Julia Child facts for kids
1978 publicity portrait of Julia Child in her kitchen
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| Born | Julia Carolyn McWilliams August 15, 1912 Pasadena, California, U.S. |
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| Died | August 12, 2004 (aged 91) Montecito, California, U.S. |
| Cooking style | French |
| Education | Smith College B.A. History 1934 Le Cordon Bleu Le Grand Diplôme |
| Spouse |
Paul Cushing Child
(m. 1946; died 1994) |
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Julia Carolyn Child (born McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 12, 2004) was a famous American chef, writer, and television star. She is known for introducing French cuisine (French cooking) to people in America. She did this with her first cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her TV shows. Her most famous show was The French Chef, which started in 1963.
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Early Life and Education
Julia Carolyn McWilliams was born in Pasadena, California. Her father, John McWilliams, Jr., managed land. Her mother, Julia Carolyn ("Caro") Weston, came from a family that owned a paper company. Julia was the oldest of three children.
Julia went to school in Pasadena. Later, she attended the Katherine Branson School in Ross, California. She was very tall, about six feet, two inches (1.88 m). As a young person, she loved playing sports like tennis, golf, and basketball. She continued playing sports when she went to Smith College. She graduated in 1934 with a degree in History. After college, Julia thought about becoming a novelist or a magazine writer. She moved to New York City and worked writing ads for a store called W. & J. Sloane.
Julia grew up with a cook in her family's home. She didn't learn to cook from this person. Julia only started learning to cook when she met her future husband, Paul. His family loved food, and he helped her discover her passion for cooking.
Working During World War II
Julia Child wanted to join the military during World War II. She tried to join the Women's Army Corps or the U.S. Navy's WAVES, but she was too tall! So, she joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). This was a special U.S. spy agency during the war. She started as a typist in Washington, D.C. But because she was smart and had good experience, she soon got a more important job. She became a top-secret researcher, working directly for the head of the OSS, General William J. Donovan.
Julia worked in a section that dealt with emergency rescue equipment. One of her tasks was to help solve a funny problem: sharks were accidentally setting off underwater explosives! These explosives were meant for German submarines. Julia's job was to help find a shark repellent (something to keep sharks away). She experimented with different mixtures to repel the sharks. This was actually her first time "cooking" in a scientific way! The shark repellent she helped develop is still used today.
In 1944, she was sent to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). There, she managed many secret messages for the OSS's hidden bases in Asia. Later, she moved to Kunming, China. For her excellent work, she received an award called the Emblem of Meritorious Civilian Service. Her secret files were made public in 2008, and you can even find them online.
While in China, she met Paul Cushing Child. He also worked for the OSS. They got married on September 1, 1946. Paul was from New Jersey and had lived in Paris as an artist. He loved good food and taught Julia a lot about fine cooking. Paul later joined the United States Foreign Service. In 1948, they moved to Paris when Paul was assigned there by the United States Department of State. Julia and Paul did not have any children.
The French Chef Television Show
In 1962, Julia appeared on a TV show in Boston to talk about her cookbook. Viewers loved watching her show how to cook an omelette. This led to her very own cooking show called The French Chef. It started on February 11, 1963, and was an instant hit! The show was shown across the country for ten years. It won important awards like the Peabody Award and Emmy Award. It even won the first Emmy for an educational program. Julia was not the first TV cook, but she was the most famous. In 1972, The French Chef became the first TV show to have captions for people who are deaf.
Julia's second book, The French Chef Cookbook, was a collection of recipes from her show. In 1971, she released Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume Two. Her fourth book, From Julia Child's Kitchen, included photos taken by her husband. It also had many cooking notes Julia made while doing her show.
Julia Child's Influence on American Homes
Julia Child had a big impact on American families. In the 1960s, TV shows were not edited much. This meant that any small mistakes Julia made on her show would still be seen. People loved this because it made her seem real and relatable. One mother said that Julia's show helped her relax and feel happy. Julia's show also started before the big feminist movement of the 1960s. This meant that her show helped women feel good about their roles in the kitchen at a time when other TV shows might have ignored their daily lives.
Later Career and More Shows
In the 1970s and 1980s, Julia starred in many more TV shows. These included Julia Child & Company, Julia Child & More Company, and Dinner at Julia's. She won a National Book Award in 1979 for her book Julia Child and More Company. In 1981, she helped start the American Institute of Wine & Food. This group was created to help people understand and enjoy wine and food better. She also published a book and video series called The Way To Cook in 1989.
In the 1990s, Julia starred in four more TV series. These shows featured other famous chefs. Some of them were Cooking with Master Chefs, In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs, Baking with Julia, and Julia Child & Jacques Pépin Cooking at Home. She often worked with chef Jacques Pépin on TV shows and cookbooks. All of her books from this time came from her TV series.
Julia Child's kitchen, which her husband designed, was used as the set for three of her TV shows. This kitchen is now on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. For her 1990s shows, their home kitchen in Cambridge was turned into a full TV set. It had special lighting and cameras. It also had a large center island with different stovetops. But they kept her other kitchen appliances, even her oven with its "squeaking door." This kitchen was the background for almost all of Julia's TV shows in the 1990s.
Last Years and Passing
In 2001, Julia Child moved to a retirement community. She gave her house and office to Smith College. She also donated her famous kitchen to the National Museum of American History. Her husband had designed the kitchen with tall counters to fit her height. Her well-known copper pots and pans were also put on display with her kitchen at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Julia received many honors. In 2000, she received the French Legion of Honour, a very high award from France. She was also chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2003, she received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is America's highest civilian award. She also received special degrees from universities like Harvard University and Smith College.
Julia Child passed away on August 12, 2004, just three days before her 92nd birthday. She died from kidney failure in Montecito, California. Her last meal was French onion soup.
Julia Child's Legacy
In 1995, Julia Child created The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. This foundation gives money to groups that help people learn more about cooking and food. The foundation works to continue Julia's life's work. It supports cooking, food art, and helps the professional food world grow. These were all very important to Julia during her life.
Besides giving grants, the Foundation also protects Julia Child's legacy. If someone wants to use pictures of Julia or parts of her work, they need to ask the Foundation for permission.
There is even a special kind of rose named after Julia Child! It's called the Julia Child rose and has beautiful golden-yellow flowers.
On September 26, 2014, the U.S. Postal Service released special stamps. These stamps featured five famous American chefs, including Julia Child.
Julia Child's Famous Quotes
- "A cookbook is only as good as its poorest recipe."
- "If you're afraid of butter, use cream."
- "I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate."
- "Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it."
Awards and Recognitions
Awards
- 1965: Peabody Award for The French Chef
- 1966: Emmy Award for The French Chef
- 1980: U.S. National Book Award for Julia Child and More Company
- 1996: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Service Show Host for In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs
- 2001: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Service Show Host for Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home
Images for kids
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Julia Child's kitchen at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
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Julia Child in 1994
See also
In Spanish: Julia Child para niños
