Summary
Overview
In this Thanksgiving episode, Josh and Chuck explore the remarkable life and legacy of Julia Child, who single-handedly revolutionized American cooking by introducing French cuisine to the masses. From her unlikely path from OSS spy to culinary icon, to her groundbreaking cookbook and beloved television shows, they trace how this 6'2" woman with a distinctive voice transformed America's relationship with food, fresh ingredients, and the joy of cooking.
Julia Child's Early Life and Unlikely Path to Cooking
Julia Child was born Julia McWilliams in Pasadena to a wealthy family, studying history at Smith College with aspirations of becoming a writer. Standing 6'2" tall and athletic, she was a disaster in the kitchen early on, with her closest brush with food being chair of the refreshment committee at college. Her distinctive mid-Atlantic accent wasn't British at all, but rather taught at private schools. She wouldn't discover her passion for cooking until her late 30s or early 40s, taking a remarkably circuitous route to becoming the world's most famous cook.
- Julia Child was born in Pasadena to wealthy parents - her father was a financier and mother an heiress to a paper company
- She was 6'2" tall, athletic, and played basketball, tennis, and golf at Smith College
- Her famous accent was a mid-Atlantic accent taught at private schools, not British
- She graduated in 1934 and worked as an advertising copywriter for Sloan's furniture company
- She was gregarious and well-liked her whole life, described as the life of the party but responsible
" She was very, very sociable. People really seemed to like her her whole life. She was the life of the party, but she wasn't like just, you know, even though she loved her wine, she wasn't just some souse at the party. She was apparently a pretty responsible human, even early on. Like if she put a lampshade on her head, she remembered doing it the next day. "
World War II Service and the Shark Repellent Recipe
When World War II broke out, Julia Child joined the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, predecessor to the CIA) working directly under General Wild Bill Donovan. Starting with menial work typing officer profiles on note cards, her strong work ethic led to multiple promotions. She eventually joined the Emergency Sea Rescue Equipment Section, tasked with developing shark repellent for downed pilots and shipwrecked sailors. The team's creation, using copper acetate, decayed shark meat, and black dye to mimic dead sharks, proved so effective it's still used today.
- Julia Child joined the OSS wanting to become a spy and worked directly under Wild Bill Donovan
- She was promoted to the Emergency Sea Rescue Equipment Section to develop shark repellent
- The shark repellent they created after over 100 attempts is still used today
- The formula used copper acetate mixed with black dye to mimic the scent of a dead shark
- She earned top secret security clearance, the highest level, which was unusual for women in the 1940s
" She very um facetiously but also charmingly referred to that shark repellent as her first big recipe "
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