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Online Author Talk With Smithsonian Curator Paula J. Johnson

The Legacy of Julia Child's Kitchen

Join us online for a chat with author and Smithsonian curator Paula J. Johnson, whose book "Julia Child's Kitchen: The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space" includes interviews with chefs who knew Julia well, commentary on her favorite culinary tools, and more. Adults. Register to get a link. A recording will also be available for later viewing.

Register and submit questions for the author.

Join us for a heartwarming 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-by-14-foot 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 museumgoers have made it a top destination.

The kitchen contains more than one thousand 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.

Register now to enter the discussion and learn more about how Julia Child continues to influence food today!

Adults. Register to receive a link for viewing this online event.

About the Author:

Paula J. Johnson is a curator and public historian at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. 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. She has shaped and contributed to many public programs on food history and leads the annual “Food History Weekend.” Johnson is the author of many articles and three books, including "Julia Child’s Kitchen." She received the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar in the Humanities Award in 2020.

This event is part of DBRL's Online Author Series, supported by David Lile honorarium funds. A recording will also be available for later viewing on the author series site.

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