11 Julia Child Quotes That Are Absolutely Brilliant
Julia Child—legendary cookbook writer, teacher, and one of America’s first television personalities—brought gourmet French cooking into the average home cook’s kitchen. From her groundbreaking cooking show, “The French Chef” to the authoritative “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” Julia helped change the way our country thinks about food. And, without pretension, she showed us how to eat and cook deliciously with fresh ingredients and simple techniques—ideas that remain deeply relevant today.
Whether hacking away at a whole chicken or demonstrating the perfect poached egg, Julia’s quick wit and addictive enthusiasm for cooking has charmed readers and viewers alike. If you haven’t already, witness her on-screen magic by watching an episode of one of her cooking shows (with a glass of fine French wine, of course).
While today would have been her 105th birthday, we encourage you to celebrate Julia everyday by making her your home cook hero—strive to be fearless, passionate, and adventurous in the kitchen. Try a new recipe, test out a new technique, or experiment with a new ingredient. If you know Julia's work, then you’ll know that she had a way with words. Below, find our favorite Julia Child quotes, from amusing zingers to enduring culinary insights.
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"To be a good cook you have to have a love of the good, a love of hard work, and a love of creating.”
"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude."
“If you have good knives, you certainly don’t need tomato slicers, parsley choppers, onion choppers, etc,nor potato slicers.”
"People who love to eat are always the best people."
“A party without cake is just a meeting.”
“...you don’t spring into good cooking naked. You have to have some training. You have to learn how to eat.”
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“When you flip anything, you just have to have the courage of your convictions...you can always pick it up if you’re alone in the kitchen. Who is going to see?”
“It is hard to imagine a civilization without onions.”
“If you’re afraid of butter, use cream."
“You learn to cook so that you don't have to be a slave to recipes. You get what's in season and you know what to do with it.”
“The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appétit!”