Note: This story was originally published on Child’s 100th birthday in 2012. The CNN Library also contributed to this report.
By Emily Smith, CNN
Nearly two decades after her death, Julia Child’s can-do attitude and love for food still resonates with professional chefs and novice home cooks around the world. She was a pioneer in the food world and blazed a trail for women in the culinary arts and celebrity chefs on television.
Her legacy and cultural relevance are undeniable, whether you catch inspiration from a new Food Network show called “The Julia Child Challenge,” the HBO Max series starring actress Sarah Lancashire as Child or the latest release, the CNN Film called “Julia.”
There are so many things she’s known for, including writing “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and starring in the TV show “The French Chef.” But here are some lesser-known facts you may not know about the beloved TV chef and cookbook author.
– Her maiden name is Julia Carolyn McWilliams.
– She wrote short stories in college and advertising copy for a furniture company after graduation.
– At 6 feet, 2 inches tall, Child was no stranger to standing out. But her height wasn’t always welcomed. Child had high hopes of distinguishing herself in college basketball, but the administration officials of Smith College, her alma mater, changed the game rules (they did away with the jump ball) to ensure she didn’t receive an unfair advantage due to her height. “I was not good at the rest of the game,” Child said in her only authorized biography, “Appetite for Life” by Noel Riley Fitch.
– Child moved from California to Washington, DC, at the start of World War II to join the federal Office of Strategic Services. She had previously been rejected for active duty by the US Navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service and the Women’s Army Corps. The OSS eventually became the Central Intelligence Agency.
– Child was a research assistant in the Secret Intelligence division of the OSS. While she never spent time in the field, she did have a high security clearance that allowed her to handle top secret documents.
– While with the OSS, she also worked with the Emergency Sea Rescue Equipment Section and even helped develop shark repellent that was used during WWII. Underwater bombs that were meant for German U-boats would attract curious sharks that would sometimes cause premature explosions when they bumped into them.
– With the OSS, Child was stationed in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) and China. While she was stationed overseas, she met Paul Child, also an OSS officer. He is credited with teaching her to appreciate French cuisine.
– Child was the first woman inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s Hall of Fame.
– A whopping 573 pounds of butter were used on her show “Baking with Julia.”
– Child once attributed her longevity to “red meat and gin.” She died two days shy of her 92nd birthday.
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Note: This story was originally published on Child’s 100th birthday in 2012. The CNN Library also contributed to this report.
