In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead, former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, and the White House pastry team work on the 2006 official White House Gingerbread House in the China Room. Mesnier retired in 2004 but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season, where it was displayed in the State Dining Room. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing. Pictured here from left to right: Roland Mesnier, Mark Ramsdell, Marlene Roudebush, and an unknown pastry chef.

In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead, former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (right) and assistant pastry chef Mark Ramsdell (left) work on assembling the 2006 Official White House Gingerbread House in the China Room. Ramsdell joined the White House pastry team in 1992, and worked alongside Mesnier as an assistant pastry chef in the White House Kitchen during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. Mesnier retired in 2004, but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.

In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead in 2006, pastry chefs including Mark Ramsdell (far left), former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (second from left) and Marlene Roudebush (far right) consult during the construction of the "Red and White" Gingerbread House in the China Room. The partially assembled gingerbread house is visible in the background, while a table holding a wall and plans is visible in the foreground. Mesnier's career at the White House began in 1979. He retired in 2004, but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.

This photograph was taken by Shealah Craighead in 2006, during the construction of the "Red and White" gingerbread house in the China Room. Here, former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (far left) examines tempered couverture chocolate while other members of the pastry team including Mark Ramsdell and Marlene Roudebush work at a table in front of the fireplace at right. Mesnier oversaw construction and design of the "Red and White" gingerbread house. Mesnier's career at the White House began in 1979. He retired in 2004, but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.

In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead in 2006, pastry chefs including Mark Ramsdell (far left), former Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (second from left), and Marlene Roudebush (far right) consult during the construction of their "Red and White" gingerbread house in the China Room. A table with a section of the wall and plans is visible in the foreground. Mesnier's career at the White House began in 1979. He retired in 2004 but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.

In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead, former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (left) and assistant pastry chef Mark Ramsdell (right) work on assembling the 2006 Official White House Gingerbread House in the China Room. Ramsdell joined the White House pastry team in 1992, and worked alongside Mesnier as an assistant pastry chef in the White House Kitchen during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. Mesnier retired in 2004, but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.