to the running of the house, success of events, and care of the first family. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on February 1, 1982, White House Kitchen staff pose together in the Kitchen. The Kitchen staff are responsible for creating the food for all events hosted at the White House. Among those pictured are Frank Ruta (far left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (third from left), Assistant Executive Chef Hans Raffert (center), and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (far right). This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This photograph taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on February 1, 1982, shows White House Kitchen staff in the Kitchen. The Kitchen staff are responsible for creating the food for all events hosted at the White House. Among those pictured are Frank Ruta (second from left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (third from left), White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (second from right), and Assistant Executive Chef Hans Raffert (far right). This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph White House Kitchen staff pose together in the Family Dining Room on June 15, 1987 during the Ronald Reagan administration. From left to right are White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, assistant chef Frank Ruta, and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Together the members of White House Kitchen staff prepare food for White House social events and the first family. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph, taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick, members of White house Kitchen staff, including chef Frank Ruta (second from left), butler Alfred Saenz (fourth from left) and chef Hans Raffert (second from right) stand with platters of dessert for President Ronald Reagan's 70th birthday party on February 6, 1981. President Reagan thought the evening was going to entail a dinner with around twenty friends and family members, but First Lady Nancy Reagan turned it into a surprise party and invited over 100 guests. During the celebration in the East Room, guests enjoyed a formal dinner, cake and dessert, and live music by the United States Army Band. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This photograph shows White House chefs posing in the Kitchen with some of their elaborate dishes. From left to right stand chef Frank Ruta, Assistant Executive Chef Hans Raffert, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. This photograph is from circa 1980, the year Chef Mesnier started working at the White House. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph, White House Kitchen staff pose for a photograph in the White House Kitchen. From left to right are White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, chef Frank Ruta, an unidentified member of United States Secret Service staff, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, and chef Hans Raffert. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This is a photograph of First Lady Nancy Reagan with White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and White House Executive Chef Henry Haller sampling dessert options in the White House Kitchen on June 24, 1982. Mrs. Reagan asked chefs to provide samples of potential desserts for major events beforehand. This photograph features a dessert that was not used until two years later for a State Dinner honoring the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on June 18, 1984. The key dessert for that State Dinner was a nougat glace with fresh cherries and coconut ice cream in the shape of asparagus. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004. Please note: date on attached paper has been confirmed inaccurate. Use the date provided in this description and in the date field below.

In this photograph, members of the White House Kitchen staff greet President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the Ground Floor Corridor. President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush are seen in the background in the doorway leading to the Diplomatic Reception Room. This photograph is undated. The Kitchen staff, from left to right are: chef Frank Ruta, chef Hans Raffert, pastry chef Franette McCulloch, and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This is a photograph of First Lady Nancy Reagan with White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and White House Executive Chef Henry Haller sampling dessert options in the White House Kitchen on June 24, 1982. Mrs. Reagan asked chefs to provide samples of potential desserts for major events beforehand. This photograph features a dessert that was not used until two years later for a State Dinner honoring the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on June 18, 1984. The key dessert for that State Dinner was a nougat glace with fresh cherries and coconut ice cream in the shape of asparagus. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This is a photograph of President Ronald Reagan with members of the White House Kitchen staff in the East Room of the White House. From left to right are: pastry chef Franette McCulloch, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, President Reagan, and kitchen steward Adam Collick. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photography First Lady Nancy Reagan greets White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier in the State Dining Room at an event. Chef Frank Ruta, in glasses, stands in the background. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This group photograph of the White House residence staff was taken in the State Dining Room on January 6, 1982, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan. The staff photographed worked primarily in the Executive Mansion and include kitchen staff, butlers, and the White House Curator's Office. The photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, pictured standing in the second row in his chef's hat. Haller served as executive chef of the White House from 1966-1987.

This photograph, taken by White House photographer Mary Anne Fackelman on March 3, 1987, shows the White House Kitchen staff hard at work, possibly preparing an entree for a dinner hosted by President Ronald Reagan in the State Dining Room to honor new Members of Congress. White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (left) plates the entree, while White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (right) transitions tied cuts of meat onto a cutting board. This photograph is part of a collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. Haller served as executive chef at the White House from 1966-1987.

This group photograph of the White House Residence staff was taken in the State Dining Room on January 6, 1982, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan. The staff photographed worked primarily in the Executive Mansion and include kitchen staff, butlers, and the White House Curator's Office.