How did Julia Child’s true purpose establish a $6 Million Dollar legacy

Julia Child and my grandmother

It was PBS and the late 70’s, on my grandmother’s portable black and white tv in the kitchen, when I was first introduced to Julia Child. There was this tall lady, speaking with a very distinct voice, talking about her love for the dish that she was making.

I was six years old and my attention span was short. I would eat a bunch of goldfish, listen to Julia Child for a couple of minutes, and then run over to my grandmother to see what she was cooking.

Then I would ask, “ Grandma are you making what Julia Child is making on tv?”.

My grandmother would reply, “ No, I just love to see the final result of what she is cooking. One day I may prepare one of her dishes.”

And I would look on the shelves and see two of Julia Child’s cookbooks. My interest in cooking is very typical of the average American, love good food but not a lot time to prepare.

What important question did Julia Child answer.

We know ‘success is achieved by design and not by default.’ Julia Child is a great person to learn from. Julia Child answered one of the most important questions in life. The answer to that question is how success came to her doorstep.

Julia Child is a legend in the American culinary arts scene. She was known for her adept skills at French cooking, taking the time to prep, and her love of food.

17 hours for one half hour show

It is a fact, that it took Julia Child 17 hours to prep for just one half hour episode of her cooking show. Her focus on the process was more important to her than the outcome. It was the attention to the details.

Julia Child and her attitude towards business

Julia believed that endorsing any product, promoting a friend’s book, or hawking merchandise was a slippery slope to diminishing a brand. Because there was always the possibility that the quality may not live up to the endorsement.

This attitude towards how Julia Child conducted her business stemmed from answering her true purpose. Whether her answer to it was intentional or completely unintentional, it proved to be the catalyst and the foundation of her legacy. Julia Child foremost wanted to educate Americans on the art of cooking and to love it.

Success in her 40’s

Julia Child’s successful career in the culinary arts started in her 40’s. When Julia and her husband, Paul Child first went to Paris, France, they stopped at a restaurant to have lunch. Julia ordered the simple dish of Sole Meuniere and fell in love with the taste. It prompted her to study French cooking at the Le Cordon Bleu. Julia wanted to cook the dishes that both her husband and her, so loved about France.

Julia Child, Le Cordon Bleu, & French cooking classes

Julia was not good when she initially started. She kept to the task of learning and practicing the skills to create authentic french dishes. After Le Cordon Bleu, Julia would begin teaching french cooking classes with Simone Beck and Louisette Berthold. Where they become coined the “ French sisters.”

Mastering the art of French Cooking a labor of love

Julia Child with Simone Beck and Louisette Berthold started developing a French cookbook. Mastering the art of French cooking would be six years of research and translation for the American consumer. The 700 page tome would become a bible for American chefs and cooks to study.

“My immediate plan was to develop enough foolproof recipes so that I could begin to teach classes of my own.” — quote Julia Child

How did Julia Child’s cooking show begin?

The three authors were being interviewed on a local Boston station, to promote the Mastering the art of French cooking cookbook. Julia Child’s unique blend of personality and charisma led to 27 ladies writing in to the station.

Which prompted the station to give Julia Child her own half hour show. It would be the forum for which America would come to get to know Julia. She would be considered a pioneer on having the first televised cooking show.

Julia Child and establishing her legacy

Julia Child died at the age of 91, in 2004. There were 19 cook books published, 13 different tv shows over the course of her life and a net worth of $38 million. Julia Child had in 1995, established the Julia Child Foundation; Gastronomy and the culinary arts.

The foundation holds true to her legacy and sense of true purpose; which is more important than wealth itself. The Julia Child Foundation holds the rights to all her intellectual property and receives monies on sales of her cookbooks. They still hold true to Julia’s commitment of never endorsing a product or person.

Julia Child’s true purpose was to make cooks out of people not make gobs of money.

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