The Legacy of Julia Child's Kitchen
With Smithsonian Curator Paula J. Johnson
Tuesday, August 04
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Library Speakers Consortium presents a virtual event with Smithsonian curator Paula J. Johnson
Join us for a virtual conversation as we delve into the legacy of cooking icon Julia Child with Smithsonian curator and public historian Paula J. Johnson, author of Julia Child’s Kitchen: The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space. The book includes interviews with chefs who knew Julia well, commentary on her favorite culinary tools and kitchen gadgets, and a stunning array of photos.
Julia Child's 20’ x 14’ kitchen was a serious workspace and recipe-testing lab that exuded a sense of mid-century homey comfort. It has been on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., for most of the past 23 years, and museum-goers have made it a top destination.
The kitchen contains more than 1,000 parts and pieces—tools, appliances, utensils, furniture, artwork, knick-knacks, books, and bits of whimsy—all reflecting Julia’s status as an accomplished chef, gastronome, delightful cooking teacher, television trailblazer, women’s advocate, mentor, and generous, jovial friend.
About the Author:
Paula J. Johnson is a curator and public historian at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. She conducts research and collects objects relating to the history and culture of American food and serves as the director of the Smithsonian’s Food History Project. Johnson was one of the curators who collected Julia Child’s home kitchen in 2001 and led the team that created FOOD: Transforming the American Table, a multi-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. Johnson is the author of many articles and three books. She received the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar in the Humanities Award in 2020.
Presented with Library Speakers Consortium.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
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