Julia Child was born in Pasadena, Calif., and graduated from Smith College in 1934. During World War II she served with the Office of Strategic Services in Washing-
ton, D.C., Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and China. After the war, her husband, Paul Child, was assigned to the U.S. Informa-
tion Service at the American Embassy in Paris. It was in Paris that Julia began her culinary career at the Cordon Bleu.

After her formal training, Julia opened "L'Ecole des Trois Gourmandes," a cooking school In 1951, with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle. Their techniques and recipes reached a larger audience with the 1961 publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which is still on bookstore shelves today. With dozens of cookbooks to her name, Julia Child's latest is Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home.

Upon returning to the U.S., Julia participated in a television interview at WGBH-Boston. The interview was so engaging that the station proposed a series of TV cooking shows. And so, on February 11, 1963, "The French Chef" was born, enlivening the kitchens and expanding the palates of Americans forever. After some 200 programs on classical French cooking, Julia explored contemporary cuisine with "Julia Child and Company," "Julia Child and More Company," "Dinner at Julia's," "Baking with Julia," the "Master Chefs" series and "Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home" with Jacques Pepin.

Julia Child is an active member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, which, reflecting her years of involvement, gives an annual Julia Child cookbook award. Julia also is a co-founder of The American Institute of Wine and Food. Still going strong, her classic programs now appear on Food Network, reaching a new generation with her inimitable style.