This composite is a compilation of photographs from the Chef Roland Mesnier Collection. White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004. This composite may only be used for press and publicity purposes related to the collection. All other uses must be approved by the White House Historical Association in writing.

In this photograph by Bill Fitz-Patrick, White House kitchen staff pose in the Kitchen with platters of lobster prepared for a luncheon for members of the Supreme Court of the United States on October 1, 1982. The luncheon, held in the State Dining Room, marked the start of the 1982 Supreme Court's October term. From left to right are pastry chef Hans Raffert, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, and an unidentified member of kitchen staff. For the full menu from this luncheon, see 1140791. 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 Bill Fitz-Patrick, White House kitchen staff pose with platters of lobster prepared for a luncheon for the Supreme Court Justices of the United States on October 1, 1982. The luncheon, hosted by President Ronald Reagan in the State Dining Room of the White House, marked the start of the 1982 Supreme Court's October term. The group, standing in the White House Kitchen, are from left to right: Pastry Chef Hans Raffert, Executive Chef Henry Haller, Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, and an unidentified member of kitchen staff. 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 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 Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (right) and Executive Chef Henry Haller (left) present a table of thirteen cakes for President Ronald Reagan's 70th birthday party on February 6, 1981 in the East Room of the White House. The top cake is decorated with a blown-sugar horse replica of President Reagan's favorite horse "El Alamein" that was gifted to him by President José López Portillo of the United Mexican States. 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.

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 by Karl Schumacher, White House chefs stand in the Family Kitchen with a birthday cake for President Ronald Reagan's 71st birthday. On February 6, 1982, guests joined President Reagan for a private party in the Yellow Oval Room. Standing from left to right are White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, and assistant 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.

In this photograph by Bill Fitz-Patrick, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (right) and White House Executive Chef Henry Haller pose with "Fantasy of Pear" sorbet desserts for a State Dinner in honor of King Juan Carlos I of Spain and Queen Sofía, consort of the king. The dinner was hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the State Dining Room on October 13, 1981. The dessert consists of pear sorbets served in pulled-sugar baskets decorated with blown-sugar pears. Accompanying the main desserts were platters of apricot slices (apricot flavored pastries). For the full menu from this State Dinner, see 1140804. 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.

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.

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 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 pastry chef Franette McCulloch, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, and White House Executive Chef Henry Haller plating a dessert for a White House event. 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 Executive Chef Henry Haller (left) and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (right) pose with unidentified visitors to the White House Kitchen on May 9, 1983. For many years food preparation for White House events happened entirely in the Kitchen on the Ground Floor. In 1992, a pastry shop was built and dessert preparation was moved out of the main Kitchen allowing more space for the chefs to work. 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, a group of White House chefs sit at a table for a meal or break. From left to right are White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, an unidentified member of the Kitchen staff, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, an unidentified member of the Kitchen staff, and Assistant Executive 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.

In this photograph, Executive Chef Henry Haller, left, stands in the East Room of the White House with Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. This photograph was taken circa May 1980, shortly after Mesnier's tenure at the White House began. The East Room is set up for a White House event, complete with tables set and floral centerpieces. 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, Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, left, and Executive Chef Henry Haller, right, pose in the White House Kitchen with unidentified member of the Kitchen staff. In front of the trio is a display of food prepared for a White House event. 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 features White House Executive pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, White House Executive Chef Henry Haller, Assistant Executive Chef Hans Raffert, and other kitchen staff members with a White House Gingerbread. The gingerbread house was likely designed by Raffert, who often constructed houses with variations on the traditional German A-Frame design that featured versions of the Hansel and Gretel fairytale. 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 Executive Chef Henry Haller stands with butlers Alfred Saenz (left) and Wilson Jerman (center), waiting for guests to enjoy a buffet spread in the State Dining Room. The refreshments, which included fresh fruit and shrimp with cocktail sauce, were likely served during a reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps and their spouses, held on July 1, 1986 during the Ronald Reagan administration. 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.