After decorating the White House with giant hearts, Jill Biden continued her pre-Valentine’s Day revelry with a stop at Capitol Hill bakery the Sweet Lobby this morning. It’s her first visit to a DC food business as First Lady.
The Sweet Lobby posted an Instagram story of Biden in front of a case full of macarons wearing a thematic pink coat. The boutique shop specializes in cupcakes and French pastries such as madeleines, éclairs, and macarons. It’s owned by Winnette McIntosh Ambrose, a biomedical engineer turned pastry chef who’s won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and Chopped.
Keeping up the trend of the first family visiting local businesses, @FLOTUS stopped at DC cupcake shop @TheSweetLobby this morning
(Not pictured: me standing outside as Secret Service blocked the door)
[? via Sweet Lobby/insta] pic.twitter.com/BmqgOuYP19
— Jesse Byrnes (@jessebyrnes) February 12, 2021
Ambrose says Biden purchased more than $100 worth of sweets during her 10-to-15 minute visit, including a “luxe” 20-piece macaron gift box, a “classic” six-piece macaron box, and a dozen cupcakes in an assortment of flavors.
“From what I hear from my staff, she was absolutely lovely and so was her detail,” Ambrose says. “All my staff took lots of pictures.”
Ambrose, however, just missed Biden. She was on her way in from her other bakery and market, Souk, when a manager texted that they had a “visitor” this morning. An attached photo didn’t immediately download. “I’m like there staring at it—Who was it? Who was it?”
Ambrose is hoping the Bidens will make a return when she is there: “We’ve got to have a raincheck. Dr. Biden, holler at your girl, please, next time. Just shoot me a message. Hit me up in the DMs.”
Last month, Joe Biden made his first presidential eating outing to Call Your Mother in Georgetown to pick up some bagels. The President and First Lady are on track to well surpass Donald and Melania Trump in visits to local food businesses. The Trumps only frequented the steakhouse in his Pennsylvania Avenue hotel during their four years in the White House.
“Supporting the local community is such a huge thing, especially in these times we’re in, so we’re just super grateful to see that she’s out and about,” Ambrose says. “We sure hope that she enjoys her treats and that she shares some with the President. I hear he has a sweet tooth.”
This story has been updated with comment from Ambrose.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
