Profile of the Day: Julia Child

Julia Child

Do you love to cook? On this day in 1912, beloved chef Julia Child was born.

Julia Carolyn McWilliams was born on August 15, 1912 in Pasadena, California to John McWilliams, Jr., a land manager, and Julia Weston. Her maternal grandfather, Byron Weston, was the founder of the Weston Paper Company and served as the 32nd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts.

The host of the popular cooking show, The French Chef, Child didn’t learn to cook until she was well in her 30’s. Before then, she worked as a copywriter and joined the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. At the OSS, Child played a key role in the communication of top secret documents between government officials and intelligence officers.

In 1961, Child co-authored the cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The cookbook made French cuisine accessible to the American public and quickly turned Child into a culinary sensation. She wrote several more cookbooks and became a regular television fixture. Her cooking show, The French Chef, debuted in 1963 and became one of the most widely watched cooking programs on television.

Child died on August 13, 2004 just two days before her 92nd birthday.

Explore Julia Child’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re related to the French chef!
 

View Julia Child’s Geni Profile

Image: Wikimedia Commons