Roland Mesnier, the French-born pastry chef who delighted five US presidents with his desserts, has died at the age of 78 in the United States, reported an association dedicated to the history of the White House.
The pastry chef, who came to the presidential mansion in 1979 under Jimmy Carter and worked there until his retirement in 2004 during the George W. Bush administration, died Friday “after a brief illness,” the House Historical Association said. White on your website.
“I have such fond memories of Chef Mesnier,” former US first lady Hillary Clinton tweeted on Saturday alongside a photo of her with the chef.
“He loved making people smile with his beautiful creations, like his famous gingerbread houses at Christmas. He will be missed!” she said.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Institute and Foundation also expressed condolences on Mesnier’s passing, noting that he had served as the White House executive pastry chef for 25 years.
“His passion, his commitment and his love for his work will always be remembered,” the foundation said.
Mesnier, born in Bonnay, a small town in eastern France, died in the US state of Virginia, a neighbor of the federal capital, after complications from cancer, according to The Washington Post, which cited his son George.
Born into a modest family of nine children, he had worked in big hotels in Germany, the UK and Bermuda before First Lady Rosalynn Carter hired him in 1979.