In this photograph, taken by Joyce N. Boghosian on December 15, 2008, First Lady Laura Welch Bush joins Rabbi Mendel Minkowitz, Rabbi Binyomin Steinmetz, and Rabbi Levi Shemtov following the koshering of the White House Kitchen. The rabbis supervised the koshering of the Kitchen prior to the White House Hanukkah reception. That evening, a kosher buffet was held in the East Room and a menorah lighting ceremony in the Entrance Hall.

In this photograph, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier prepares a bûche de Noël or Yule log cake in the White House Kitchen. The traditional holiday cake was a favorite at White House Christmas parties. Here, Chef Mesnier applies a layer of coffee buttercream to give the dessert its distinctive tree bark appearance. Mesnier joined the White House Kitchen in 1979 and retired in 2004.

This dessert was made for a holiday party by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier around 1985. It consists of a Christmas tree made from chatreuse ice cream topped with a white chocolate angel. The tree is decorated with marzipan and fresh berries and stands atop an oval made from dried meringue. The tree is accompanied by pinecones made from a pomegranate sorbet quenelle with scales molded from tempered chocolate.

In this photograph, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and Assistant Pastry Chef Marlene Roudebush create confectionary decorations in the Kitchen for the holiday season at the White House. As Mesnier blows sugar balls, Roudebush crafts marzipan figures. Mesnier led the White House pastry shop in creating hundreds of marzipan figures each year to populate the official White House Gingerbread House and lend a festive garnish to other holiday delicacies.

In this photograph, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and his assistant, Marlene Roudebush, work on the "American Village" gingerbread house. Created to complement First Lady Barbara Bush's holiday decorations in 1992, this was the first White House gingerbread house overseen by Mesnier. The whimsical scene, which incorporated multiple gingerbread houses and sledding marzipan elves, marked a departure from the traditional A-frame gingerbread houses created for the White House holiday season by Hans Raffert since 1969. Here, Chef Mesnier sprinkles powdered snow on the creation while Roudebush assembles a marzipan Santa Claus.

This photograph shows whimsical marzipan creations created by the White House pastry team for the holiday season. The figures include snowmen dressed in brightly colored scarves and others shaped like Santa Claus. The figures were likely made by Marlene Roudebush, assistant chef to White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Mesnier joined the White House pastry team in 1992 and earned a reputation for her detailed marzipan creations.

This photograph, taken by Robert L. Knudsen on September 4, 1963, shows White House Executive Chef René Verdon and Maître d’Hotel Charles E. Ficklin working in the Family Kitchen on the Second Floor of the White House. Located near the private residence and guestrooms, the Family Kitchen accommodates the preparation of simple meals and snacks by members of the first family.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires dishes prepared by White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (right) in the White House Kitchen on the Ground Floor of the Executive Mansion. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (right). As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires dishes prepared by White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (right) in the White House Kitchen on the Ground Floor of the Executive Mansion. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires a spun-sugar elephant and other delicacies prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires dishes prepared by White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (right) in the White House Kitchen on the Ground Floor of the Executive Mansion. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires a spun-sugar elephant and other delicacies prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires a spun-sugar elephant and other delicacies prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires a spun-sugar elephant and other delicacies prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires a swan-shaped dessert and other delicacies prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the sugar swan.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires a spun-sugar elephant and other delicacies prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan samples dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.

In this photograph, taken July 30, 1982 by National Geographic photographer Joseph H. Bailey, First Lady Nancy Reagan admires dishes prepared by pastry chef Roland Mesnier (left), White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (center), and chef Frank Ruta. As first lady, Mrs. Reagan often consulted with chefs before special events, offering suggestions for imaginative desserts such as the spun-sugar elephant and swan creations on the table.