Julia Child's Kitchen

Over the weekend I discovered that Julia's kitchen (lock, stock and barrel) was taken from her home and installed in the Smithsonian. That now becomes a roadfood stop of the first order for me. I loved her show and her books (although difficult at times) ---- she and James Beard were my idols when I first became interested in cooking.

Her kitchen was a "one-of-a-kind" masterpiece. As someone who makes a living designing kitchens I loved it----but it would be impossible to sell one like it. Today people want kitchens that look great but which are often awful to work in and impossible to clean. When I taught kitchen design and recommended some of the things I learned while working in restaurant kitchens people thought I was from the dark ages. (Maybe I am.) To me a kitchen must be easy to work in and easy to clean ----- but one can go broke telling that to clients.

Does anyone have a kitchen like Julia's ????? Go to her sight and you can see it for yourself if you have forgotten how it appears on the tube.

I very much want to go to see that kitchen. I went to the Smithsonian many years ago, but Julia's kitchen alone is worth a trip back. I remember reading an article when it was being packed up, Julia would sit for hours with the curators explaining what every items in the kicthen was used for and when and where she bought it. While I don't have a Julia kitchen, I do have a pot that is identical to one of her's, a red-orange Descoware beanpot.

I had to add this picture of the pot.

I just checked out the Smithsonian site and found the link to the exhibit: http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/
They talk about exploring the Kitchen Exhibit, allow you to view selected tools, gadgets and utensils she used, along with some sample stories...

Thank you very much Uncle Vic that is the site I forgot to add. If everyone's kitchen was like Julia's the kitchen business would be a lot more fun. I noticed a topic regarding cookbooks on the home page and in my conversations with clients I have always asked "which is your favorite of these cookbooks"----the most original answer was from the daughter-in-law of General "Black Jack" Pershing who said " Just look for the one with the most fingerprints and grease ". And in every good kitchen there should be room for greasy cookbooks and hand towels, and the stuff we use all the time and it should all be where it can be gotten to---Julia always had a towel at hand ----she was a great chef and a very practical one as well. A great LADY--and Very Tall. RIP Julia.

Amen. She was a well-trained French cook, who could appreciate the artistry seemingly without falling prey to some of the less attractive personality traits that often accompany haute cuisine.

I was fortunate to belong to the Boston chapter of AIWF (American Institute of Wine and Food, founded by Julia and Robert Mondavi). Once a year we would have our meeting at Julia's home in Cambridge. Her kitchen was the focal point of the house. Paul had put peg boards all over the place and Julia had just about every cooking gadget hanging there. She was a wonderful hostess and a wonderful friend and will forever be "La Grande Dame de la Cuisine"!

I visited Washington with my wife this past summer, and the exhibit of Julia Childs' kitchen was one of our favorites at the Smithsonian. Also of note for you nostalgic chowhounds: the cafeteria in that same building of the Smithsonian has a huge display of vintage lunchboxes.

lleechef--------------How wonderful for you to be a friend and associate of Julia Childs. It must have been an exciting experience. I met James Beard at a kitchen I designed for a well known artist (it later appeared in the Sunday color edition of the NY Times), and was invited by Mr Beard to view his kitchen in the Village, or Soho, well downtown NYC at any rate. He taught cooking classes there --- it was also a kitchen put together for a cook not for a fashion magazine.

But what in the world took you to Alaska from Boston?

I used to cut classes to watch The French Chef. Still have notes from the mid-seventies shows. Got her autograph in the a/p in NYC and proceeded to buy a number of heer books off ebay that had been autographed.

My wife wouldn't allow the pegboards in our kitchen at home but our vacation home has them. I simply put them in and told her if she didn't like them to remove them. Still there after five plus years.

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Originally posted by the ancient mariner

lleechef--------------How wonderful for you to be a friend and associate of Julia Childs. It must have been an exciting experience. I met James Beard at a kitchen I designed for a well known artist (it later appeared in the Sunday color edition of the NY Times), and was invited by Mr Beard to view his kitchen in the Village, or Soho, well downtown NYC at any rate. He taught cooking classes there --- it was also a kitchen put together for a cook not for a fashion magazine.

But what in the world took you to Alaska from Boston?

Julia was a great inspiration, a great chef, a wonderful woman and a good friend.

What took me from Boston to Alaksa:

1. A man (known to you Roadfooders as Zman)
2. Burn out from the restaurant biz.
3. One of the most beautiful places on the planet.

I fell in love with the man, the state and the fact that I no longer had to work 100-hour weeks!

lleechef--------------Your short message is very romantic. Falling in love is a very powerful motive to move, or to do anything in life, actually. 100 hour weeks is another powerful motive to change your life style. As far as falling in love with the state of Alaska, now that is another thing entirely. I was just reading of ice being pushed ashore in your lovely area. Not for me honey, I found out I love Florida---it was a windy 68 today, but the sun was shining brightly, but only a dozen or so people were in the pool.

I worked in restaurants when going to college so I have an idea of what you mean but I grew up working on a dairy farm where cows had to be milked twice a day - seven days a week making for 118 hour weeks just like the life of a dedicated chef----you are lucky to be away from it. Sooooooooooo, the question before the board is---how come the restaurant schools are chuck full and students are standing in line waiting to get in ??? The initial glamour I guess.

And thank you very much for the comments on Julia----

My kitchen is not very coook friendly. When I built my house several years ago, I did not have a very big interest in cooking. It was just a few years before I joined Roadfood that I developed an interest.

This interest was generated by Mamaw Smith who lives next door. I enjoyed her food and wanted to learn how she did it.

I plan on a major remodel of my house this year. My guess is that it will be very expensive because it will include more than just enlargement of the kitchen but new appliances, counters of granite and many other things that are cooking friendly. I am replacing all carpet, adding additional wood floors, solid tile floors in all the bath rooms and many other things.

One thing is for sure, It will never approach Julia Childs kitchen.


A side note is my daughter can do a perfect imitation of Julia Childs voice. We all get a big kick out of that.

Lleechef, you are very fortunate to have met the woman, to have dined with her and visited her home. Somehow you always get in the best places.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN