Franette Mcculloch

A pastry chef at the White House, who prepared special cakes and desserts for celebrations in the last two administrations, filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing her boss, the head pastry chef, of "severe sexual harassment" since 1991. The lawsuit by Franette McCulloch also named President Clinton as a defendant, claiming that as head of the White House he ignored a 1997 law extending the protections of civil rights statutes to White House employees.

A pastry chef at the White House, who prepared special cakes and desserts for celebrations in the last two administrations, filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing her boss, the head pastry chef, of "severe sexual harassment" since 1991. The lawsuit by Franette McCulloch also named President Clinton as a defendant, claiming that as head of the White House he ignored a 1997 law extending the protections of civil rights statutes to White House employees.

The tiny room is wedged between the state floor and the family quarters at the White House, reachable only by elevator and governed by one dictate: "Failure is not an option." This room has no policy papers, no state documents. But it does have marzipan, chocolate, whipped butter, beaten eggs and cookie dough. Welcome to the spotless, aluminum-clad domain of White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier, a softly rounded man whose happy endings are so spectacular that diners sometimes applaud.