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James Beard & Julia Child | American Masters

Sitting around a table laughing
Courtesy of The Wynn family and the James Beard Foundation
/
PBS
(l to r) Chefs Julia Child, James Beard and Edna Lewis.

Fri. May 19 at 9pm on WKAR-HD 23.1 | Experience a century of food through the life of one man, James Beard (1903-1985). Followed by an encore of American Masters: Julia Child.

Dubbed the “Dean of American Cookery” by The New York Times, Beard was a Portland, Ore., native who loved and celebrated the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. He spoke of the importance of localism and sustainability long before those terms had entered the vernacular.

At a time of “all things French,” Beard appreciated what America had to bring to the table, and was the first chef to go on television to teach not only women, but men, how to cook. A cookbook author, journalist, television celebrity and teacher, Beard helped to pioneer and expand the food media industry into the billion-dollar business it is today.

Then at 10pm on WKAR-HD 23.1 celebrate the life and legacy of Julia Child (1912-2004)!  Fondly remembered for introducing French cuisine to American home cooks through her television series – beginning with WGBH’s The French Chef in 1963 – and books. The film tells two love stories: one between Julia and Paul Child, the other between Julia and French food.

Originally broadcast in August 2004, the film features previously unseen photos, including several from Paul Child’s personal archive, granted exclusively to the film’s producers. Child was a pioneer in public television’s long tradition of cooking programs, revolutionizing the way America cooks, eats and thinks about food. 

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