The French Chef
Encyclopedia
The French Chef is an influential television cooking show
created by Julia Child
, and produced and broadcast by WGBH
Public television in Boston
, Massachusetts
, from February 11, 1963 to 1973. It was one of the first cooking shows
on television
. The show grew out of some special presentations that Julia had done based on the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking
, which she had co-authored. The French Chef was produced from 1963 to 1973 by WGBH for National Educational Television
(and later, PBS
). Reruns continued on PBS until 1989, and currently air on Cooking Channel
as of 2010.
to the United States at a time when it was considered expensive restaurant fare, not suitable for home cooking. Child emphasized fresh and, at the time, unusual ingredients. All of the recipes used on The French Chef had originally appeared in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but for the show, Child chose mostly the more domestic recipes from the book, although such showpieces as Beef Wellington
, various sorts of soufflé
, and some ambitious pastries
also made it into the mix if they seemed within the reach of a home cook without staff.
The show was done live to videotape from start to finish, leaving little room for mistakes. The resulting occasional accidents became a popular trademark of Child's on air presence, used as "teachable moment
s" to encourage viewers to relax about the task's demands.
Certain elements became leitmotif
s: Julia's fondness for wine; her staunch defense of the use of butter
(with margarine
invariably referred to as "that other spread"); her standard issue "impeccably clean towel"; and her closing line at the end of every show: "Bon appétit!"
In 1964 Child received a Peabody Award, crediting her for doing "more than show us how good cooking is achieved; by her delightful demonstrations she has brought the pleasures of good living into many American homes." In May 1966, her show won a Primetime Emmy Award
for Achievements in Educational Television - Individuals.
A February 11, 1972 episode of The French Chef was the first U.S. television show to be captioned for deaf viewers.
Cooking show
A TV cooking show is a television program that presents the preparation of food, in a kitchen on the studio set. The host of the show, often a celebrity chef, prepares one or more dishes over the course of the show, taking the viewing audience through the food's preparation showing all...
created by Julia Child
Julia Child
Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which...
, and produced and broadcast by WGBH
WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming...
Public television in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, from February 11, 1963 to 1973. It was one of the first cooking shows
Cooking show
A TV cooking show is a television program that presents the preparation of food, in a kitchen on the studio set. The host of the show, often a celebrity chef, prepares one or more dishes over the course of the show, taking the viewing audience through the food's preparation showing all...
on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. The show grew out of some special presentations that Julia had done based on the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a two-volume French cookbook written by Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, both of France, and Julia Child of the United States...
, which she had co-authored. The French Chef was produced from 1963 to 1973 by WGBH for National Educational Television
National Educational Television
National Educational Television was an American non-commercial educational public television network in the United States from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970...
(and later, PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
). Reruns continued on PBS until 1989, and currently air on Cooking Channel
Cooking Channel
Cooking Channel is a television specialty channel that airs recurring programs about food and cooking, owned by Scripps Networks Interactive. It is a spinoff of Food Network, also owned by SNI, but focuses more on instructional shows rather than "reality style" and contest programming that Food...
as of 2010.
Format
The French Chef introduced French cookingFrench cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
to the United States at a time when it was considered expensive restaurant fare, not suitable for home cooking. Child emphasized fresh and, at the time, unusual ingredients. All of the recipes used on The French Chef had originally appeared in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but for the show, Child chose mostly the more domestic recipes from the book, although such showpieces as Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington is a preparation of fillet steak coated with pâté and duxelles, which is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked...
, various sorts of soufflé
Soufflé
A soufflé is a light baked cake made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savoury main dish or sweetened as a dessert...
, and some ambitious pastries
Pastry
Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."...
also made it into the mix if they seemed within the reach of a home cook without staff.
The show was done live to videotape from start to finish, leaving little room for mistakes. The resulting occasional accidents became a popular trademark of Child's on air presence, used as "teachable moment
Teachable moment
A teachable moment, in education, is the time at which learning a particular topic or idea becomes possible or easiest.-In education:The concept was popularized by Robert Havighurst in his 1952 book, Human Development and Education. In the context of education theory, Havighurst explained,The...
s" to encourage viewers to relax about the task's demands.
Certain elements became leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
s: Julia's fondness for wine; her staunch defense of the use of butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
(with margarine
Margarine
Margarine , as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes, typically composed of vegetable oils. In many parts of the world, the market share of margarine and spreads has overtaken that of butter...
invariably referred to as "that other spread"); her standard issue "impeccably clean towel"; and her closing line at the end of every show: "Bon appétit!"
History
When the show began, its budget was so low that "volunteers had to be recruited to wash dishes, and the food sometimes had to be auctioned off to the audience afterward to cover expenses."In 1964 Child received a Peabody Award, crediting her for doing "more than show us how good cooking is achieved; by her delightful demonstrations she has brought the pleasures of good living into many American homes." In May 1966, her show won a Primetime Emmy Award
18th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 18th Emmy Awards, later known as the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, were handed out in May 1966. The ceremony was hosted by Danny Kaye and Bill Cosby...
for Achievements in Educational Television - Individuals.
A February 11, 1972 episode of The French Chef was the first U.S. television show to be captioned for deaf viewers.
Companion books
Two companion cookbooks were written along with the show. The French Chef Cookbook was a show-by-show breakdown of the black and white series, while From Julia Child's Kitchen was a somewhat more ambitious work that was based on the color series but also added considerable extra material.DVD releases
- Julia Child's Kitchen Wisdom (2000)
- Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home (2003)
- Julia Child: America's Favorite Chef (2004)
- The French Chef: Volume One (2005)
- The French Chef: Volume Two (2005)
- Julia Child! The French Chef (2006)
External links
- Cover: Julia Child - Nov. 25, 1966 from TimeTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine