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 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, White House pastry chef Franette McCulloch decorates petits fours for a dinner in honor of Queen Sirikit of Thailand, held on March 11, 1985 during the Ronald Reagan administration. Chef McCulloch began as a part time staff member in 1983, but later became the first female chef at the White House. McCulloch helped make the elaborate desserts served at White House events and first family gatherings. For the full menu from this dinner, see 1140727. 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, 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.

In this photograph taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier poses with the cake he made for Father's Day on June 19, 1983 during the Ronald Reagan administration. The cake features a blown-sugar figurine of President Ronald Reagan chopping wood. The Reagans enjoyed this cake at a quiet Father's Day celebration with their close friends Charles and Mary Jane Wick. Charles Z. Wick was Director of the U.S. Information Agency from 1981 to 1989. 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, taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick, of White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier with the dessert created for a State Dinner honoring President Li Xiannian of the People's Republic of China. The dessert features peach and strawberry sorbet, lime sabayon, and petit fours. The dessert is decorated with pulled sugar flowers. 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 White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier setting up a private dinner for President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the President's Dining Room on May 30, 1981. Guests at the dinner included singer Frank Sinatra, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, violinist Isaac Stern, and artist Jamie Wyeth. The President's Dining Room is located on the Second Floor of the Executive Mansion. For the full menu from this dinner, see 1140803. 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 April 7, 1988 shows White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier posing with a trophy that he was awarded by the French Culinary Academy for being voted pastry chef of the year by his peers in 1987. Later, the French Culinary Academy started rewarding The Roland Mesnier Trophy which is awarded to the winner of a competition that looks for excellence and innovation in pastry. 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.

These sugar tulip basket desserts, photographed by Bill Fitz-Patrick, were created by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier for a State Dinner in honor of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House on April 19, 1982. For this dinner, Chef Mesnier presented Mrs. Reagan with three different sample desserts, but none were quite right. After Mrs. Reagan suggested something inspired by tulips, Chef Mesnier spent most of the day carefully making pulled-sugar tulips and finally got the go-ahead with two days to go before the dinner. The final dessert consisted of a pulled-sugar basket filled with fat-free orange sorbet and decorated with three pulled-sugar tulips. For the full menu from the State Dinner, see 1126482. 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 cantaloupe and lime mousse dessert, photographed by Bill Fitz-Patrick, was created by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and served at a luncheon honoring Peter Carington, the 6th Baron Carrington, of the United Kingdom. Carington served as the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and was at the White House on May 10, 1988 to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan. When Chef Roland Mesnier was hired to work as a pastry chef for the White House, he focused on fruit base desserts in addition to his sugar and chocolate work. Many first families and their guests did not want to eat rich desserts, so Chef Mesnier would create dishes that would give the sensation of eating perfectly ripe fruit. For the full menu from the luncheon, see 1140688. 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 cake, photographed by Bill Fitz-Patrick, was made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier for a private birthday party on February 7, 1986 in honor of President Ronald Reagan's 75th birthday. During the private party, held the day after President Reagan's birthday, First Lady Nancy Reagan presented him with the coconut ball corral cake in the East Room. The dessert seen here was photographed in the Green Room. 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 table of desserts, photographed by Bill Fitz-Patrick in the Family Dining Room, were created by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and his pastry team for a State Dinner in honor of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan on April 19, 1982. For this dinner, Chef Mesnier presented First Lady Nancy Reagan with three different sample desserts, but none were quite right. After Mrs. Reagan suggested something inspired by tulips, Chef Mesnier spent most of the day carefully making pulled-sugar tulips and finally got the go-ahead with two days to go before the dinner. The final dessert consisted of a pulled-sugar basket filled with fat-free orange sorbet and decorated with three pulled-sugar tulips. This photograph shows that final dessert on display towards the back corner of the table on the right. The other desserts may have been the samples presented to Mrs. Reagan or samples of other desserts created by Mesnier for other events. For the full menu from the State Dinner, see 1126482. 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 dessert, photographed by Bill Fitz-Patrick, was made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier circa May 1987. Chef Mesnier designed and prepared desserts for White House events and first families for 25 years, serving five presidents from 1980 to 2004. He is known for having never made the same dessert twice. This dessert shows off some of Chef Mesnier's techniques including delicately piped chocolate and candied orange segments. 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 contact sheet shows official White House photographs of sugar flowers taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on January 21, 1986. The sugar flowers were made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, who often included elaborate sugar work on the desserts that he created for White House events. 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 dessert, photographed by Bill Fitz-Patrick, was made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier for a black tie dinner hosted by President Ronald Reagan on May 12, 1988 for supporters of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. The dinner was attended by around 35 people involved in establishing the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The dessert was photographed in the Family Dining Room. 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 of President Ronald Reagan and Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald of Ireland was taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on March 17, 1986. During a ceremony in the Rose Garden, Taoiseach Fitzgerald, also known as a prime minister, presented a Waterford Crystal bowl of shamrocks to President Reagan. Secretary of State George P. Shultz is also pictured.

In this photograph by Bill Fitz-Patrick, President Ronald Reagan is greeted by a group dressed in honor of St. Patrick's Day on March 17, 1986. The celebration took place in the Cabinet Room in the West Wing. The group interrupted President Reagan's Issues Briefing Luncheon.

In this photograph taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on March 17, 1976, Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave of Ireland, puts a pin on President Gerald R. Ford's lapel. Also pictured in the photograph is chief of protocol Henry Catto, First Lady Betty Ford (with her back to the camera), and the taoiseach's wife, Vera Cosgrave. This moment occurred on the South Drive during the State Arrival Ceremony held in honor of the Taoiseach's, or prime minister's, official State Visit.

In this photograph, President Gerald R. Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave of Ireland, and his wife, Vera Cosgrave, wave from the South Portico. Bill Fitz-Patrick captured this moment during the State Arrival Ceremony held in honor of the taoiseach's, or prime minister's, official State Visit on March 17, 1976.

In this photograph by Bill Fitz-Patrick, President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford pose on the South Portico alongside Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on July 7, 1976. The group were captured at a State Arrival Ceremony held in honor of Queen Elizabeth's State Visit. The ceremony was held on the South Lawn of the White House and, after a day of events, was followed by a State Dinner that evening in the Rose Garden. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the United States from July 6 to 11 in celebration of the American Bicentennial. During their six day trip, they visited eight American cities, starting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This aerial photo of the exterior of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office building was taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on June 23, 1981. During the Ronald Reagan presidency, the building was known as the Old Executive Office Building but was renamed the Eisenhower Executive Office Building with legislation signed by President Bill Clinton in 1999 and with a rededication ceremony presided over by President George W. Bush in 2002. Commissioned by President Ulysses S. Grant and completed in 1888, the majestic building was designed by Alfred Mullet in the Second Empire style, which is characterized by a sloping mansard roof and grand embellishments. Originally known as the State, War, and Navy Building, the building houses the offices of much of the president’s staff.