Join us for a conversation that&rsquo\;s sure to warm your heart (and make your stomac h rumble)\, as we delve into the legacy of cooking icon Julia Child with S mithsonian curator and public historian Paula J. Johnson\, author of J ulia Child&rsquo\;s Kitchen: The Design\, Tools\, Stories\, and Legacy of an Iconic Space. The book includes interviews with chefs who knew Jul ia well\, commentary on her favorite culinary tools and kitchen gadgets\, and a stunning array of photos.
\nJuli a Child's 20&rsquo\; x 14&rsquo\; kitchen was a serious workspace and reci pe‑testing lab that exuded a sense of mid‑century homey comf ort. It has been on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington\, D.C.\, for most of the past twenty-three years\, and museum g oers have made it a top destination.
\nThe kitchen contains more than one thousand parts and pieces&mdash\;tools \, appliances\, utensils\, furniture\, artwork\, knick‑knacks\, boo ks\, and bits of whimsy&mdash\;all reflecting Julia&rsquo\;s status as an accomplished chef\, gastronome\, delightful cooking teacher\, television t railblazer\, women&rsquo\;s advocate\, mentor\, and generous\, jovial frie nd.
\nJulia Child&rsquo\;s Kitchen (and this online conversation) is a must‑have for every serio us home cook and Julia Child fan. Register now to enter the discussion and learn more about how Julia Child continues to influence food today!
\nAbout the Author: \;
\nPaula J. Johnson is a curator and p ublic historian at the Smithsonian&rsquo\;s National Museum of American Hi story in Washington\, DC. She conducts research and collects objects relat ing to the history and culture of American food and serves as the Director of the Smithsonian&rsquo\;s Food History Project. Johnson was one of the curators who collected Julia Child&rsquo\;s home kitchen in 2001 and led t he team that created FOOD: Transforming the American Table\, a mu lti-layered exhibition that explores the major changes in food production\ , distribution\, and consumption in the United States since the 1950s. She has shaped and contributed to many public programs on food history and le ads the annual &ldquo\;Food History Weekend.&rdquo\; Johnson is the author of many articles and three books\, including Julia Child&rsquo\;s Kit chen: The Design\, Tools Stories\, and Legacy of an Iconic Space (202 4). She received the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar in the Humanities A ward in 2020.
\nJohnson began her muse um career at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons\, Maryland\, and has wo rked at the Smithsonian since 1991. She is a member of the Association for the Study of Food and Society and Les Dames d&rsquo\; Escoffier. She serv es on the editorial collective for Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies.
\nBrought to
you in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. Visit our si
te to see all events\, register and explore recordings of past events.