The chef, author, and television host Julia Child rose to fame by publishing a series of books and starring in several cooking shows, where she made French cuisine much more accessible to the American public, as her many recipes are characterized by being easy to replicate.

Now that a major streaming service is about to launch a series about the life of the American chef, kiwilimón tells you everything you need to know about Child.

Who was Julia Child?
Julia Child was born in California in 1912. Due to her family's good economic position, her education included French and Latin classes. Years later, she attended Smith College, where poet Sylvia Plath would study years later. Child studied history but worked as a secretary until 1939.

According to the National Women's History Museum, the renowned chef volunteered for the Red Cross in 1941, when the United States was preparing for war. The following year, she moved to Washington and began working in the War Information Office's Research Unit. Her government work took her to live in countries like India and China.

You can also read: The recipes of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

After the War, Julia married Paul Child, who also worked for the U.S. government. The couple moved to France in 1948, and it was there that Julia Child fell in love with cooking, as she began taking classes at the prestigious school Le Cordon Bleu.

After acquiring her knowledge from the most famous French chefs, Child embarked on an adventure with author Simone Beck and chef Louisette Bertholle when they published the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961. This cookbook is considered revolutionary, as it explained complicated French recipes and techniques in a very simple way, bringing gourmet dishes closer to the public.

Upon her return to the United States, Julia Child had become a celebrity and one of the first female chefs to gain international fame. This led her to launch her first television show in 1963. In addition to starring in cooking shows for at least four decades, the chef continued to publish more cookbooks that are now considered cult cookbooks.

Julia Child died in 2004 at the age of 92. In addition to her cookbooks and television shows, she also created various organizations in the culinary industry. Her iconic kitchen, with its bright blue cabinets, was donated to the Smithsonian Museum, where you can still admire it today.

You can also read: What is Chepina Peralta's legacy?

When does the series about Julia Child premiere?
The legacy of chef Julia Child has transcended the passage of time, as her story still fascinates the public. If you want to know more about the life and work of the woman who deciphered French gastronomy, then you cannot miss the series Julia, which will premiere on March 31 through HBO.



Credits

*Main photo taken from the National WWII Museum

*Interior photo taken from the Smithsonian