Roland Mesnier was interviewed for BookCast by Fairfax County Public Library Director Sam Clay. BookCast is sponsored by Virginia Commerce Bank through the Fairfax Library Foundation.

• Roland Mesnier served as Executive Pastry Chef at the White House from 1979, when he was hired by Rosalynn Carter, until 2004. He served under five presidents.



• He is the author of a memoir, All the President's Pastries, as well as recipe books such as Roland Mesnier's Basic to Beautiful Cakes and Dessert University.



• Mesnier grew up in Bonay, France, a town of 140, in a family of nine children. He started working in a pastry shop at the age of 14. His pay was the equivalent to $1 a month. Since then, he has worked at London's Savoy Hotel, as well as the Homestead in Hot Springs, VA.



• He is the honorary president of the World Cup of Pastry, and every year L'Académie de Cuisine awards a scholarship in his name.



• For more, read this Washington Post interview with Chef Mesnier.