The French Chef

Julia Child, who would have been 102 years old today, taught me how to cook. No, not in person (don't I wish?), but Julia's first television series, The French Chef, taught me one important lesson I've never forgotten: it's okay to have fun in the kitchen! You can be a serious cook without taking the food, or yourself, too seriously. Julia always had fun, whether instructing -- as in this episode about the Chicken Sisters -- or discovering, or learning, or walking us through some of the most complicated recipes. Thanks to the internet, all of the original episodes of The French Chef are available online or on DVD now, and though the French-inspired recipes might not seem entirely modern, Julia's example remains the one I want to follow. Happy birthday, Julia.

Comments

[Connie Ciampanelli]

There was no one like her. An icon, one who so well deserved that lofty status.

Fun, funny, bright, warm, approachable.

I read everything I can about her. I don't cook like she did, but I still drool over her cookbooks.

Happy 102nd, Julia. Bonne appetit!

[Lydia]

Connie, in some ways she is always in the kitchen with me. I think it's her laughter I love the most.

[Jane Brayton]

I saw Julia twice, live. Once at the Weston Town Hall and the other time a GBH. She not only made the kitchen a fun place to be she also made mistakes okay, i.e. dropping the turkey as she entered the dining room and saying,...thank goodness I cooked another bird...", returned to the kitchen, cleaned up the errant bird and returned to the dining room. I waited for the Globe to print her articles and recipes, bought her cookbooks and still smile when I remember Julia, my French Chef!

[Joyce West]

She was spectacular! Something you might not know and I did not either....she was an undercover as well. Whatta woman!