How Julia Child Inspired Future Generations of Foodies

I was first introduced to Julia Child’s cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking when I was newly enrolled in culinary school. I will be honest at the time I was not overly interested in her cookbook. I was far too busy learning about Escoffier and the mother sauces. In hindsight, I lacked the knowledge and experience to truly appreciate the content she painstakingly produced for her readers.

Fast forward to the summer of 2009, I had recently completed a three-week study exchange in Singapore. This was my first time experiencing the culture, food, and customs of a country outside of North America. It was an enlightening and at times overwhelming experience. I was also just weeks away from commencing my last year of Baking and Pastry Arts at Sait. The movie Julie & Julia was released in theatres that August. Naturally, being the foodie that I am I had to watch it. For those of you that have not watched the film. The plot goes as follows. Julie had the idea to cook her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. She was determined to reproduce all 524 recipes in 365 days and document the journey through her blog. This was no easy task to complete as a novice cook. Julie challenged her capabilities and wanted to give up at times. She summoned her inner strength by asking herself “What would Julia do?”. This moment really resonated with me after some of my own culinary mishaps. I found the film so incredibly charming it inspired me to read Julia Child’s memoir My Life in France.

To quote Julia’s memoir “This is a book about some of the things I have loved most in life”. She goes on to mention her husband Paul, France, and her love of cooking and eating. From her opening introduction, I knew I would have to revisit Mastering the Art of French Cooking in the near future.

Julia Child started her culinary journey shortly after moving to France in 1948. She wholeheartedly immersed herself in French culture to learn the language and social customs of the time. She enrolled in the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Paris in 1949 to learn French cuisine in her late thirties. I have always been inspired by how Julia allowed her love of food and unwavering support from her husband to guide her down her path and shape her career. I can only imagine the challenges she overcame to learn a new language and study culinary arts with a group of men that doubted her abilities and motivations. The tenacity on her part to pursue the development and publication of her first cookbook was unparalleled at the time by any other author. Julia later went on to have several successful cooking shows, cookbooks and taught generations of home cooks how to make traditional boeuf bourguignon at home. She inspired future generations to pursue careers in food blogging, culinary arts, and hospitality.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking was a labor of love and is one of the most beloved cookbooks in my collection. Julia Child’s unforgettable story will always resonate with me and the way I pursue the things that I love.