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Former White House Pastry Chef Recalls Bill Clinton’s “Scary” Appetite

At the Washington Winter Show, pastry chef Roland Mesnier shares anecdotes of the Clinton administration’s culinary demands.

By Carol Ross Joynt

Former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier after his talk at the Katzen Center for the Arts. Photograph by Carol Joynt.

Former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier after his talk at the Katzen Center for the Arts. Photograph by Carol Joynt.

Former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier has fond memories of the Clinton era but says his initial reaction to Bill Clinton was that he was “scary.” It had nothing to do with Clinton’s policies or politics—just his appetite. Famously, before open-heart surgery and becoming a vegan, Clinton was known for his gourmand habits.

“He had a big appetite, scary,” says Mesnier. “He could eat five or six pork chops.” He says the White House kitchen staff “had to be ready.”

Clinton arrived in 1993 with not just his appetite but also some food allergies, including chocolate and flour. “But he loved dessert,” says Mesnier. “It made it very difficult for a pastry chef.” He recalls the episode of a strawberry cake he made one evening. Clinton devoured half of it all by himself, and the next morning he wanted more. “No one could find the cake,” says Mesnier, who had a face-to-face with the distraught commander in chief. “Clinton was pounding on the table and shouting, ‘I want my goddamned cake.’”

The chef, who is given to flights of humor, says that when the cake could not be found, “We decided [Vice President Al] Gore must have eaten it.”

See Also:

An Inside Look at Opening Night of the Washington Winter Show

Mesnier made the remarks at a luncheon at the Katzen Center for the Arts in connection with the Washington Winter Show. He was the White House pastry chef for 26 years, starting with the Carter administration and departing after the second term of President George W. Bush. He’s now a lecturer and the author of three books, and asserts, “Every story I tell you is true.”


Category Tags: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue


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You say Bill Clinton ate all of those pork chops. The Washington Post says it was his brother-in-law, Hugh Rodham. Who got it wrong?

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Posted by: chengyou, Jan 09, 2012 07:17:29 AM

Nixon loved eating cottage cheese with ketchup on it for lunch. Eisenhower probably sat around eating scrapple and calling Mamie "Kay."

Posted by: Imhofftank, Jan 07, 2012 10:33:35 AM

@chef mike: In English, we don’t form plurals with apostrophes: not "He is one of my culinary hero’s", but "He is one of my culinary heroes."

Posted by: Just So, Jan 06, 2012 08:52:44 PM

We all know Clinton loved to gorge himself, but his appetite pales in comparison to the two gluttons that presently occupy Our White House..
Those two self indulgent clowns will surely break the Taxpayer’s bank just on their grotesque feeding frenzies, not to mention their endless vacations and White House parties.

Posted by: Ray, Jan 06, 2012 07:52:11 PM

Kind of a shame our species is impressed by the petulant excesses of our leaders/celebrities. What are we all.. monkeys?

Posted by: Tamerlane, Jan 06, 2012 07:44:18 PM

"Let them eat cake"... Marie Antoinette, (the cake heard around the world that started the French Revolution.)

Posted by: Samurai, Jan 06, 2012 07:36:06 PM

I’d be very concerned if I thought Al Gore was snooping around my kitchen late at night. Didn’t he have his own residence?

Posted by: Bill, Jan 06, 2012 07:09:57 PM

Clinton, real class act, screaming at a chef for more cake in the morning, what a hog.

To answer slyvies question one could easily replace wheat flour with almond flour or soy flour, although there are even more options than those those are the two most popular.

Posted by: Locke , Jan 06, 2012 07:06:54 PM

Now they just serve two fruits and everything else out of the fryer, lot easier!

Posted by: Paul, Jan 06, 2012 06:51:15 PM

Actually Obama giggles a lot, but you probably miss it because your too busy looking for buggers in his nose that is upturned from his chin pushed too far upward.

Posted by: sylvie, Jan 06, 2012 06:43:37 PM

Clinton gourged himself on the taxpayers dime. He sucked every privilege his position gave him down to the last drop. The Arkansas bumkin went on global travel junkets with regularity, amassing more mileage than any president ever. Why did he go to India? Diplomatic outreach to a democratic country that was emerging from third world status? "Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to see the Taj Mahal." More countries! more women! More porkchops! More cake! GimME! GimME!"

Posted by: Godfreid, Jan 06, 2012 06:42:53 PM

The posted comments are funnier than the article.

Posted by: CaliforniaIsADream, Jan 06, 2012 06:42:10 PM

hmmm... must have been difficult to make a strawberry cake without flour, considering its stated that Clinton had an allergy to flour... chef want to share that recipe? :)

Posted by: sylvie, Jan 06, 2012 06:39:58 PM

"Better a President with an appetite for broads and strawberry cake than a giggling fool with an appetite for blood and destruction."

I’ve never seen Obama giggle. Stop making stuff up.

Posted by: McGehee, Jan 06, 2012 06:28:23 PM

The Chef thinks Clintons appetite was scary I bet it pails in comparison to what Michele can put away.

And if she started pounding on the table demanding her goddamned cake the cake would have been found.

Posted by: Bill, Jan 06, 2012 06:16:32 PM

I’ve always wondered if anyone tried to weigh Bubba’s bowel movements? That would have revealed a lot

Posted by: Pishab, Jan 06, 2012 06:11:16 PM

Better a President with an appetite for broads and strawberry cake than a giggling fool with an appetite for blood and destruction.

Posted by: WDDB, Jan 06, 2012 05:59:29 PM

Better a President with an appetite for broads and strawberry cake than a giggling fool with an appetite for blood and destruction.

Posted by: WDDB, Jan 06, 2012 05:58:54 PM

“Every story I tell you is true”, he says. HA! He learned at the feet of the master liars…..Bubba, Hillary, Al, Janet, and many more Democrats.

Posted by: Tom, Jan 06, 2012 05:32:39 PM

The question should not be does the chef need permission or not. Just why both Clintons are not in jail. This muderous pair should never have left the White House without metal bracelets. Still to this day Lady Clinton is still in our faces and violating our rights. I say let the chef say what he wants to say and lock up the Clintons.......

Posted by: Lavon, Jan 06, 2012 05:26:25 PM

The question should not be does the chef need permission or not. Just why both Clintons are not in jail. This muderous pair should never have left the White House without metal bracelets. Still to this day Lady Clinton is still in our faces and violating our rights. I say let the chef say what he wants to say and lock up the Clintons.......

Posted by: Lavon, Jan 06, 2012 05:25:22 PM

The question should not be does the chef need permission or not. Just why both Clintons are not in jail. This muderous pair should never have left the White House without metal bracelets. Still to this day Lady Clinton is still in our faces and violating our rights. I say let the chef say what he wants to say and lock up the Clintons.......

Posted by: Lavon, Jan 06, 2012 05:24:08 PM

The question should not be does the chef need permission or not. Just why both Clintons are not in jail. This muderous pair should never have left the White House without metal bracelets. Still to this day Lady Clinton is still in our faces and violating our rights. I say let the chef say what he wants to say and lock up the Clintons.......

Posted by: Lavon, Jan 06, 2012 05:22:49 PM

When you take in all your meals on the taxpayers’ dime, you may as well stuff yourself silly five or six times a day. Who’s gonna notice?

Posted by: George, Jan 06, 2012 05:18:32 PM

"But he loved dessert...." Yep, those desserts named monica, paula, kathleen, juanita turned out real well for Bubba

Posted by: John, Jan 06, 2012 05:11:08 PM

I’ve read his books. He is one of my culinary hero’s. He is apparently doing well in retirement. A true national treasure. In my humble opinion.

Posted by: chef mike, Jan 06, 2012 05:06:34 PM

Who fricking cares?

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Posted by: Midge Martin, Jan 06, 2012 04:53:37 PM

He’s like a modern day, Americanized Henry VIII.

Posted by: Geoff, Jan 06, 2012 04:51:42 PM

Well, we know he liked pie . . .

Posted by: George , Jan 06, 2012 04:51:19 PM

Steve S--Im pretty sure you are the one who needs to shut up and...relax. If you have ever met Roland or read any of his books, you’ll know that every President, First Lady/Family he served under absolutely adored him. Roland Mesnier is a hilarious, kind spirited person and would never divulge truly confidentional information about the people he worked for. For the record, he didnt just start vomiting stories about former presidents and their families without their consent, he was given their direct blessings/permission before writing anything. Go get angry and post about something else you nimrod.

Posted by: Lauren, Jan 06, 2012 04:50:45 PM

Clinton was a piece of work. The guy is lovable and he did a good job even though I did not vote for him. Can’t say the same for the current President - looooser

Posted by: Shell, Jan 06, 2012 04:38:08 PM

Clinton was a piece of work. The guy is lovable and he did a good job even though I did not vote for him. Can’t say the same for the current President - looooser

Posted by: Shell, Jan 06, 2012 04:37:25 PM

He is talking about the Clintons - only one of two impeached presidents in our glorious history. And, impeached and disbarred at that for lying under oath. Who has any respect for this pervert any longer?

Posted by: Jocko, Jan 06, 2012 04:35:41 PM

i know i’d be mad if al gore at my cake.... real mad like global warming mad!

Posted by: Mic, Jan 06, 2012 04:34:16 PM

You won’t believe the amount of fish tacos he regularly ate in the Oval Office.

Posted by: Geoff, Jan 06, 2012 04:33:49 PM

Why should a cook not be allowed to tell what he saw the guy eat. Is this our monarchy?

Posted by: John Q. Public, Jan 06, 2012 04:32:10 PM

@Steve: you need to calm down. Who ever said the chef needs to keep his expriences confidential? In fact, I want to know more just from reading the article. What about the two Bushs, and Regan? What are some interesting stories about their foo habits? I guess I’ll have to read his book.

Posted by: Jeff, Jan 06, 2012 04:31:16 PM

Why would anyone expect someone with such lack of self discipline to be a good president? Beats me.

Posted by: John Hanson, Jan 06, 2012 04:29:38 PM

Confidentiality?? Really?? The guy was a pastry chef not a priest or a lawyer. Get a grip.

Posted by: Dave, Jan 06, 2012 04:27:23 PM

Confidentiality?? Really?? The guy was a pastry chef not a priest or a lawyer. Get a grip.

Posted by: Dave, Jan 06, 2012 04:27:00 PM

This guy should shut up. He has no respect for the job he once held and the people he worked for. Whatever happened to confidentiality?

Posted by: Steve S, Jan 06, 2012 04:19:08 PM

Yes...we all became quiet aware of his "appetite".

Posted by: Rich, Jan 06, 2012 04:18:52 PM

Yes...we all became quiet aware of his "appetite".

Posted by: Rich, Jan 06, 2012 04:18:23 PM

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