The White House pastry chef has made a birthday cake for the Pope and a chocolate-malted ganache for the president of France, but now he's headed to a new kitchen.
The New York Times reported that the White House executive pastry chef, Bill Yosses, is resigning in June after more than seven years of dessert-making. The dessert aficionado told the Times that he will be moving to New York to launch a new "food literacy" initiative to encourage healthy eating, and First Lady Michelle Obama is to blame for his decision.
Yosses said he had been inspired by Michelle's own efforts to encourage Americans to eat healthier. She reportedly sweet-talked the chef into making healthier desserts and has been an inspiration with her approach to change the national diet plan.
"She has done it with humor and good will, without preaching, just the way you would hope the 'Mom in Chief' would do," he said. "[She is] definitely an inspiring boss, a combination of spontaneity and seriousness."
Since the Obamas moved in, Yosses said he has had to focus on making desserts without "the usual blitzkrieg" of butter and cream. Instead, he swapped out butter with "fruit purée, which gives some body, and replaced sugar with honey and agave. Michelle has reportedly "discouraged his creativity in working with full fat, sugar, and eggs."
"I don't want to demonize cream, butter, sugar and eggs," Yosses told the Times. "For special, nostalgic occasions, we still make 20% traditional desserts."
Yosses said he found himself picking more ingredients from the White House garden, including strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple sage. The First Lady's views on desserts meant smaller portions and less sugar. Yosses has also been experimenting with his own recipes.
Yosses was originally hired by former First Lady, Laura Bush, to make cookie plates and sugar sculptures. Yosses has said he was dubbed "The Crust Master" by President Barack Obama, because of his "mouthwatering" range of Thanksgiving pies - huckleberry, pecan, chocolate cream, sweet potato, banana cream or coconut cream. For Christmas, Yosses baked a roughly 300-pound gingerbread White House.
Yosses said part of the decision to move to New York is to be with his husband, Charlie Jandusay Fabella Jr., who is a teacher. The couple wed in Washington in 2011, but has lived apart for 11 years. Yosses called his departure a "bittersweet decision."
"Food knowledge should be part of a complete curriculum. We used to learn about food as a part of everyday growing up, but I think we've lost that. I think it has a place in schools," Yosses said.
The Times reported that Michelle is "incredibly sad" over Yosses' planned departure, but wished him and his husband the best.
"I am also so grateful to him for his outstanding work, not just as the White House pastry chef, producing the most delectable creations for everything from birthday celebrations to state visits, but also as a key partner helping us get the White House kitchen garden off the ground and building a healthier future for our next generation," she said in a statement, according to the Times.
