Julia Child’s gastronomic “French Connection”

The relationship is legendary hate-love of America with France. A legend that has lasted for many years and on several levels, starting with gastronomy.

Loving the French Fries, the Americans had boycotted them in 2003, but with regret. It was to retaliate against France… which had not sided with the United States during the war against Iraq.

A little parenthesis which will not make them lose their enthusiasm for this famous tricolor cuisine, mythical in their eyes, instilled by Julia Child. The iconic American chef had in fact introduced French gastronomy into the homes of Uncle Sam’s country in the 1960s. This by hosting in her own way television shows filmed in her own kitchen, thus ending each of her episodes with her Californian accent with an unforgettable “Bonne appetite!” »

Julia Child (1912-2004) was also the great reference for the dishes of her own country which she had well refined in several works (still consulted). Its kitchen has become historic since it was reinstalled at the National Museum of American History under the Smithsonian Institution. Far from being a fixed installation, it always gives rise to socio-cultural activities. Most recently, it was the setting for a gala organized by the museum under the title Food History Gala.

The work which has just been released, a beautiful tribute to Child. Photo taken from social networks

A prize that perpetuates a tradition

During this event, in its 10th edition, the Julia Child Award which is awarded by the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary Arts was presented as tradition dictates to an individual or group who has had an impact significant to the way Americans cook, eat and drink. This year, the winner was an active chef in this field, Alice Waters, founder of the restaurant Chez Panisse in California. Therefore placing herself in the “tricolor” lineage of Julia Child, whose French Culinary Connection was a major step in her life and career.

“Oysters, sole meunière and good wine, an opening of the soul”

It all began for Child when her husband, Paul Cushing Child, was appointed by the State Department to the position of director of the information agency at the American Embassy in Paris. The couple moved there in 1948. Julia Child has spoken on several occasions about her first meal at the La Couronne restaurant in Rouen, which was a true culinary revelation for her. Thus, she had confided on this subject to New York Times that “the meal of oysters, sole meunière and good wine was for me like an opening of the soul and the spirit”. Then, she enrolled at the famous Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris and graduated in 1951. She improved further with private lessons given by master chefs and joined the women’s cooking club, Le Cercle des gourmettes where she met Simone Beck (author of culinary works) who was writing a French cookbook for Americans with her friend Louisette Bertholle. Beck asks Child to join her so that the book will appeal to Americans. The trio comes out Mastering the Art of French Cookingpublished in New York. This innovative book, going against the trend of the time which was to promote Fast Food, presents dishes adapted to the tastes of the American public with a step-by-step guide for each recipe. Child, Beck and Bertholle had also taught cooking to American women in Child’s own kitchen in Paris, calling their informal school L’École des trois gourmandes.

Les instruments de travail de Child. Extrait du livre « Julia Child’s Kitchen : The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space ».

A big impact on American households

When she returned home, Julia Child brought back all of culinary France in her luggage. His 1961 appearance on a book review show on an education-oriented television channel led to his first television cooking show called The French Chefwhich began as a pilot series in July 1962. Viewers were particularly attracted by the demonstration of Child masterfully preparing an omelette. With immediate success, The French Chef will be broadcast live for ten years and will win several awards. Julia Child’s personality had a lot to do with this popular success with American households, her cheerful enthusiasm, her distinctly husky voice and her uncondescending and unaffected attitude as well. Toby Miller, a TV critic, reports the words of a mother: “All that stood between me and madness was the warm Julia Child. » Furthermore, Miller points out that the show began before the feminist movement of the 1960s, which meant that the issues faced by housewives were somewhat ignored by television.

Child’s kitchen at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Photo taken from their official page

Until her retirement in 2001, Julia Child was still behind the stove, on the small screen and in more than thirty books that she wrote. His very special art remains as influential today as it was decades ago. We also remember the role played by Meryl Streep in the film Julie and Julia by Nora Ephron.

Witness the publication on the occasion of the 2024 Julia Child Prize of a beautiful illustrated work by Paula J. Johnson, with a preface by Jacques Pépin, French chef, author of culinary works and host of television shows.

In Julia Child’s Kitchen : The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Spacethe reader can immerse themselves in Child’s universe, find or discover his hundreds of utensils and household appliances, around a thousand, which rub shoulders with works of art, trinkets, books and fantasy objects, and read numerous interviews and testimonies from chefs who worked with her. All accompanied by very beautiful photos. It once again confirms the talent of this jovial gourmet chef, both close to the public and undisputed star of the small screen. A broth of culture and joy of living.